Ngā tāngata o roto Our people
Ngā tāngata o roto Our people
Ngā tāngata o roto Our people
Our Board
Click the names to learn more about each of our Board members
Chair
Don Mackinnon is one of New Zealand’s leading sports lawyers and directors.
He is currently Chair of Super Rugby club The Blues, and is also Chair of the Integrity Vetting Panel of World Athletics based in Monaco.
Don has previously served as a director of NZ Cricket (and Chair of its High Performance Committee), Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ, was Chair of Netball NZ, and chaired the Sport and Recreation Integrity Working Group.
He has also led several major reviews into sport. In 2023, Don was awarded the ANZSLA Contribution to Sport and Sports Law Award, recognising his substantial contribution to the development, integrity and professionalism of the sport and sports law industry.
Member
An award-winning professional director and recognised industry leader, Traci Houpapa is a trusted advisor to Māori, Government and industry on strategic and economic development.
Traci holds a number of leadership and governance roles in the public and private sector nationally and internationally, including Chiefs Rugby Club and Women in Rugby Aotearoa.
Traci was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business and Māori in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday honours.
Member
Tim Castle is in private practice as a barrister and was the Chair of Drug Free Sport New Zealand.
He is widely known and respected for his expertise and experience, in the fields of national and international sports law, sports ethics and integrity, mediation and governance.
In addition, Tim has extensive experience over more than 3 decades of work for Iwi/hapū Māori to advance recognition, integration and settlement of Māori Treaty rights.
Tim has also worked closely with Pacific peoples; he is the Chair of the Pacific Games Sports Tribunal.
Tim provides strategic advice to national and international umbrella sporting bodies, athletes and support professionals; and has also represented, as agent and manager, several elite New Zealand athletes across codes and gender. He is formerly an accredited agent with NZRPA.
Member
A former Silver Ferns captain, Adine Wilson led New Zealand to a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
A commercial lawyer with Meredith Connell in its sports law team, Adine helped establish the NZ Netball Players Association, serving on its board for 17 years.
She is a trustee of the Tania Dalton Foundation, and also works as a commentator for Sky Sports.
Adine was made a Member of the New Zealand Order Of Merit for services to netball in the 2024 King's Birthday honours.
Member
Keven is an active member of his South Auckland community, having recently served a term in local government for Papakura from 2019 - 2022.
Kevin was a board member of Drug Free Sport New Zealand and has served on the board of Auckland Rugby since 2017.
He made 132 appearances for the All Blacks from 2002 to 2015.
A popular role model for young New Zealand and Pasifika people, he has served as an Ambassador for NZ Rugby's ‘Headfirst’ wellbeing campaign and Auckland Blues Rugby ‘Best Foot Forward’ initiative.
In the 2016 New Year Honours he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Rugby.
Member
Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu (Waikato, Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Te Wehi) is a dedicated professional with a passion for fostering mutually beneficial relationships across diverse sectors.
As a Cultural Manager for a large Corporate firm she combines technical expertise with cultural intelligence, evident in her dedication to advancing indigenous perspectives and leadership in various spheres.
Bobbi-Jo has demonstrated an exceptional ability to provide strategic guidance and develop culturally responsive solutions.
Her commitment to excellence extends beyond professional realms, and includes governance roles including Co-Chair at Recreation Aotearoa, a board member for the Waikato Institute for Leadership and Sports Studies and she was a member of the Rōpū Māori that supported the design of the Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui.
Member
Dr Lesley Nicol ONZM is a medical practitioner and Specialist Sport and Exercise Physician based at Pinnacle Sports Physicians in Christchurch.
She is a former NZ Netball (Silver Ferns) player (1994-2005) and captain (1996/97 and 2000- 2002) including being a member of the 2003 World Netball Champion team.
Lesley has had a lengthy involvement in player welfare and integrity issues and has actively participated on panels and as a mentor in this regard.
She was a member of the 2022 HPSNZ/Cycling NZ Independent Review and the 2021 Gymnastics NZ Independent Review.
She has been awarded an ONZM for services to sport and is a member of the NZ Sports Hall of Fame.
Her sports governance background includes prior service on the boards of Drug Free Sport New Zealand, the NZ Olympic Committee (NZOC), and the Commonwealth Games Federation Board.
She has also served as a NZOC Athlete's Commission athletes' representative, and is a current member of the NZOC Selection Committee.
Member
Lyndon Bray has had a rich and varied professional career, which has seen him traverse both the corporate and sporting worlds over the last 30 years.
He is currently a coach and leadership specialist, working inside Braydiver Pty Ltd.
Lyndon spent time as Telecom New Zealand’s Induction Training Manager, and at the Bank of New Zealand where he was the National Training Manager for the People and Culture Department.
He has also served as the Chief Executive of the Tasman Rugby Union.
He is best known as an international rugby referee. Following his retirement from refereeing, Lyndon moved into sports management, leading the Super Rugby Referee Team at SANZAAR for 10 years.
He has run his own business (Coach for Success) and is also a fully accredited Team Management Services facilitator and coach.
Member
Rebecca McDonald (nee Dubber) is a New Zealand retired Para swimmer who started sport as a triathlete.
She represented New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2016 Games, she won the bronze medal in the women's 100m backstroke S7.
Rebecca retired from high-performance sport in 2019 and initially had a permanent position in community communications with the Halberg Foundation.
Rebecca was also appointed by Sport NZ as a ‘Balance is Better’ champion. She now works for disability led communications consultancy All is for All, and is on the board of Arts Access Aotearoa and is an Ambassador for the Halberg Foundation.
She was selected for the NZ Olympic Committee’s Wāhine Toa programme in 2023 - a programme that supports selected athletes to transition from sport performance to leadership roles.
Chair
Don Mackinnon is one of New Zealand’s leading sports lawyers and directors.
He is currently Chair of Super Rugby club The Blues, and is also Chair of the Integrity Vetting Panel of World Athletics based in Monaco.
Don has previously served as a director of NZ Cricket (and Chair of its High Performance Committee), Sport NZ, High Performance Sport NZ, was Chair of Netball NZ, and chaired the Sport and Recreation Integrity Working Group.
He has also led several major reviews into sport. In 2023, Don was awarded the ANZSLA Contribution to Sport and Sports Law Award, recognising his substantial contribution to the development, integrity and professionalism of the sport and sports law industry.
Member
An award-winning professional director and recognised industry leader, Traci Houpapa is a trusted advisor to Māori, Government and industry on strategic and economic development.
Traci holds a number of leadership and governance roles in the public and private sector nationally and internationally, including Chiefs Rugby Club and Women in Rugby Aotearoa.
Traci was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to business and Māori in the 2012 Queen’s Birthday honours.
Member
Tim Castle is in private practice as a barrister and was the Chair of Drug Free Sport New Zealand.
He is widely known and respected for his expertise and experience, in the fields of national and international sports law, sports ethics and integrity, mediation and governance.
In addition, Tim has extensive experience over more than 3 decades of work for Iwi/hapū Māori to advance recognition, integration and settlement of Māori Treaty rights.
Tim has also worked closely with Pacific peoples; he is the Chair of the Pacific Games Sports Tribunal.
Tim provides strategic advice to national and international umbrella sporting bodies, athletes and support professionals; and has also represented, as agent and manager, several elite New Zealand athletes across codes and gender. He is formerly an accredited agent with NZRPA.
Member
A former Silver Ferns captain, Adine Wilson led New Zealand to a gold medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games.
A commercial lawyer with Meredith Connell in its sports law team, Adine helped establish the NZ Netball Players Association, serving on its board for 17 years.
She is a trustee of the Tania Dalton Foundation, and also works as a commentator for Sky Sports.
Adine was made a Member of the New Zealand Order Of Merit for services to netball in the 2024 King's Birthday honours.
Member
Keven is an active member of his South Auckland community, having recently served a term in local government for Papakura from 2019 - 2022.
Kevin was a board member of Drug Free Sport New Zealand and has served on the board of Auckland Rugby since 2017.
He made 132 appearances for the All Blacks from 2002 to 2015.
A popular role model for young New Zealand and Pasifika people, he has served as an Ambassador for NZ Rugby's ‘Headfirst’ wellbeing campaign and Auckland Blues Rugby ‘Best Foot Forward’ initiative.
In the 2016 New Year Honours he was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Rugby.
Member
Bobbi-Jo Clark-Heu (Waikato, Ngāti Korokī-Kahukura, Ngāti Te Wehi) is a dedicated professional with a passion for fostering mutually beneficial relationships across diverse sectors.
As a Cultural Manager for a large Corporate firm she combines technical expertise with cultural intelligence, evident in her dedication to advancing indigenous perspectives and leadership in various spheres.
Bobbi-Jo has demonstrated an exceptional ability to provide strategic guidance and develop culturally responsive solutions.
Her commitment to excellence extends beyond professional realms, and includes governance roles including Co-Chair at Recreation Aotearoa, a board member for the Waikato Institute for Leadership and Sports Studies and she was a member of the Rōpū Māori that supported the design of the Sport Integrity Commission Te Kahu Raunui.
Member
Dr Lesley Nicol ONZM is a medical practitioner and Specialist Sport and Exercise Physician based at Pinnacle Sports Physicians in Christchurch.
She is a former NZ Netball (Silver Ferns) player (1994-2005) and captain (1996/97 and 2000- 2002) including being a member of the 2003 World Netball Champion team.
Lesley has had a lengthy involvement in player welfare and integrity issues and has actively participated on panels and as a mentor in this regard.
She was a member of the 2022 HPSNZ/Cycling NZ Independent Review and the 2021 Gymnastics NZ Independent Review.
She has been awarded an ONZM for services to sport and is a member of the NZ Sports Hall of Fame.
Her sports governance background includes prior service on the boards of Drug Free Sport New Zealand, the NZ Olympic Committee (NZOC), and the Commonwealth Games Federation Board.
She has also served as a NZOC Athlete's Commission athletes' representative, and is a current member of the NZOC Selection Committee.
Member
Lyndon Bray has had a rich and varied professional career, which has seen him traverse both the corporate and sporting worlds over the last 30 years.
He is currently a coach and leadership specialist, working inside Braydiver Pty Ltd.
Lyndon spent time as Telecom New Zealand’s Induction Training Manager, and at the Bank of New Zealand where he was the National Training Manager for the People and Culture Department.
He has also served as the Chief Executive of the Tasman Rugby Union.
He is best known as an international rugby referee. Following his retirement from refereeing, Lyndon moved into sports management, leading the Super Rugby Referee Team at SANZAAR for 10 years.
He has run his own business (Coach for Success) and is also a fully accredited Team Management Services facilitator and coach.
Member
Rebecca McDonald (nee Dubber) is a New Zealand retired Para swimmer who started sport as a triathlete.
She represented New Zealand at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London and at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro. At the 2016 Games, she won the bronze medal in the women's 100m backstroke S7.
Rebecca retired from high-performance sport in 2019 and initially had a permanent position in community communications with the Halberg Foundation.
Rebecca was also appointed by Sport NZ as a ‘Balance is Better’ champion. She now works for disability led communications consultancy All is for All, and is on the board of Arts Access Aotearoa and is an Ambassador for the Halberg Foundation.
She was selected for the NZ Olympic Committee’s Wāhine Toa programme in 2023 - a programme that supports selected athletes to transition from sport performance to leadership roles.
Te Ope Tāmiro
Te Ope Tāmiro works with the Board to ensure that the establishment and ongoing work of the Commission is informed by tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and Māori aspirations.
Members of Te Ope bring a range of expertise and experience including from the sport and recreation sector, helping to ensure that Māori aspirations are central to the strategic approach and operation of the Commission.
The members of Te Ope are:
Bobbi Clark-Heu
Nicole Dryden
Andrew Tara
Mita Graham
Kuruho Wereta
Donna McCaskill
Hera Clarke
The members of Te Ope are:
Bobbi Clark-Heu
Nicole Dryden
Andrew Tara
Mita Graham
Kuruho Wereta
Donna McCaskill
Hera Clarke