Our Team
The Drowning Prevention Auckland Team
Nicola Keen-Biggelaar
Chief Executive
Master of Change & Organisational Resilience
Nicola brings to Drowning Prevention Auckland a commitment to excellence, a passion for leading people and a willingness to leave a positive legacy. The cause of drowning prevention is meaningful to her after experiencing the community impact of drowning, when one of her son’s friends drowned in a home pool at the age of two. Nicola has nearly twenty years’ experience in funding with a decade of this experience in community investment management for a large corporate. She brings a deep passion for charities, and the extraordinary outcomes achievable when local government and business works alongside charities to address societal issues.
Rihari Wilson
Pou Ārahi
Tuia te hono ki Hawaiki tū, Hawaiki nui, Hawaiki roa, Hawaiki tawhiti. Turōu Hawaiki
He hononga ōku ki Ngāti Rongomaiwahine, Ngai Tāmanuhiri, Rongowhakaaka, Ngāti Hē, Te Akitai – Waiohua, Te Ahiwaru – Waiohua, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, Ngāti Whatua Tūturu.
Te Puketaapapatanga a Hape te Maunga
Ōruarangi te Awa
Te Maanukanukatanga a Hoturoa te Moana
Makaurau te marae
Taamaki Makaurau te Whare tupuna
Ko Hape te tekoteko rangatira
Ko Kaiwhare te kaitiaki i kawea mai ai a Hape
Ko Huakaiwaka te tupuna
I am privileged to represent my iwi of Ngāti Whātua Ōrakei to be the Pou Ārahi for DPA. Keeping the DPA team safe while they learn to navigate the complexities of Te Ao Māori in their catchment area of the Greater Auckland.
Primary trained Teacher in Māori medium, experience in High School teaching of Te Reo Māori me ōnā tikanga. Māori Development Coordinator for a Kindergarten Association and Education Navigator for Te Ahiwaru Trust.
I am passionate to participate in engagement that Te Tiriti intended through a true and honourable partnership to protect our collective taonga.
I am Maurice ʻRIHARIʻ Wilson.
Ants Lowe
General Manager Operations
Ants is a recreational water user with a passion and respect for wai from a young age. He has extensive experience in the diving industry and has taught respect for water in many aquatic environments. Having worked in the water safety sector for many years, Ants brings to DPA a valuable understanding of, and strong relationships within, the New Zealand water safety sector. Prior to reengaging with the water safety sector, Ants led large teams in the disability sector. His passion for education and partnerships, together with his operational, financial and people management experience, mean that DPA will be well served in its commitment to achieve its vision for a Tāmaki Makaurau /Auckland free from drowning.
Dr Teresa Stanley
Research and Impact Manager
DipTchg BSc PgDip MBsStud PhD
Dr Teresa Stanley recently completed her doctoral research at the University of Auckland studying perceived and actual adult water competencies and risk of drowning in open water. Together with Dr Kevin Moran, Teresa has had many research articles published in international journals. Teresa is both an aquatic practitioner and a participant having been a NZ Swimming representative and NZ Surf titleholder, and life guarded at many beaches around New Zealand. She is an experienced and qualified teacher and swim teacher and has previous employment with Surf Life Saving Northern and New Zealand, and Harbour Sport. Teresa brings her extensive experience and expertise in a number of aquatic areas specifically in relation to research, programme development and measuring impact in preventing drowning.
Kushida Rasheed
Finance Manager
Bachelor of Business Management & Economics
Kushida started with Drowning Prevention Auckland as a volunteer in 2014 as Admin Support, then joined as a part-time Accounts Administrator and is now our Finance Manager. She is a graduate of the University of the South Pacific, Fiji, where she majored in Business Management and Economics. She also has a Certificate in Computing and Administration from Unitec, Auckland. Kushida is a Fijian Muslim, speaking Hindi and Fijian. Kushida is married and has two children and in her spare time she loves spending time with her family.
Lynley Stewart
Learning and Development Manager
Bachelor of Education; Dip. Ed. Leadership; Registered Teacher
Lynley’s passion for aquatic education comes from a childhood spent having fun in the South Island rivers, lakes and at East Coast beaches. Over the years her career in education has included teaching in primary schools and at tertiary level as a lecturer in physical education and teaching practice, and as an adviser in schools providing professional learning for teachers and school leaders. In her current role, Lynley is committed to providing the best possible support to teachers and schools to enable our children and their whānau to enjoy and stay safe in New Zealand’s unique aquatic environment.
Madison Chang
Ethnic Communities Engagement Manager
BA of Mass Communication and Post Grad of Marketing and International Business
Madison is of Chinese descent and worked with Deloitte in mainland China for many years in a C-suite role (senior management). He came to New Zealand with his family to enable his family to enjoy the Kiwi lifestyle. Madison has a great passion and energy for community engagement and has previously been working with the Electoral Commission to grow understanding of New Zealand’s government and democracy with Asian communities. He has also volunteered with Rotary for five years on Communication and Public Relations for New Zealand and Pacific Islands. His other voluntary work includes being a translator with Ethnic Community Leadership with Auckland Police. He has had his own unpleasant experience with both rock-based fishing and boat fishing in Coromandel and comes with a deep commitment to make a difference for the Asian community, keeping them safe when enjoying aquatic environments.
Dr Mick Kearney
Inland Safety & Engagement Manager
We are delighted to welcome Dr Mick Kearney into our team to lead the development and implementation of our strategy to raise safety in inland waterways. Mick brings extensive experience in research and successful community engagement for improved drowning prevention outcomes, and we are looking forward to the difference he makes with his high level of expertise.
Josh Carmine
Aquatic Safety Researcher
Bachelor of Health Science – Paramedicine Graduate, Certificate of Business
Josh has an extensive Surf Life Saving background with seven years of experience in the professional and volunteer lifeguarding environment along New Zealand’s’ East and West coast beaches. He has been involved with a number of aquatic environments including inflatable rescue boat racing, recreational boating, fishing, surfing, competitive swimming and pool lifeguarding. Josh is a graduate from the Surf Life Saving New Zealand Leaders for Life 2023 course, advanced lifeguard and patrol captain for Piha and Ocean Beach Kiwi Surf Lifesaving clubs and a keen instructor who loves to share his passion and knowledge for the water with his peers. He comes to us with three years of St John frontline ambulance critical care experience which he looks forward to incorporating with his aquatic skills to provide water safety courses to organisations. In his spare time, you will typically find him on or around fresh or saltwater catching fish, hiking through bush to find new surf breaks or swimming at the local pool.
Tamsin O'Sullivan
Aquatic Educator
BA (Hons) International Public Relations and French
Tamsin joined DPA in 2022 and led the development of the Float first campaign. She now leads DPA’s work in the new settler space and teaches our RUKU programme. She is passionate about encouraging people to enjoy the water safely and is a keen ocean swimmer, certified SSI open water diver and a volunteer surf lifeguard.
Tamsin is a British/Peruvian New Zealander who also brings over 15 years experience in marketing, leadership and project management roles within the education sector in Aotearoa and the UK.
Danika Ryland-Higgins
Aquatic Educator
Aquatics have been a significant part of her life from a young age. She has represented New Zealand as a national swimmer, excelling in both pool and open water competitions. Additionally, she has been involved with Surf Life Saving New Zealand as a lifeguard at Kariaotahi and Piha, two of Auckland’s more challenging beaches, further deepening her commitment to water safety and community engagement.
Danika is dedicated to giving back to her community by helping individuals build resilience, competence, and confidence in the water, all while ensuring they do so safely. She believes that everyone should feel empowered to enjoy New Zealand’s beautiful waters with the knowledge and skills to stay safe.
