Michele was drawn to Tautoko’s mission and purpose having witnessed first-hand the challenges faced by people with disabilities and their families whilst working as a paramedic in the greater Wellington area. Joining the board has offered an opportunity to leverage her expertise in developing exceptional product and service experiences with like-minded people dedicated to effecting positive change and inclusive communities.
Michele is a highly accomplished design leader with over 25 years of experience in the education technology, creative and health sectors. She is currently Head of Design and UX at I Qualify LXP/Open Polytechnic.
Additionally, serving on the board has given Michele a unique opportunity for personal growth and development, allowing her to develop skills in governance, and deepen her understanding of self-managing teams, and person-centred practice.
I joined the Options in Community Living Board in 2003 and became Chair a few years later. I took a keen interest in the development of supported living services in the early years and was supportive of our merger with Tautoko Services as I aware we were vulnerable as a boutique service at that time.
As a parent of a daughter who is supported by Tautoko Services it is a privilege to be able to add a family member’s perspective at a governance level. It is important to work alongside our committed management team to deliver person centered support.
Other experience and interests are environmental land management, native forest restoration, cooking, and gardening.
I am passionate about the impact that Tautoko Services has on the lives of the people it supports and am so proud of the person-centred ethos it embodies. I joined the board after a time when someone close to me was being impacted by a person whose behaviour in the community was very challenging for those who didn’t understand. It was early in my board governance journey, and I wanted to be able to make a difference and support this amazing organisation to thrive and be capable of supporting as many people as possible.
Outside of Tautoko Services, I also support several other not-for-profit organisations in addition to working with high growth companies and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their goals faster. In my spare time, I also run a farm and hospitality venues, and I am very active in Rotary and its commitment to service above self.
I am excited to be alongside Tautoko Services as it continues to expand its services in support of people being able to lead the lives they want in their communities.