Wellington Kindergartens

Carole Olmedo - Board Chair

I am the fortunate mother of 3 beautiful and talented sons. My twin sons, Leonardo and Antonioare 4 and my youngest Valentino is 2. The twins attend Johnsonville Main Kindergarten, this is their place of fun and learning. We are a multicultural family, myself New Zealand Maori/European and my partner is from Chile. Our home is filled with different languages and cultures. I am a full time self-employed IT Consultant and are currently doing a Business Degree through Massey. My reasons for joining the board was to support the Association in their continued effort to create a place of education that is fun and also to provide a Maori perspective. I am looking forward to being part of an exciting future with the Association Board.

Claire Brown - Deputy Chair of Board

My daughter, Emma attended Onslow Kindergarten and has now started school. When I emigrated to New Zealand I was working as a Business Analyst and have since retrained in psychotherapy. I joined the Board because I wanted to be part of an organisation that provides a fantastic start for our children. My daughter has loved going to kindergarten. It has been exciting for me to see how she has grown in confidence and developed good social skills with her peers. Learning through play in a supportive environment has worked really well for her.

Simon McLellan - Board Member

I am a house dad to two children, Christopher and Hannah. Both of them will be attending Brooklyn Kindy in 2008. I am committed to high quality early childhood education. Kindergartens are leaders in the field, and I want that to remain. I bring a representative voice from our community to the board.

Paula Hunt - Board Member & Staff Representative

I have taught in various kindergartens in the Porirua area since 1983 and was Head Teacher at Katoa Kindergarten in Elsdon for 7 years and then Head Teacher at Sunshine Kindergarten in Karori until the beginning of 2006. I am now one of the Senior Teachers with the Association. When my children were small I was on the kindergarten committee so have worked both as a parent and a teacher at the grass roots level. I now enjoy working with parents on the Board to help develop a strong, supportive Association which can lead us through the many changes that early childhood in New Zealand has yet to face.

Donna Eden - Staff Representative & Head Teacher at Wellington South Kindergarten

The Board has an important role to play in the decision making process and future development of the kindergarten service. Working ‘at the coal face’ I believe I too can contribute insight as to how decisions, policies and legislation impact daily upon the lives of children and families in our kindergartens and communities that surround them.

Julie Peacock - Board Member

I am a parent at Churton Park Kindergarten and am currently on the committee there.

Gillian Bain - Chair of Finance

My daughters Annalise and Kristina both loved the time that they spent at Ngaio Kindergarten. We all enjoyed the sense of “community” that came with our being a Kindergarten family.

I have joined the Board because I see the Kindergarten Association as being an excellent provider in the early childhood education sector. I have previously been involved with Ngaio Kindergarten as a committee member, but I now wish to contribute at the “big picture” level.

I have previously worked in accounting roles in the government and education sectors.

Anita Balakrishnan - Board Member

I have 3 young boys, the oldest has just finished kindergarten and is now well prepared for school, my second is at kindergarten and my third is impatiently biding his time until he is old enough to join.  I bring to the board respect for the supportive and educational environment that kindergarten offers, and a background in operations management, public policy and governance.  I have been involved at the committee level as treasurer, grants officer and secretary, and look forward to the opportunity to provide strategic support to the Association through the Board

John Morrison - Board Member

I am the father of 4-year-old Alexander and baby Nicholas and have been actively involved with Newtown Kindergarten and my local community. This has made me aware of the many of the wider issues facing local communities, kindergartens and early childhood education. I have joined the Board because of my desire to improve the knowledge sharing between kindergartens to ensure their continued development as leaders in early childhood education. I hope to bring an enthusiastic, creative and rigorous approach to the Board’s strategic governance role, supporting the Association to develop a clear vision for the future.

Yvonne Hill - Board Member

Alex Dominy - Board Member

I have three great kids, Tom, who has completed his Kindergarten journey, Emma, who is in the midst of it and Katie who is eagerly awaiting the day she is old enough to go. I love the learning environment that Kindergartens offer and the amazing community spirit that they create. I joined the board because I feel passionate about Kindergarten and wanted to support the Association in any way I could. I have a BsC Degree and went on to do Primary Teaching and at present I work with children in After School Care and Holiday programmes.