Our People

Following you will find a brief introduction to some of the people who hold leadership roles at LifeSwitch.

I started school in Dunedin and graduated from Naenae College in the late 70s; my wife Jenni was one of the dazzling girls at Hutt Valley High. I left school and became a rubbishman; Jenni furthered her education and became a teacher. We married and now, twenty-three years later, we have three children. I’m no longer a rubbishman although I still put the bin out each week. I’ve been a real estate agent for over 20 years.

Jenni has lots of interests. They include looking after our home, tennis and spending (which she says gives me a good reason to go to work).

Our journey together has been a great one in spite of some health scares that we have had. God’s book, the Bible, has been our manual in both our home and business, we highly recommend it and the Author.
We love going to LifeSwitch – it has been a great environment to make lifelong friends for us and our children.

I was born and raised in the Hawkes Bay. After some 20 years in Hastings my work took me to Hamilton where I met my wife Mary and where we were married some thirty years ago. After a couple of years in Auckland, we moved to Wellington in 1975. Our daughter Jacinda was born in Lower Hutt two years later.

We were led to our local church in Petone in the late 70s. This is where God impacted my life and this church has been an important part of our lives ever since. Whilst we both work full time Mary with ACC’s Corporate Office and me as a Senior Manager with Internal Affairs – our involvement in God’s work through church has been the most challenging and rewarding aspect of our lives. We both enjoy the new environment God has provided at LifeSwitch and it is so exciting to see His hand at work through the growth in individuals and seeing people connect to God.

Although I have lived in Wellington for more than ten years, the truth is I am a farm boy at heart. I grew up on a 525-acre farm in a place called Tihiroa, which is in the Waikato between Otorohanga and the Kawhia Coast. All that seems a lifetime away now as I am well and truly city-wise.

I am married to a beautiful woman called Rochelle and we have three wonderful children, Levi, Hope and Judah.
I love children and love God and this combination caused me to make a big career change in 2004. I left behind my career in computers and took on the role of Lifeswitch Children’s Ministry Director. The really great part about this role is that I get to have a whole lot of fun as I dream up crazy ideas and ways to effectively comunicate the best, most exciting and life transforming message of all, God’s message of love, forgiveness, salvation and hope! Also I get to work with a great team of volunteers!

Life is good and life is hard that’s why I have a faith and belief in Jesus Christ and why being part of a caring community such as LifeSwitch is so good.

I started life as the unwanted child of ageing parents. Dad died aged 64 when I was just eight. Mum couldn’t handle me by then and sent me to a church boarding school where there was plenty of  ‘religion’  but little personal Christianity. I was expelled from there after six agonizing years and a short while later graduated to the court system as a guest of Her Majesty. After release, and while heading back into crime, I came across a man and his family who, for the first time in my life, demonstrated the love of God to me in a practical way. They showed me how to have a life-changing relationship with Jesus and the bonus was that it leads on into eternal life!

I married the wonderful Pamela, who has been a great strength to me during the hard times life has brought our way. We have four married daughters, one son and five grandchildren. Pamela and I are involved in co-ordinating care at LifeSwitch and in the community when requested.

I am privileged to be involved with the Leadership Team, budgeting and low-level counseling ministries, and Pamela and I both help with the DivorceCare programme. We are now looking to develop further helpful community-based activities – so, watch this space. Better still, come to LifeSwitch and I’ll tell you about it over a cappuccino in the cafe.
My shout!