Board of Directors
Josephine Jardine
Chair
Josephine joined the Board in February 2018. She has previous Marketing and Governance Experience. She likes helping people to connect in their community, she loves films, theater, music and she also enjoys travelling. Family and friends are important to her as well as random acts of kindness. The one thing very few people know about Josephine is that she can sing Peggy Lee’s “Fever”.
Marijanne Boxall
Finance Chair
Marijanne initially trained as a public health inspector but later retrained in accounting and has worked in various accounting roles for the past 20 years. She has been a board member with Communicare for the past 12 years, acting as Finance Chair, and is also a member of the Endownment Trust Board, helping to support and guide Communicare in the face of changes and challenges within the not for profit sector.
Pat Stenersen
Pat retired, after working 20 years in the Tramway Union Office, while also raising her family of five, and was unsure what to do next, as retiring really did not sit well with her. Invited to get involved with Communicare by her mother, who had been a supervisor at the Royal Oak center for many years, Pat began helping out in the kitchen. Following the loss of her mother in 1996, she assumed the role of coordinating the centre. Over the years, Pat has served two terms as President, as well as Chair of the Communicare Board and has been an active member of the board for over 15 years. Throughout, Pat has volunteered her time and energy to Communicare and its members and her commitment is a tribute to the experience, warmth and compassion that Pat has always bought to her many roles.
Sharon Forbes
Deputy Chair
Sharron joined the board in January 2016. Originally from Hamilton, Sharron has held governance roles for not for profit boards like Hamilton Child Care Services Trust and St Joseph’s Fairfield Board of Trustees and is active in many groups within her community. Currently in the role of HR Business Partner for Air New Zealand Ltd, Sharron brings extensive knowledge and experience from her many roles in human resources. Today Sharron’s purpose and passion lies in giving back to the community. She has a deep appreciation for Communicare’s purpose in providing a service to the community that improves the quality of life for its guests. She is excited to be part of Communicare and looks forward to working with the team to achieve its vision.
Monika Divis
Monika joined the board in June 2019. She has a background in organisational and workforce development focussed on implementing best practice and innovative or unconventional solutions to learning, leadership, quality, and performance. Monika has contributed to the health and tertiary education sectors through various advisory committees and has held governance roles on not-for-profit boards including Mother’s Helpers and NZ Business Excellence Foundation.
Brett Wilgar
Brett joined the board in Jan-2020. Brett Wilgar is CEO of Watchful Eye Software and has a strong interest in governance over accounting functions. Brett is a Chartered Accountant with 25+ years’ experience predominantly in the IT Industry. He is looking forward to rolling up his sleeves to support management & to make a difference to Communicare.
Parag Bhatnagar
Parag joined the board in Jan-2020. Parag is a Product Owner at Auckland District Health Board and is passionate about leveraging digital technologies for social good. Parag is a IT practitioner with over fifteen years experience, ten of which are in the public sector health. He is committed to leading Communicare’s digital transformation and providing its board and management with quality IT advisory.
Johanna Bannister
Have 15 years’ experience in health social work in a variety of settings. These positions have mostly involved working with vulnerable women and children who have been affected by trauma and violence. This work has involved working with young women and children affected by abuse and non-accidental injuries. Have worked at MSD (Ministry of Social Development) as a lead practice advisor to rewrite programmes for vulnerable whanua in New Zealand. Currently work part-time in a Maternal Mental health setting, providing therapy/counselling and assessment of women who have experienced postpartum depression or other mental health issues that have been triggered by pregnancy and birth. Provided training and facilitated groups for women who have been affected by intimate partner abuse and historical violence.