Inter-Country Adoption New Zealand

Wendy Hawke ONZM

MSW, BA, Dip. Management, Dip. Teaching

Executive Director

After several years in a teaching career, she completed her Masters in Social Work (Applied) and a Diploma in Not-For-Profit Management and has worked in international adoption for over 25 years. She has 5 children, 4 of whom were adopted.

Julie Colquhoun

Administrator

Mum to two adopted children. Julie also has experience with children with learning difficulties.

Tania Hackett

Magazine Editor and Subscriptions Manager, Facebook Page Manager, Whangaparaoa

Mum to two (one adopted), Tania devotes hours to supporting adoptive families via the magazine and faceboo.

Andrew Fletcher, LLB

Chairman of the Board, Hamilton

Andrew is a partner in a law firm in Hamilton and brings legal skills to the Board. He and Kaye have three sons, one of whom was adopted in Romania and one in Russia. Andrew was instrumental in the establishment of ICANZ as an organisation in the early 90s.

Seonaid Abernethy, LLM (Hons)

Secretary of the Board, Auckland

Seonaid is a Barrister. She practises in Family Law , Mental Health Law and Administrative Law. She specialises in international/intercountry and domestic adoption in her legal practice and contributes her many years of experience in adoption law

Joanne Campbell, BCom

Treasurer, Auckland

Joanne is a qualified accountant who oversees the financial operations of ICANZ as a registered charity and incorporated society. With her husband she has two boys adopted from Russia.

Dr Rhoda Scherman, PhD

Board Member, Auckland

Rhoda Scherman is a lecturer in psychology at AUT University, with an interest in adoption research, stemming from her own experience as an adopted person. She brings both her professional skills and the perspective of the adopted person to the Board. She has published various papers detailing her research on international adoption in New Zealand..

Clare Cain

Board Member, Wellington

Clare is an adoptive parent to sons from Thailand and advises on fundraising matters.

Hilary Campbell, Dip. Tchng

Board Member, Dunedin

Hilary is a trained teacher and approaches Board decisions from a child development perspective.  With her husband she has four children, two of whom were adopted in Russia, one fostered through the New Zealand system. She currently manages a fundraising venture in Dunedin for another charity.

Judy Dunce, BAv.

Board Member, Wellington

Judy holds a Masters in Social Work (Applied) and brings the social work perspective to the Board. She and her husband are parents to two children adopted from Thailand. She holds a Bachelors in Aviation, a Certificate in Refugee Settlement Support and is currently completing her Masters in Social Work. She has worked in the travel industry, spent many hours in voluntary work with refugees and at the Citizens Advice Bureau..

Howard Bell, BA (Hons), MDigiBus(Hons)

Board Member, Christchurch

Howard is a consultant IT manager with a BA (Hons.) in Social & Organisational Psychology and a Masters (Hons.) in Digital Business Management. A father of 2 (one adopted from Russia), he has spent the majority of his working life in the Apple computer industry as well as being heavily involved in the formation of one of the largest ISPs in New Zealand.