Hear From Respected & Inspiring Speakers

‘Better Together’

Our MC’s : Jonathan Usher & Sara-Jane Elika

  • Mental Wellbeing Educator

    Cat has been speaking for 20+ years about well-being in schools and workplaces and how taking care of your mental wellbeing is an excellent tool from our youngest members of communities, right through to our most experienced! 

    Cat has spoken to over 10,000 children to convey the crucial message that taking care of our mental health and well-being by understanding feelings will set us up for life.  

    In more recent years, Cat has devoted her most of her time to helping as many children as she can understand and improve their  mental health and wellbeing. She communicates complex concepts through engaging story telling and visuals, with memorable messages and practical strategies.

Feelings for Life

Lessons in Mental Health from Science, Surgery, and Schools

The presentation will share the science and strategies for positive personal mental health, along with personal stories.

  • ONZM,C.C.T, CMInstD, NZRPN

    Debbie Sorensen is the CEO of the Pasifika Medical Association Group of charitable companies and Pasifika Futures the Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency for Pacific families in New Zealand. Debbie has been instrumental in the development of Pacific health services in New Zealand over the past 30 years including as the first Chief Advisor Pacific Health to the Minister of Health. She has led the development of the Pasifika Medical Association group over the past 15 years transforming it into the largest Non-Governmental Pacific organisation in the region.

    Debbie is an experienced Company Director holding current governance roles as Vice Chair Moana Pasifika Rugby and a Trustee of the Milford Foundation. She was a member of the governing council Te Poutoko Ora a Kiwi Center of Pacific and Global Health University of Auckland and is currently a Honorary Lecturer.  She is a member of the Health Advisory Committee for the Privy Council to His Majesty King Tupou VI and is a Strategic Advisor to Te Marae Ora Cook Islands. Debbie was the Chair of the Pacific Expert Advisory Committee to Hon Minister Reti and has previously served for 11 years as a trustee of the Fred Hollows Foundation, was a founding Chair of Make a Wish Pacific and is a Chartered Member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors. Debbie was invested in 2015 as a Commander of the Royal Crown of Tonga by His Majesty Tupou V for her work in the health sector in Tonga. She was invested as an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2025 New Zealand Government Honours List.

  • DescripBruce Horne is the Manger for Emergency Management at Rotorua Lakes Council and is also one of the Emergency Management Controllers for Rotorua.  He has been the lead controller for a number of emergency events in the Rotorua District in recent years, including the 2018 flooding event, COVID-19 pandemic (2020 and 2021) and Cyclone Gabrielle (2023).

     

    Bruce has significant experience in senior leadership roles in New Zealand police, including leading the re-development of the initial training programme and the introduction of workplace assessment, transforming the culture of the Rotorua police following the Commission of Inquiry into NZ police and working as a liaison officer between the Commissioner of Police and Minister of Police.  He also has substantial experience in operational command roles, including the police Armed Offenders Squad (AOS) and as a senior detective leading serious crime investigations.

     

    He graduated with Distinction from both the Police Executive Leadership Programme, Charles Sturt University, Australia and the RRANZ leadership programme delivered in NZ through Massey University.  (Response and Recovery: Australia and New Zealand).  His professional interests are leader development and organisational health.tion text goes here

  • Aifai Esera is a passionate community leader, business navigator, and advocate for Pacific empowerment across the Bay of Plenty region. Deeply rooted in his Samoan heritage, Aifai proudly carries the chiefly title Fainu’ulelei from the village of Solosolo, and holds close ties to Tuana’i and Sapunaoa. Aifai embodies the meaning of his title: "serving your village with all your might."

    Migrating to Aotearoa New Zealand at the age of 12, Aifai’s early life shaped a resilient and purpose-driven character. From selling newspapers in Apia as a young boy to a 12-year tenure with Tauranga City Council, he has always been driven by a desire to uplift his community. Today, Aifai serves as a Pacific Business Navigator, working to empower businesses, support workforce development, and champion housing solutions for Pacific whānau and aiga.

    Aifai’s leadership extends well beyond business. His impact has been recognised nationally, including a nomination for the New Zealander of the Year Local Hero award.

    Grounded by strong family values, cultural pride, and a vision for collective success, Aifai continues to inspire others to "paddle their own waka"—creating spaces for Pacific achievement and intergenerational prosperity. As the proverb goes, "If you want to go fast, go alone but If you want to go far, go together."

  • Stu Knauf, originally from Hamilton and now based in Hawke’s Bay, has over 40 years’ experience in IT operations and service delivery, having worked across New Zealand and Australia. He is also a qualified Cycle Skills Instructor, Ride Leader, and Personal Trainer.

    A Rotarian since 2021, Stu is a member of the Stortford Lodge Rotary Club. In 2023, he received both the Rotary Presidential Cyclone “Service Above Self” Award and a Paul Harris Fellowship for his leadership in the Cyclone Gabrielle response. He is currently Chair of the NZ chapter of the Disaster Network of Assistance – Rotary Action Group(DNA-RAG), supporting disaster recovery and resilience across NZ and the Pacific. Stu also serves as President-Elect for 2025–26.

    Previously, Stu served 24 years in the Royal NZ Volunteer Naval Reserves, retiring as Chief Petty Officer Seaman after service aboard nine vessels across fisheries patrols, SAR operations, and Pacific surveys.

  • Master of Ceremonies

    Jonathan Usher always wanted to be a comedian but was scared people would laugh at him. 

    In 1999, Jonathan attended a work Christmas party and he saw someone perform a magic trick.  Fascinated by the method of the trick, and the reactions it generated, Jonathan purchased the trick the next day and starting performing for his workmates.  At the time there was a magic shop in Christchurch so every time he visited the city, you would buy a trick to annoy his workmates even more with. 

    A couple of years later, one of his workmates asked him to perform a magic show at their children’s birthday party.  The show went okay so he started advertising shows and the bookings rolled in. 

    He’s now been a comedy magician since 2003 and performs all over New Zealand and Australia at corporate events, functions, parties, weddings and conferences performing more than 150 shows each year. 

    He is one of New Zealand’s finest comedy magicians.  In 2021 at the New Zealand Magicians convention in Auckland, Jonathan cleaned up taking away the awards for the best comedy magician, the best performance of the convention, as well as the best performance in the evening Gala Show. In 2022, the Variety Artists Club of New Zealand awarded him the prestigious Variety Artist of the Year. 

    In his real life, he is a Z Retailer and operates 14 Z service stations in the lower half of the South Island. 

    A proud Rotarian, Jonathan joined Rotary in 1997 and has enjoyed a number of roles including District Governor in 2014/2015.  He’s currently a member of the Rotary Club of Cromwell and has just finished his term as a Trustee on the J R McKenzie Trust, a significant family philanthropic trust with a long and proud connection with Rotary. 

    He resides in Cromwell with his wife Lisa. 

  • 
Swedish mechanical engineer and lecturer at the University of Auckland

    Dr. Eva Håkansson is a Mechanical Engineer, entrepreneur, and eco-activist in disguise. She became the world’s fastest female motorcycle rider with her electric motorcycle the KillaJoule, which she built herself in her backyard garage.

    Eva uses high speed racing to open people’s eyes and minds for sustainable technology and she is passionate about inspiring young people to study STEM and to build amazing things with their hands.

    In 2020 Eva and her husband Bill founded KiwFil, now New Zealand’s largest manufacturer of 3D printing filament. Their focus is on recycled materials and bio-plastic, and the goal is to close the loop on 3D printing.

    Prior to starting her own business, Eva was a lecturer at the University of Auckland where she taught CAD, drawing and engineering design to one thousand first year engineering students every year.

    Eva is currently working on her latest project, an electric motorcycle called Green Envy with the goal of becoming the fastest motorcycle on Earth. That record is currently 605 km/h, quite a bit higher than Eva’s current top speed of 434 km/h.

    Eva holds Bachelor degrees in Business Administration and Environmental Sciences, a Master degree in Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Mechanical Engineering.

    Originally from Sweden, Eva spent a number of years living and working in the US and she has now settled in Tokoroa, New Zealand with her husband Bill Dube.

  • Juliana Carvalho is an award-winning disability advocate, bestselling author, and inspirational speaker. Born in Brazil, she became paraplegic at 19 and transformed her experience into a mission to drive change. 

    She created and hosted the Brazilian public television show Make a Difference, directed the award-winning short film If the Eyes Cannot See, The Legs Cannot Feel, and won Marie Claire Brazil’s Best True Story Award. Her autobiography ‘In my chair or yours?’ has sold more than 30 thousand copies in Brazil and the English edition made it to the top #100 hot new releases on Amazon.com.  

    Since 2012, Juliana has called Aotearoa home, dedicating herself to leadership in the disability sector. A proud Rotarian from the Papamoa Club, she is passionate about serving the community. 

    Through humor, energy, and powerful storytelling, Juliana challenges perspectives, inspires resilience, and advocates for a more inclusive world. Drawing from her personal journey, she explores the human capacity to overcome obstacles, embrace self-awareness, and turn challenges into opportunities. 

"Charge Forward: Transforming Setbacks into Service

What if your greatest challenge could become your greatest strength? Proud Rotarian Juliana Carvalho will take you on a high-energy, thought-provoking journey into the unstoppable mindset of a rhino—bold, resilient, and always charging forward. Through humour, powerful storytelling, and lived experience, Juliana will challenge your perspective on adversity, self-leadership, and service. Walk away inspired to turn personal struggles into purpose, serve your community with impact, and be bigger than yourself. Don’t miss this chance to unlock your inner rhino!  "

  • DescriptioOf Ngā Puhi descent, Martha Taonui was living in the Far North when Cyclone Gabrielle struck. What began as a two-week volunteering mission to “give a hand” quickly evolved into a three-year journey of service and leadership.

    In her fourth week on the ground in Hawke’s Bay, she founded the Hawke’s Bay Clean Up Team — a grassroots response to the devastation left by the cyclone. She has served as the Manager and lead volunteer of the team ever since, dedicating herself to the long-term recovery of affected communities. In 2023, she made the decision to relocate permanently to the Hawke’s Bay, and now proudly calls the region home.

    Her professional background includes work in the Family Violence sector, both nationally and locally, and she has supported many whānau raising mokopuna — including nieces, nephews, and siblings. A lifelong commitment to walking alongside people in times of need has shaped her life’s work and informed her understanding of resilience, care, and community.

    Volunteering with the Hawke’s Bay Clean Up Team has been one of her most humbling and powerful experiences, affirming the deep value of showing up for others during their most vulnerable moments.n text goes here

  • Ezra Schuster is the Regional Public Service Commissioner for the Bay of Plenty, where he leads the coordination of government services to deliver better outcomes for communities. With over two decades of public sector leadership, Ezra is known for his values-driven approach, strong Pacific and iwi partnerships, and commitment to equity.

    A proud New Zealand-born Samoan, Ezra has deep connections to many villages across Samoa. He played a key role in New Zealand’s COVID-19 response, ensuring Māori and Pacific communities were supported through government pivots.

    His leadership journey has taken him from the Ministry of Education and Health to the Tertiary Education Commission and Oxford University, where he completed a Leadership Development Fellowship. He also chaired the New Zealand Commonwealth Leadership Group and established the Pasifika Vaka regional advisory group.

    Ezra is a father of five and believes real change begins with relationships, shared power, and listening with intent.ion text goes here

  •  

    Carmen is a Rotary Community Leader for District 9930 (Area 3) with 9 Rotary clubs covering the beautiful Bay of Plenty. She has been a passionate Rotarian for nearly 10 years, and is a member of the Rotary Club of Otumoetai (Tauranga). Carmen is also the RYLA Co-Chair for District 9930. Outside of Rotary, Carmen sits on a number of committees in both the voluntary and professional sector, locally and nationally. She enjoys travelling widely, helping others, and keeping busy on her lifestyle property just outside of Tauranga. 

  • Mana Whānau Charitable Trust

    Adele Keefe is a mother of 6 and a grandmother of 6. She was raised in Napier and currently lives in Nelson where she founded and stewards a charitable Trust called Mana Whānau and runs Wānanga and programs for women. She's also an author of the workbook overcoming trauma where she shares the tools she learned through her faith journey to renew her mind after such horrific experiences due to living in domestic violence and meth addiction. 

  • The Rotary Foundation Trustee 2023–2025

    Evergreen Rotary Club , Colorado, USA
    Greg is a C.P.A. (Certified Public Accountant) and a P.F.S. (Personal Financial Specialist) having operated his own practice since June 1979. He has written continuing education courses, been a keynote speaker at national conferences, taught many courses as a guest professor, and has made presentations to over 20,000 Certified Public Accountants and Chartered Accountants from the United States and foreign countries. He was also the President and owner of a very large metal fabrication firm for the telecommunication industry and an international healthcare software development firm. Greg became a Rotarian in May 1982 and is a member of the Evergreen Rotary Club. 

    He served a six–year term as a member of the Rotary International Investment Committee and a three–year term as a member of the Rotary International Finance Committee. Greg has chaired five Zone Institutes and served as a Rotary International Training Leader at the International Assembly in San Diego. He has held many Regional and District Offices. 


    During the Rotary year 2014 – 2015, in addition to his duties as a Rotary International Director, Greg chaired the Rotary Audit Committee, the Rotary Board Council on Legislation Advisory Committee, and the Service Above Self Award Selection Committee, in addition to several other committees. During the Rotary year 2015 – 2016, Greg served as the Vice President of Rotary International and a member of the Executive Committee, Strategic Planning Committee, Council and Board Committee and the Workgroup to examine Rotary’s current International Convention model. During the Rotary year 2016 – 2017 he served as a member of the Rotary International Election Review Committee, the Rotary International Board Governance Committee, and the Vice Chair of the Rotary International Operations Review Committee. After completing a 6–year term on the Rotary International Operations Review Committee, Greg is currently serving a 4–year term as a Trustee of the Rotary Foundation, where he is a member of numerous related committees. 

    Greg is the recipient of the “Service Above Self Award” and The Rotary Foundation Citation for Meritorious Service Award. Greg and his wife Pam have been married for 47 years and have three beautiful children and four very special grandchildren. Greg and Pam are both Arch C. Klumph Society Members. 

  • Sir Ashley Bloomfield has 25 years’ experience in public health, policy and health leadership, including at the WHO in Geneva. He was New Zealand’s Director-General of Health from June 2018 to July 2022 and led the country’s health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was appointed a Knights Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to public health. Between 2022 and June 2024, Dr Bloomfield was Co-Chair of the Working Group for Amendments to the International Health Regulations (2005) at the World Health Organization. He is now a Professor at the University of Auckland's School of Population Health and Interim Chief Executive at Environmental Science and Research (ESR). 

"What sort of leadership works best in a VUCA world?

The world is becoming more volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous (VUCA) by the day.Geopolitical tensions and ongoing conflict, political populism, the power of the social media to spread harmful inaccurate information and the unpredictability of traditional alliances create a major challenge for leaders.

Leadership is a team sport and its power is in harnessing collective energy and action behind a common purpose. Rotary International’s support for global efforts to eradicate polio is a great example. What sort of leadership should we aspire to in such challenging circumstances - and more importantly, what works? History, including our recent experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, provides some clear pointers.

  • Description texSara-Jane is a transformational Asia-Pacific leader who has been recognised as a change maker through her unique blend of technical experience and indigenous insights. As an award-winning entertainer and admitted barrister and solicitor to the High Court of NZ, Sara-Jane embraces high performance, adaptability and creativity. 

     

    Executive Director of ECG, a boutique consultancy providing advice on strategy, engagement, and evaluation, she works with both public and private sector clients to create innovative solutions for the landscape of today's workforce influenced by technological advancements, demographic shifts, and evolving work models. 

     

    Sara-Jane is recognised as a Business Leader from the University of Auckland 40 Under 40 (2020) and is an alumnus of the Duke of Edinburgh's CSC Global Commonwealth (2023), Leadership NZ, Global Women Breakthrough Leaders and a finalist in the 2017 “NZ Women of Influence” awards for her contribution to Arts and Culture. 

     

    She has been a C-suite leader during the Covid-19 pandemic specialising in media, crisis and communications and has over a decade experience in governance including directorships for Moana Pasifika (Rugby), Foundation North (Philanthropy/Community Funding), Good Shepherd NZ (Women and Children) and Community Law o Aotearoa (Access to Justice). 

     

    Sara-Jane is an active arts advocate both as entertainer and producer having won a Tui music Aotearoa award for Best Pacific Album and inaugural Best Pacific Female artist at the NZ Pacific Music awards. She produces content material for clients and a Music/Chat show ‘Soul Sessions’ which has screened throughout the Pacific Islands Region and in NZ on Prime TV, Whakaata Māori TV and Tagata Pasifika with 3 seasons and 30 episodes. 

     

    “I love working with people and being a part of organisations that seek to advance their communities. Being married with 4 kids aged 15, 11, 11 and 9, I value work-life balance and being fully present to enjoy life to the fullest!” t goes here