nourishing communities, cultivating change
Our Mission
Grounded in sustainability, we are creating a food system of growing and sharing kai and knowledge to strengthen whānau, so our children inherit a resilient, self-sufficient community.
Our Values
While the kaupapa of our organisation sits within the food security sector, our values are so much more than that.
Hauoranga – Promoting health and well-being in the community.
Pāporitanga – Building a closely-knit and self-reliant community.
Matauranga – Providing lifelong learning for community members.
Tiaki taiao – Ensuring a resilient and sustainable food system.
From our values, our grounding pepeha was created
Mai i te whenua, te moana me te rangi,
From the earth, sea, & sky,
ka tū tahi tātou ka pōwhiritia ngā ringa tuwhera,
we stand together & welcome with open arms,
e awhi ana ta tātou hapori, arā, kia puāwai.
to help our community flourish.
Our Pepeha
Grounded in sustainability, we are creating a food system of growing and sharing kai and knowledge to strengthen whānau, so our children inherit a resilient, self-sufficient community.
Our Board
Frank Fernandez
● Frank is an accomplished Strategic Planner with extensive leadership experience in
Communications and Marketing for organisations including NZ Transport Agency,
HSBC, ANZ Bank, Royal & Sun Alliance, AgResearch, Waitakere City Council, and
NZ Rail Corporation. Earlier in his career, he was a financial columnist for the
National Business Review and a journalist with several regional publications, bringing
a strong analytical and storytelling background to his work.
● Frank has a proven track record in engaging iwi groups, having worked with Ngāti
Whātua o Kaipara on Te Whare Oranga ō Parakai and the Puhoi to Warkworth
highway, Ngāti Toa on the Transmission Gully project, and Tainui and Ngāi Tahu on
biotechnology and business initiatives. Well-versed in Māori tikanga, he maintains
strong, trusted relationships across iwi communities.Frank has a proven track record in engaging iwi groups, having worked with Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara on Te Whare Oranga ō Parakai and the Puhoi to Warkworth highway, Ngāti Toa on the Transmission Gully project, and Tainui and Ngāi Tahu on biotechnology and business initiatives. Well-versed in Māori tikanga, he maintains strong, trusted relationships across iwi communities.
Mike Bridgman
● Mike has held senior management positions in the media and publishing sectors,
having worked domestically and internationally in Fiji and Australia.
● Mike was the Proprietor at Bridgman Marketing and Media for 15 years, before re-
entering media in a senior management role.
● Mike, a family man with 3 adult sons, is the current Manager of South Kaipara Men’s
Trust and supports various other local charities.
Rachel Colley
● Rachel is UK-born, growing up near Liverpool before moving away for university. She
qualified as a barrister in 1997 and emigrated to NZ in 1999 to work for Russell
McVeagh, and subsequently other commercial law firms. For the past 13 years, she
has run her own specialist IP law firm.
● Rachel has been a member of the New Zealand organising committee for the
Intellectual Property Society of Australia and New Zealand (IPSANZ) for over a
decade, serving as president for two years. IPSANZ is responsible for organising
continuous professional development education/training events for the profession.
She also served on the trans-Tasman committee with members from the Australian
state committees, and currently serves as a board member of the French New
Zealand Business Council for over six years.
● Rachel lives in Glen Innes with her family, and is acutely aware of food insecurity in
and within the community she serves and lives within.
Our Team
Gemma Donaldson, Ngāpuhi, Taiāmai ki te Marangai
Gemma has been the Chief Executive of SKGF since October 2021. She leads a dedicated team and has been instrumental in inspiring volunteers and our community to address the complex issues around food insecurity and food waste within the South Kaipara region. With over a decade of experience in operations management, strategic planning, and NGO leadership, Gemma has spearheaded programmes that prioritise sustainability, collaboration, and local food resilience. Under her leadership, SKGF has expanded its reach from providing food parcels to fostering partnerships across sectors that address systemic food challenges and ensure nutritious affordable food is accessible to everyone in the community through SKGFs five
Katherine
Katherine’s passion for her community spans decades. In 2007 she created the safe house in our community, Kia Timata Ano (now under Kindred Family Services) which was brought on from her desire to support women in need of help and a safe place to recover. Katherine now oversees the Food Security Team in her role as Operations Manager and is the right hand of the organisation. Her extensive management skills are utilised in her position to oversee the flow of food for Kai Assist, through the Kai Rescue and Kai Grow teams. Her holistic intervention approach helps bridge the gap for clients who come to Kai Assist in a state of kai insecurity. Clients often present with complex needs and she builds trusting relationships through a gentle and non-judgemental, strengths-based approach.
Jo
For more than 30 years, Jo Ogilvie has called Helensville home. During that time, she has been an active and valued member of the community, volunteering her time generously and serving on a range of committees and boards. Now, as Team Lead for Kai Grow, Jo describes this role as the most fulfilling she has held. Her passion lies in supporting people to step outside, connect with nature, and build confidence through hands-on learning in the garden. “I love getting up every day with the thought that I’ll be helping someone get out in the fresh air, learn something new, and feel a real sense of accomplishment by nurturing plants to grow – while also helping to feed the family,” she says. Jo’s leadership is grounded in her deep community ties and her belief that growing kai is about more than just food – it’s about wellbeing, resilience, and sharing knowledge for future generations.
Andrea, Ngāi Tūhoe and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui
With 25+ years of work history, spanning continents, in horticulture, propagation, pest and animal control programmes and ecological restoration, Andrea is the perfect fit to lead our Mihirau Greenhouse Development. One of Andrea’s favourite things to do, and something she happens to be great at, is being able to manage projects from conception to completion, including SOPs, H&S requirements, budgets, training of staff and future casting. Having led teams of up to 180 people in her role as Head of Propagation for a largescale greenhouse in Canada, she has the knowledge and believes one of her biggest strengths is leading and creating strong relationships, in a quick and authentic way. Andrea has also trained in the field of natural therapies, specialising in holistic massage and working with rongoā Māori. She believes it is our job to lift the next generations who follow in our footsteps and encouraging youth on their journey in planting and growing healthy kai.
Laikynn, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara
Laikynn has a strong desire to give back to her community. In 2022 she reached out for a work placement as part of her studies for a New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Level 4) Social and Community Services through Te Pūkenga, which is for people who work alongside community members and whānau in a community facilitation setting. Additionally, she facilitates Otakanini Haranui Marae’s te taio projects … to be continued
Deya
For more than 30 years, Jo Ogilvie has called Helensville home. During that time, she has been an active and valued member of the community, volunteering her time generously and serving on a range of committees and boards. Now, as Team Lead for Kai Grow, Jo describes this role as the most fulfilling she has held. Her passion lies in supporting people to step outside, connect with nature, and build confidence through hands-on learning in the garden. “I love getting up every day with the thought that I’ll be helping someone get out in the fresh air, learn something new, and feel a real sense of accomplishment by nurturing plants to grow – while also helping to feed the family,” she says. Jo’s leadership is grounded in her deep community ties and her belief that growing kai is about more than just food – it’s about wellbeing, resilience, and sharing knowledge for future generations.