CWS Board Members
Rev. Graeme Nicholas (Acting Board Convenor)
Graeme Nicholas joined the CWS Board in 2003. He is a researcher with the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd (ESR) specialising in service innovation and social complexity. Graeme is also a priest in the Anglican Church and has his own business offering organisation development, facilitation and training. Graeme and his wife Barbara own and operate a walnut orchard in Canterbury.
"I have been a supporter of CWS for at least thirty years. To me, CWS stands for development through respectful relationship. It is about working together with partners on projects that make sense to them."
Rev. Norman West
A parish minister of the Methodist Church of Aotearoa New Zealand for 43 years, Norman has served as a District Superintendent, a member of the Council of Conference and as Methodist President in 2003. He is committed to an ecumenical liberal faith. He has also practiced as a Marriage Guidance Counselor and then Supervisor for 25 years. In 1994, he was an International Peace Monitor in South Africa for the World Council of Churches. Throughout his ministry Norman has focused on social justice issues. In 2006 he became a member of CWS Finance Committee and in 2008 the Finance Committee’s representative on the Board.
“Christian World Service, committed to Development and Aid, has dedicated staff working with International partners, keeping supporters well informed to strengthening its finance base. It is my ideal model and why I am a Board member. The Methodist Church affirms CWS as its Aid Agency and I share that affirmation.”
Dr Margaret Wallace
A retired school teacher and former head of halls of residence, Margaret brings a background of organizational skills and people management to the CWS board. She has been a long term supporter of CWS and a regular volunteer in data entry. She joined the board in 2006, prompted by her trust in the organization and her avid interest in ecumenism. CWS is the only New Zealand ecumenical body that survives. Margaret strongly believes in the work of CWS, especially its model of partnership and hopes that support for the organisation will continue to grow. She has a PhD in music.
“I was impressed with the ethos and ethics of CWS and really endorse the way CWS works in partnership with local people rather than doing the work for them. Everyone is standing on the same level and working together with far more effective results.”
Rev. Brian Turner
Methodist minister Brian Turner has a long history of ecumenical justice and development work. He has served as CWS Director (1977 -1985), a member of the World Council of Churches’ aid and development commission, an agency representative on the Koha (then VASS) committee of NZ Foreign Affairs & Trade and a Methodist rep on the Interchurch Commission on Refugee Resettlement (now Refuge Migrant Services). He is a past convener of the Methodist Conference Mission & Ecumenical Committee, former Director of Trade Aid and an ex-President of the NZ Methodist Church (2008). Overseas, he has served in teaching, community development and parish ministry in Malaysia and Papua New Guinea. Brian joined the CWS Board in 2009 as the CWS Council Rep and is also currently a Methodist Church rep on the NZ Council for Christian Social Services.
“I am strongly committed to sustainable and just global development and believe CWS is one of the few agencies in Aotearoa-New Zealand that is capable of contributing significantly to that imperative. Quite simply, CWS is the best development agency I know of”.
Vicki Conradson
Vicki Conradson currently works for English Language Partners, a community organisation focused on helping refugees and migrants with English for resettlement. She joined the CWS board in 2009 as the representative from the International Programmes Working Group, of which she has been a member since 2003. Vicki has undertaken monitoring and evaluation visits on behalf of CWS to our partners in Cambodia, Brazil, El Salvador and Bougainville. She has a strong interest in social justice, development and cross cultural issues, stimulated by her studies in Geography and through a period spent volunteering in West Africa.
“I am fully committed to, and inspired by, the philosophy of partnership that is central to the way CWS operates. It has been a privilege to see firsthand the commitment of our partners to fighting poverty in their contexts. As Nelson Mandela once said, ‘overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity - it is an act of justice’. This is an ethos which I highly value and which seems to underpin all that CWS does.”Jill Hawkey
Beginning her career as a social worker, Jill went on to become the Director of Christian World Service for 10 years (1993-2004). Jill worked as a consultant for the World Council of Churches to set up ACT Development (Action by Churches Together) and became its first Director in 2007. ACT Development joined with its sister emergency response alliance to form the ACT Alliance in 2010 and Jill was appointed as the Deputy General Secretary. ACT Alliance, of which Christian World Service is a member, is one of the largest global humanitarian alliances with 130 member organisations in over 50 countries. It is based in Geneva. Jill and her family returned to Christchurch in January 2011. She is currently working with the Methodist Central South Island Synod helping develop a new strategic direction following the Canterbury earthquakes.
"Christian World Service has over 65 years experience of working with people to overcome poverty and injustice throughout the world. It is committed to addressing the root causes of the problem, not just the symptoms. It is a highly professional, ethical organisation supported by staff, volunteers and donors who want to make a difference in their world."
Pauline McKay
Joining CWS as National Director in February 2009, Pauline brings much experience of social justice action within New Zealand and the world wide ecumenical movement as well as a background in health and development. She was active in the anti-apartheid movement and YWCA from the 1970s to the early 90s and worked for the Africa Information Centre and the Waitangi Consultancy, which introduced Treaty of Waitangi principles to pakeha New Zealanders. She then moved to Geneva where she spent 15 years working for the World Council of Churches, International YWCA and the World Health Organization (WHO). Much of her work was around organising international conferences, latterly highlighting inequities in health research and health issues in developing countries. Pauline is the current Chair of New Zealand’s Council for International Development.
“I feel privileged to have been able to bring my interests and skills in development, social justice and ecumenism to CWS. It is an honour to work for this organisation, which has such a strong analytical base and a 64-year history of standing alongside and working with the poor.”A CWS staff member also serves on the CWS Board.
