Our board
Housing Foundation is a charitable trust and, as such, is governed by a Board of Trustees who act in much the same way as a board of directors. The Housing Foundation Board has nine very experienced trustees who meet with the management team at least monthly for formal board meetings. In addition to serving on specific sub committees such as Audit and Risk, board members make themselves available to the management team for advice and support. The clear demarcation between governance and management, coupled with the management team’s ability to collaborate with the Trustees and benefit from their experience, has been an enduring strength of the Housing Foundation structure.
Sandy Foster
Chair
Sandy has a civil engineering background and a strong record of business planning, financial modelling, market research and project planning in property development. His specific focus has been affordable and social housing, retirement villages and aged care accommodation. Sandy is well respected in the community housing sector having been directly involved in the delivery of new supply.
Kate Armstrong
Trustee
Kate is an independent director of the Suncorp New Zealand group of companies and chairs its audit and risk committee. Previously she has served as an independent director for a not-for-profit financial mentoring organisation. In addition to her normal Board of Trustees duties, Kate chairs Housing Foundation’s Audit and Risk Committee.
Sarah Sinclair
Trustee
Sarah is a Partner at MinterEllisonRuddWatts law firm and is a highly regarded construction and infrastructure specialist. She has extensive experience acting for both Government and private sector clients in large-scale, complex infrastructure projects. Sarah is known for providing commercially pragmatic, strategic advice on infrastructure funding models, procurement strategies and contracting structures.
Tony Lanigan
Trustee
Tony was a founding Trustee and former Chair of Housing Foundation; co-founder, previous Chair of the Board of Habitat for Humanity New Zealand, Board Member and former Cice Chair at Habitat for Humanity International. He served on the boards of Infrastructure Auckland, Waki Kotahi and Watercare Services Ltd. Tony was the first Chancellor of the Auckland University of Technology (AUT), a member of the Ministry of Health’s Hospital Redevelopment Partnership Group (Canterbury) and is currently Chair of the Project Steering Group for the New Dunedin Hospital.
David Kennedy
Trustee
David is an experienced Director and Chief Executive. He chairs two property and land development Joint Venture companies for the New Zealand Superannuation Fund and is Chief Executive of Te Kaha Project Delivery Limited. He has held CEO roles with Ngāi Tahu Property, The Eden Park Trust and St Lukes Group/Westfield NZ. He is also on the Board of Naylor Love and Deputy Chair of Eke Panuku.
Judy Whiteman
Trustee
Judy is currently a Trustee of Whānau Mercy Ministries, Trustee & Co-Chair of Debt Relief Foundation and Director & Chair of Carmel College Auckland Ltd. Previous governance roles include Presbyterian Support Northern, Te Waipuna Puawai and ANZ Staff Superannuation (Australia) Ltd (Director). Judy is a Chartered Member Institute of Directors New Zealand, a Fellow Australian Institute of Company Directors and a member of the Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. She is also an Associate of the Centre for Social Impact.
Mel Hewitson MNZM
Trustee
Mel has diverse board experience and currently is an Independent Director of Fidelity Life Assurance, Simplicity NZ, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Whai Māia, Southern Cross Travel Insurance and Domain Name Commission. She is a Trustee of Foundation North, chairs the Waikato-Tainui Nominating Committee for its Group Investment Committee and is an Independent Member of the Investment Committee of Findex Advice Services NZ. Mel also chairs the Active Investor Plus Advisory Panel for NZ Trade & Enterprise.
Orchid Atimalala
Trustee
Orchid is a trained Urban Planner with 30 years’ experience in Aotearoa NZ, Australia and Samoa. She has broad experience in local and central government, private consultancy and in her own consultancy. Orchid is currently Principal Advisor within the Ministry of Education and is engaged at the political, community and network levels. Orchid is also a trusted source (Subject Matter Expert) of Resource Management Act and related estate legislation framework for achieving the best urban and natural environments planning outcomes (particularly in relation to growth) within the Ministry.
