Our Board of Trustees

Susan is passionate about the importance of equity and the power of learning in all its forms to empower people to reach their aspirations. Over a diverse career across not-for-profit, government and corporate organisations she has built extensive experience in leading collaborations for educational equity.
Her current role is Chief Executive of Te Hononga Akoranga COMET, an organisation driving systems change to make education and skills development more effective and equitable.
She is also a trustee of English Language Partners NZ and board chair of Te Papapa Preschool Trust.
She has a Diploma in Secondary Teaching, a BSc (Hons) in Biochemistry, and a Master of Education focusing on cognition and instruction.

As a passionate contributor in the child disabilities and mental health sectors for the past 25 years in both the US and New Zealand, Tami is determined to achieve equity for all children in need of support. She’s proud that the model that guides Acorn is the gold standard internationally.
Tami has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from the University of Michigan, a Master’s Degree in clinical social work from the University of Chicago and a Post Graduate Certificate in Inclusive Education from the University of Auckland. She has twenty-five years of experience managing non-profit organisations and programmes, providing parent guidance, child and family therapy, and school consultation specialising in autism, ADHD, anxiety, trauma and learning disabilities. Tami has worked in foster care, special education, early intervention and community mental health in the United States and New Zealand in a variety of leadership and direct service roles. Additionally, she is a professional development facilitator for the Ministry of Education through Core Education, specialising in inclusion, social/ emotional learning and trauma informed practice. Tami has three lively neurodiverse children who keep her on her toes and remind her to keep pushing for an equitable Aotearoa.

Paul and his wife Maritza have two neurodiverse teenage children. Having experienced both excellent and very challenging neurodiverse service delivery in NZ & the USA, Paul is a passionate advocate for helping New Zealand families get the right diagnosis, clinical services and support that they and their children deserve and need.
Paul was most recently the Chief Operating Officer for Microsoft’s world-wide Public Sector business. He has enjoyed a successful and diverse career at Microsoft in various leadership roles based in New Zealand, France, Germany and the United States. Paul has strong governance and stakeholder management skills working with external regulators, government officials, NGOs and the media. Paul is an investor, advisor and board member in various technology companies in New Zealand and the USA.

Sarah is a Principal Economist at the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research (NZIER) where she helps a wide range of health sector clients using policy and data insights to articulate their case for health system change. With a Master’s degree in health economics, Sarah has worked in health sector policy and research for more than 20 years, including District Health Board, Ministry of Health, and international research and policy experience. She has also worked as a secondary teacher in New Zealand and currently enjoys teaching public policy and health economics courses at Victoria University. As a parent and a former teacher, Sarah is particularly concerned about the impact of poor access to services on children’s educational and mental health outcomes.

Ted Ries has a background in investment and finance, with an emphasis on real estate and fund management. Ted’s experience in early-stage venture capital, developed his passion for helping new businesses reach sustainability. Ted is a director of several New Zealand businesses, where he applies his skills in strategic planning, finance and operations.
As the parent of a neurodivergent child, Ted has experienced the barriers to inclusion in education and community that exist for many in the disabilities community. Ted is committed to ensuring that every child has the opportunity to participate, belong and thrive at school and in their communities.

Nick is an entrepreneur with a diverse background consulting in HR and Data Science roles for the public sector. Nick was diagnosed with autism as an adult and identifies as Takiwātanga (te reo Māori word for autistic individuals meaning, in their own time and space). He is pleased to be able to support Acorn to improve outcomes for children, especially those usually underserved by the system.
Nick is the co-founder of Ahu Jobs, a Māori talent community and job board, striving to better connect Māori Talent to opportunity. Ahu jobs merges his technical expertise with a passion for improving outcomes for Māori.