Our People

Jules Nowell-Usticke was the manager of the Hawke’s Bay Foundation for four years before becoming Chair.  Jules’ professional life was predominantly in the hotel industry, where she was regional Director of Sales & Marketing with two major international hotel groups. She moved to Hawke’s Bay with her family in 1995 and feels strongly about giving back to the Hawke’s Bay community, that she feels very privileged to be a part of and is a passionate and dedicated volunteer.

Mother of two, Sarah is a Law and Bachelor of Arts graduate from Victoria University. She is the co-founder of Cultureflow NZ and Cultureflow China, both language software companies established in 2002 and 2007 respectively. Recipient of the Fulbright Platinum Triangle Business Award, Sarah completed her EMBA at the University of Hawaii in 2017, and was made a member of the New Zealand order of Merit in 2018 for services to education and community. Sarah’s current focus is the contribution entrepreneurship and social enterprise has on regional economies and community development .

Kevin is a partner in the law firm Willis Legal, Napier.  Being born and raised in Hawke’s Bay, Kevin is hugely committed to the region, having supported and championed the Foundation for several years.  He has a strong sense of community, having been a member of the Reignier Catholic School Board of Trustees, being a general committee member of the Napier Sailing Club (and is currently Honorary Solicitor for the Club), and currently chairs the Napier Boys’ High School Charitable Trust and the Percy Storkey V.C. Memorial Trust and is also a Trust Board member of the M. F. Greenwood Education Trust.

Andrew Wares is a partner in the law firm Sainsbury Logan & Williams and specialises in commercial law. Andrew grew up in Hawke’s Bay and returned with his wife to raise their children here. Andrew’s governance experience includes President of the Hawke’s Bay Medical Research Foundation and is a former board member and chair of Napier Central School.

Sam is an Investment Advisor with First NZ Capital. Brought up and educated in Hawke’s Bay, Sam returned home with his family in 2010 to make a life in Hawke’s Bay. He loves the province and wants to see it prosper. For him that means participating in making Hawke’s Bay better and not waiting for others to do it. He also chairs the Clifton County Cricket Club Inc and served as the chair of the CatWalk SCI Trust.

Jessica O’Sullivan is a strategic planning consultant in the health and wider public sector in Hawke’s Bay. Previously a lawyer, Jessica practised in Auckland, London and Beijing before returning to New Zealand to make Napier her adopted home. Twelve years and two small children later, she can’t imagine living anywhere else.  Jessica is also a trustee of the Royston Health Trust Board.

Sarah is an independent consultant working in the health and social sectors. She was brought up in rural Central Hawke’s Bay and is passionate about the potential and prosperity of the region. Professionally Sarah has extensive experience in senior management roles within government and non-government organisations in New Zealand and the UK. Now settled in Hawke’s Bay, she is a board member of Directions Youth Health Service, a member of the Hawke’s Bay Lotteries Committee and has served as an elected member of the NZ Ministry of Health NGO Council. Sarah has travelled extensively and participated in international community development projects.

Giles was appointed as a trustee in July 2016.  Giles is a Chartered Accountant and a director and part owner of Accountests Ltd, a start up company specialising in technical competency testing for those looking to hire accountants.  Previously Giles was a partner with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Hawke’s Bay for 18 years, a past chairperson of the Napier Intermediate Board of Trustees, and a past trustee on the boards of Napier Central School and the Napier Kindergarten Association.  Giles wants to use his skills to improve quality of life for the residents of Hawke’s Bay, and the Foundation is an ideal way to achieve that.

After 15 years living and working in London and Auckland, Craig returned to Hawke’s Bay in 2002. Craig’s background is in engineering and marketing, but he entered the hospitality industry by restoring Greenhill, a colonial Hawke’s Bay homestead where he established a luxury lodge. The skills he gained here were later applied to the restoration and operation of the Art Deco Masonic Hotel in Napier. Craig is a founding Patron and Trustee of MTG Foundation.
Craig strongly believes that gifts and future bequests that stay within Hawke’s Bay have a strong connection to the wellbeing of our community.

Linda was born in Hawke’s Bay and spent her childhood in Hastings, Havelock North and Wairoa, before setting sail for the bright lights of London and Southern Africa. She eventually returned to Hawke’s Bay with her family. She has spent the last 6 years in the fundraising/not for profit world and gets a huge thrill when matching a donor with a cause that they care about.  She is passionate about Hawke’s Bay and also about the difference that the Foundation is going to have on generations to come.

Bev has lived most of her life in Hawke’s Bay, raising her family and enjoying everything the region has to offer. She has worked mainly in finance and has a Bachelor of Computing Systems, but has a preference for working in the ‘not for profit’ sector.

Bev has been with Hawke’s Bay Foundation for the past five years and is instrumental in the office. She also manages the distribution process alongside the distribution committee.

Fiona was born and bred in Hawke’s Bay and has spent much of her adult life living and raising her family here. She works with the Foundation on a part-time basis, helping with communications, PR and marketing. Outside of the Foundation, Fiona works as a marketing and communications consultant, working with a range of businesses and not-for-profits. She loves being part of an organisation which is truly making a difference in the region she loves.

Amy recently returned to live in the Hawke’s Bay after 8 years in Tauranga, where she was Administrator for the Acorn Foundation. Born and bred in Napier, she is thrilled to be working within the charitable sector again in her favourite part of the world. Her background in administration and IT includes working with law firms and investment banks.

She makes the most of where we live with her husband and two small children by exploring the cycle trails and hiking the hills.