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Champions for Change

14 July 2023

From Nick Loosley and Dr Sina Tait to Adrian Palmer and Dame Ann Ballin, learn about the Champions for Change UC is showcasing to celebrate our 150th anniversary.

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Nick Loosley
Nick Loosley

BCom 2008

NickLoosleyis the founder of the multi-award-winning charity,Everybody Eats. With three goals, Everybody Eats aims to reduce food waste, food poverty, and social isolation in Aotearoa. Almost exclusively using surplus food and run by volunteers, customers pay whatever they can afford. In recognition of his enormous contribution to his community, Nick was awarded TheKiwiBankNew ƵappLocal Hero of the Year award in 2020.Nick isalsotheownerof restaurants The Gables and Hone’s Garden, and co-founder ofWITHWILD, a closed-loop conservation start-up thatsources wild meat fromTeWaipounamu.

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Sina-Cotter-Tait
Dr Sina Cotter Tait

BE (Hons) 2001, MBA 2015, PhD 2022

With over 20 years of experience in consulting engineering, Sina is a leader in her field. Through her consultancy Collective Success, she provides engineering services toorganisations who share her values. She is also a professionaldirector, andhas earned an MBA and PhD at the Ƶapp in construction management. Sina is passionate about creating leadership pathways forrangatahi, especially Māori and Pasifika youth in infrastructure. She is a two-time recipient of the Engineering New ƵappFulton-Downer Gold Medal for her contribution to the profession and, in 2022, she was elected a Fellow of Engineering New Zealand.

julia-arnott-neenee
Julia Arnott-Neenee

BCom, BA 2015

A champion for digital equity and representation of Pacific Peoples in tech, Julia Arnott-Neeneecarved out an international career working with HP in the UK, Ireland and California.Upon returning home in 2020, Julia co-foundedFibre Fale, a youth and purpose-led social enterprise.It has a mission tocreatepathways for more Pacific people to embark into technology through education, facilitation and advocacy – with major philanthropic leaders Perpetual Guardian, Spark Foundation, and Fisher & Paykel getting on board to support her vision.Juliais also a member of several boards and councils that work towards digital inclusion and the Kiwi tech industry.

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Zoe Hector
Zoë Hector

MAud (Dist) 2018

ZoëHector didn’t realise the impact growing up with a deaf sibling had on her until she started studying child development and psycholinguistics. During study,Zoë worked as a teacher aid for deaf children at a mainstream school, where she witnessed the impact of communication breakdown between students – both socially and academically. This was the inspiration for foundingTalk Town, a digital game and social enterprise, supported by the UC Centre for Entrepreneurship, aimed at improving outcomes for deaf kids.Zoë also works as a clinical audiologist, using both technology and counselling skills to make dramatic improvements to people’s quality of life.

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Hannah-Hardy-Jones
Hannah Hardy-Jones

BA 2005, GDipHRM2005

A passionate mental health advocate, Hannah Hardy-Jones is the CEO and founder ofTheKite Program, a tech platform that creates apps for specific organisations, occupational groups, and mental health causes. Starting Kite as a result of her own journey with bipolar disorder, which was triggered by childbirth nine years ago, Hannah now works with clients around the worldandsharesher story to help bring about change. Since it’s conception, Kite has evolved to now provide app-based support to businesses, HR professionals, the veterinary industry, individuals with eating disorders, Covid19 programs, and mum of all stages.

Adrian Palmer
Adrian Palmer

BSc 2001

Born and bred inŌtautahi, Adrian Palmer’s claim to fame is being the drummer of Kiwi band Zed. Forming in high school, he squeezed in university studies before the band took off and toured the world. Now Adrian is theGeneral Managerof the Addington Coffee Co-op, Common Good Coffee,andJoyya, a collection of social enterprises formed around the values of fair and ethical business practices. Opened in 2008, the cafe is iconic in the local hospitality scene and its profits help realise the mission ofsparking good in places of extreme poverty and modern slavery.

lexie-matheson
Lexie Matheson ONZM

Christchurch Teachers College 1964

Influentialtransgender activist, academic, event manager, teacher,and performing artist, Lexie Mathesonisknown internationally for her contribution tothe rights of the queer community.She has campaigned relentlessly to ensure transgender athletes can compete in all levels in sport and wasthe first transgender woman to compete attheWorldGojuRy Karate Federation Championships in 2017.Lexie has heldseveralgovernance positions in the LGBTQIA+ space and as an acknowledgement of her tireless work and dedication,Lexie washonoured bybeing made anOfficer of the New ƵappOrder of Meritin 2016for her services to the performing arts, education,and LGBTQIA+rights.

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suli
Suli Tuitaupe

BHSc 2015, MHealSc2018

After returning to Aotearoa from a stint overseas, SuliTuitaupenoticed a billboard advertising UC's new Bachelor of Health Sciences. After graduating, he continued his studies to become a registered nurse in order to pursue his passion for empowering Pacific communities and his desire to help others. In 2021, Suli founded 'MoanaVā', with the intention of creating a safe space for Pacific Rainbow+ individuals and their families to connect as well as provide advocacy and support. In 2022, Suli was awarded a clinical fellowship by the Health Research Council (HRC) to advance his research on "Understanding the worldview of health from a Samoan New Zealander's perspective."

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Dame Ann Ballin ONZ DBE

BA 1960, MA 1965, LittD 2001

Born in Hamilton,DameAnnBallinsuffered from a neurological condition in her teens that attacked her spinal column,confining her to a wheelchair for the remainder of her life. Determined, Ann became a psychologist and used her experiences to help others, including working as aStudentCounsellor at UC. Chairing the Victims’ Task Force in 1988, she pioneered changes in the criminal justice system to improve justice for victims of crime. In her lifetime, she was awardedNew Year Honours, appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a year before her death in 2003, Ann was appointed membership of the Order of New Ƶappfor her contribution to community.

Nina Oberg Humphries
Nina Oberg Humphries

BFA 2019

A second-generation Aotearoa-born Cook Islander, Nina is a multimedia artist whose work explores her dual Pacific and Western heritage.She has exhibited throughout New Zealandandhas been the recipient of bothUC’s Macmillan Brown Artist in Residenceand Creative New Zealand’sMana Moana Trust scholarship.Nina’s commitmentisto a future where Pacific peoples are valued, have equitable access to all things and are uplifted toachieve anything. Torealisethisvision, Nina foundedTagata Moana Trust, a not-for-profit organisationdedicated to the advancement ofPacific peoplesin Aotearoa.In 2022,Nina opened Fibre Gallery, a first ofitskind space inTeWaipounamu, theSouth Island,facilitating Pacific artists and education.

UC graduate Josiah Tualamali’i
Josiah Tualamali'i

BA 2019

JosiahTualamali’iis a health and social justice youth advocate.In 2016 he received a Christchurch Civic Award and Prime Minister's Pacific Youth Award forleadership inthePacific community, andfor hisyouth and student leadership work. When only 22 years old he became the youngest person appointed to a Government Inquiry - Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction–which has set the direction for mental health and addictions wellbeing in Aotearoa. While still a student, Josiah co-led campaigns of community support for action; including stopping the New ƵappPolice being routinely armed, support for the 2021 Government Dawn Raids apology, and Christchurch City Council wiping library fines in 2022.

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Bariz Shah
Bariz Shah

BE (Hons) 2021, DipGlobalHumanEng 2021

Arriving in Aotearoa as a refugee in 2001, fleeing a war-torn Afghanistan, Bariz Shah had an embattled youth, finding his way to prison at just 18. While in his cell, he decided to change his life and study at university. During his time at UC, Bariz was elected President of the UCMUSA, and after theChristchurch Mosqueattacks on 15 March 2019, he and his wife Saba fundraised $20,000 and traveled to Afghanistan to establish 51 micro-businesses as a tribute to those who died.For this contribution to the Afghan community, Bariz has won multiple awards, including Christchurch Civic Award.His hope is for youth and first-time offenders who are lacking hope or self-esteem to see what’s possible when they start believing in themselves again.

Erin-Gough
Erin Gough

BA 2015, LLB (Hons) 2015

Erin isa proud disabled, queer person committed to challenging and dismantling ableism and other forms of oppression, and always learning from others working in social justice, both in Aotearoa and around the world. Born in South Africa, Erin spent their high school and university years in Christchurch before graduating with a LLB (Hons)(First Class) and BA (Sociology) from UC and moving to Wellington in 2015. Their career has so far spanned legal, policy and advocacy roles, having worked at Community Law Canterbury, the Human Rights Commission, Ministry of Education, Office of the Children’s Commissioner and currently the Ministry of Social Development as a principal policy analyst.

Sam Johnson
Sam Johnson

BA 2015

Samreceived global recognition in2010 whenhe founded theStudent Volunteer Army(SVA), a social movement focused on volunteerism and crisis response in the aftermath ofthe Canterbury earthquakes.His energyand abilityto mobilise thousands of people to create a positive force inthecommunity has been acknowledged with numerous awards, including Young New Zealander of the Yearand Communicator of the Year.SVA has grown to beactive in250 secondary schoolsacrossAotearoaas well asseveral Australianstates,continuing its work inrespondingto disasters.Sam is now using his entrepreneurial experienceand passiontosupport business and community projectsacross Aotearoa.

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