Tayyaba Khan – Chair

Tayyaba is an executive leader with experience in the public and not-for-profit sectors in Australia, the United Kingdom and Aotearoa New Zealand. She is a speaker, writer, and media commentator who is deeply passionate about working with minority and faith-based communities.

Tayyaba’s particular interest lies in utilising social justice, human rights, and ethical approaches to build a better and more peaceful world. She is a global citizen with experience of working in organisations such as the Australian & British Red Cross and Alzheimer’s UK. Tayyaba is the former CEO of ChangeMakers Resettlement Forum and has held executive roles in government such as Manager Community Engagement at the Ministry of Ethnic Communities, and Director of Advocacy at the Office of the Health and Disability Commissioner. 

Pakistani born, and raised in Japan and New Zealand, Tayyaba currently contracts with organisations across Australia and New Zealand.

Rami Alrudaini – Deputy Chair

Rami’s family were displaced from their home country in the Middle East due to war and instability. Together with his family, Rami migrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 1996. After experiencing the challenges of resettling and seeing the injustices faced by migrant communities. Rami developed an insatiable drive to address social injustices.

With a Master of Business Administration under his belt, Rami now has more than 15 years' experience working in both frontline and senior leadership roles across mental health, housing, homelessness, and social services. He is currently the Programme Manager for Housing First Auckland: a role that sees him actively (and proudly) pursuing systems change and challenging inequities.

Passionate about systems change and challenging inequity, Rami believes the right to decent housing is fundamental to the success of individuals, whānau and communities. He understands first-hand that when the right support is available, everyone can live well, and anything is possible.

Lynette Adams

For 25 years, Lynette has worked with community, leading a community organisation aimed at helping people fulfil their potential. As a Board member, Lynette brings vast experience facilitating capacity and capability building to create transformative change.

Lynette works with organisations to create impactful social change for good, focussing on strategy and organisational development, change management, mentoring, facilitation, co-design and community engagement. Lynette sees herself as a bio-degradable leader always looking to make her work redundant but like the nutrients in the soil, is always there to offer support and nourishment.

Lynette is currently a Director on Pūmanawa Āwhina, a national initiative that works with communities using physical activity and recreation for community and social development. Lynette has held other positions including roles on local, regional and national boards.

Dr Javeed Ali

Javeed is Fijian-Indian and a child of migrant parents. Javeed was born and grew up in West Auckland. He is passionate about equity and inclusion for minority communities, especially in sport. Javeed is currently the Community Insights and Training Lead at New Zealand Cricket.

Javeed previously worked at Sport Waitakere, championing and leading the diversity and inclusion in sport work focusing on increasing Asian and Pasifika participation. He is also a current member of the Auckland Cricket Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group.

Javeed has a Bachelor of Sport (Sport Coaching) from Unitec, Master of Business (Sport Management and Leadership and Master of Philosophy both from Auckland University of Technology. He recently graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy from Auckland University of Technology exploring the experiences of early-career rugby referees.

Ron Lal

Ron, Founder and CEO of Momentum Mind Lab, is a leader in Design Thinking, working with purpose-driven businesses and organisations to build ideas, strategies and systems that create positive impact.

Balancing his time between Aotearoa, Singapore and Jakarta, Ron collaborates with NGO leadership teams to help shape sustainable strategies. His expertise lies in revealing and realising potential, nurturing confidence and building outcome-driven strategies.

Ron holds memberships and mentorship roles with respected organisations like NZ Asian Leaders, Global Founders Institute, Auckland Business Chamber, YES Foundation, Business Mentors New Zealand, Adplist, and Entrepreneurs Organisation Global.

Ron has a Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University of Technology. He is also an affiliated Human-Centred Design Practitioner from the Design Thinking Academy in the Netherlands and an accredited Design Sprint consultant.

Ron brings a focus on human-centric design to the Board, ensuring we make informed decisions and stay focused on impactful outcomes for our communities.

Richard Catherall

Richard is a Lancashire lad, reborn in the Mediterranean where he lived most of his adult life and met his partner. Relocating to Aotearoa in 2020, Richard brings a deep commitment to collaborating with migrant communities – a passion he has pursued for over 20 years.

Richard has a Master of Business Administration, and is a qualified Financial Adviser, and a Master Coach. He offers strategic leadership grounded in more than 20 years of international experience across public and private sectors. He is currently a senior manager for Auckland Council.  Richard’s practice and lived expertise align around the importance of financial inclusion, and intergenerational wealth pathways.

Cynthia Tieu

Cynthia is Teochew Chinese. Her family are former refugees who arrived in New Zealand from Cambodia and Vietnam over 35 years ago. Cynthia was born in and has spent most of her life living in South Auckland.

As a young person growing up in South Auckland, Cynthia was exposed to a rich and diverse community of different cultures and ethnic groups. Her experiences as young Asian woman navigating the New Zealand education system and workforce has made her passionate about supporting other people from former refugee and migrant families to succeed.

Cynthia has a clinical background as a registered alcohol and drug clinician and supervisor. She has worked for over 10 years in the mental health and addiction sector and has a strong commitment to creating accessible health services for everyone. Cynthia is currently based in Wellington and works in the public service.