Governance and Management

Warren Jack - Co-Chair
Warren Jack is currently Executive Director of Habitat for Humanity Auckland and is a member of Habitat’s National Executive Forum. He has been involved with Habitat since its early days in New Zealand in 1995, initially as a volunteer and since the beginning of 2000 as a staff member. He worked for the National Office for three years as the Affiliate Development Director and was concurrently the Executive Officer and the first employee of what was then the Manukau Affiliate. He is also Chairman of the Lifegrowth Community Trust of the East City Wesleyan Church and is one of the Servant Leaders of that Church.

Warren has a Mechanical Engineering degree and a Diploma in Business (Marketing). He worked in the motor industry for 25 years during which time he held a variety of Senior Management positions in Engineering, Product Development, Project Management, Supply and Production. His extended family has been involved in the Construction Industry in NZ for 4 generations.

Lisa Woolley is the CEO of VisionWest Community Trust (formerly the Friendship Centre Trust) and has been working with community organisations for most of her working life.  VisionWest Community Trust Provides both Emergency Housing and Long Term Supported housing for people in Waitakere as well as offering a range of wrap around social support services.  Lisa has a Graduate Diploma in Not for Profit Management and is currently studying towards a Masters in Social Practice, with a Thesis that will be focussed on housing support for vulnerable people.

Sheryl Connell - Maori Caucus

Sheryl is a Practicing Lawyer, a Judicial Officer in the Disputes Tribunal and Social Advocate for disadvantaged communities. She has worked with several Maori Trusts in response to their whenua needs in terms of development of the land, Commercial opportunities and Maori Land Court issues. For instance, over several years the Houhanga Rongo Trust has maintained community housing for the needs of disadvantaged communities in  Otara. Sheryl has worked with homeless Whanau, engaged with housing agencies and negotiated agreements that have met housing needs for families, and has been instrumental in  sharing the project management of a Marae building project for whanau/hapu. In her professional capacity Sheryl has project managed subdivisions, has personally built two homes, qualified as a Real Estate Agent, and been a director of a design company. Sheryl is one of the three Maori caucus members.

Annette Sutherland

Annette’s career has included a fair measure of tenant advocacy. She started off as an English teacher and spent some time tutoring Feminist studies at University. From there she went on to Benefit & Tenancy advocacy through Community Law Services and the Tenant Protection Association. For the last 10 years she has worked with Comcare in evolving their services in Housing Facilitation from both a tenancy and landlord perspective. Annette has been co-opted onto the Council.

Alison Cadman

Alison has been the Director of the Wellington Housing Trust since 2003.  As Director she is responsible for the management of the day-to-day operations of the Trust’s housing services and for the implementation of the Trust’s strategic plan.  The Trust has been providing affordable homes to people on low and moderate income for over 30 years.  She has been on the CHA national council previously. 

Alison has a background in financial management, community development and housing – including a time at Housing New Zealand.  Alison has a BA in Sociology and has completed some papers towards a postgraduate qualification in Management Studies.

Alison is passionate about the role social enterprises like WHT, and other community housing organisations, can play in community and economic development.