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AKH

Board Members

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The Auckland Hockey Board functions as a governance board, concentrating on the strategic objectives and directions of the Organisation, manages the strategic plan and sets policies, employs and supervises the CEO and ensures the Organisation meets its legal and financial obligations. The Board is removed from the day to day management of the Organisation’s affairs which is carried out by the CEO, paid staff and volunteers.

 

Board Members  

Nick Paterson (Chair)

Born in the UK, Nick first played youth hockey at school and club, although, even from early days as a teenager playing club hockey in a front line comprising him, his father and his brother, enthusiasm and fitness have always perhaps eclipsed skill. He moved to NZ in 2004, and after a very short stint with Roskill Eden, hockey was soon sidelined as three young Kiwi children took over most of his spare time.
Nick returned to the game in 2019, dusting off his old wooden stick and well-worn shin guards to join the Howick Pakuranga Hockey Club and the mighty Div 4A Wanderers.
Professionally, Nick is a Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Directors and, until June 2024, served as Chief Executive of Drug Free Sport New Zealand. He brings extensive experience in finance, governance, and integrity to the role. His professional background is complemented by a strong commitment to sports integrity and community engagement.
Nick’s leadership is characterised by a focus on transparency and communication, and is committed to helping Auckland Hockey grow as a high-performing, inclusive, and successful organisation.

 

 

Jenny Pooley (Deputy Chair) 

Growing up in a hockey mad family in Whangarei, Jenny spent her school and teenage years playing hockey for Northland age group and senior teams before moving to Auckland in the early 90s. She joined Somerville Hockey club where she was fortunate to be coached by Kevin Towns and play with the likes of Helen Clarke and Tina Bell Kake. During the 90s and early 2,000’s she played for the Somerville premier team and Auckland with over 100 caps, winning the K Cup several times, and representing NZ in age group and senior teams. One of her key highlight’s was winning a bronze medal at the Kuala Lumpar Commonwealth Games in 1998.

Jenny stepped back from hockey after marrying Mark Pooley to raise three kids, who now share the love of the game. She has since returned to the hockey scene, contributing as a player, coach and administrator for Somerville Hockey, particularly involved in nurturing junior and youth talent while also supporting senior sides as needed.

Professionally, Jenny commenced her career as a nurse at Middlemore Hospital before transitioning into various management and leadership roles. As part of Health NZ, she oversees a sizable team of 200 plus project and programme professionals responsible for delivery of data and digital projects across Auckland and Northland Hospitals and Health Services. Her role demands adept management of multiple stakeholders, demanding timelines and budgets ensuring strong governance and processes to deliver successful outcomes. She is also a member of the Institute of Directors.

Jenny is a passionate hockey supporter and player and is excited to play a part in helping set and guide the direction for Auckland Hockey over the next 3 years.

 

Abbie Gunning

Abbie was born and raised in Tamaki Makaurau and started her hockey journey late in the piece at 15 years old. One of several girls converting from netball to start an inaugural hockey team at Marist Sisters College.

Abbie then joined the Somerville Hockey Club where her uncle had played years before, playing a year in U18’s before debuting in seniors as a fresh Goalie.  During her 25+ years at SHC, she has volunteered on their committee and supported numerous activities and roles. She is now the Junior Club Captain with her 7 year old daughter starting  hockey.
Abbie has been a regular member of the Auckland Women’s Masters Team in the 35’s and 40’s and is a member of the recently reformed Auckland Masters Advisory Group. She brings a broad hockey knowledge and change management experience in her professional career to her role as an Appointed Board Member of Auckland Hockey.
Abbie is passionate about Hockey, the people and our culture. She is looking forward to being a member of the Auckland Hockey Board and enabling the development of hockey in the wider Auckland community.

 

Sarah Anderson

Sarah grew up on a sheep and cattle farm in Otago. She was introduced to hockey in her first year of boarding at Columba College, Dunedin.

While studying, at the University of Otago, she played for West Taieri Ladies Hockey Club. Once she returned from her OE, she took a role with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority and played for Southern Hockey Club in Christchurch.

In 2016, Sarah moved to Auckland and joined Western District Hockey Club, where she played, and volunteered as club secretary for two years, before transferring to Somerville in 2020. Sarah continues to play Division 1 hockey for Somerville and in the masters competitions over summer. Sarah has also represented Otago at the NZ Hockey Masters Tournament for the 35 and 40’s.

Professionally, Sarah has a background in land planning and development and has recently completed her Institute of Directors course. Sarah is passionate about building culture and developing effective and efficient ways of working.  She is excited to be a part of the Auckland Hockey Board and give back to the community that she has become a part of.

 

Marc Dudley
Based at Western Districts, I believe I’m best recognised as the guy who wonders around putting GoPros behind goals to capture footage for the club’s weekly ‘Plays of the Week’ videos. As a goalkeeper, previously captaining the Premier Men, I’m now biding my time in Division 1 where the social side often outweighs the competitive and where I get to meet many incredible people. Technically I’m a Lord (as I purchased one of those plots of land in the Scottish Highlands), but once you get to know me you’ll understand it’s all just part of my sense of humour. I’ve coached and played at numerous levels, including at Masters with Auckland and have worked with Youth and Junior development at Western with support from New Zealand Hockey.

In a career with a foundation in design and advertising, I run my own agency using the skills I’ve acquired over the years to promote and deploy events and community opportunities. Working with large multinationals, small start-ups, events and community groups, I believe my experiences can allow me to bring a wealth of support to Auckland Hockey and its stakeholders. Communication, efficiency and our incredible community are a few of the areas I especially want to see Auckland Hockey excel at once my time comes to an end and as such I’ll be happy to support you all in the best way I can. 

Please do come and say ‘hi’ if you see me around. I love meeting new people and forming amazing new relationships. Our hockey family is one of our greatest assets and I hope you all feel the positive effects of what we on the board want to build for Auckland Hockey over the next few years.

 

Mark Robinson

Mark started back playing Hockey in 2017 with HPHC after a long break from the sport. He currently plays both Winter divisional hockey for HPHC as well as summer social hockey. Mark is a member of AHUA and has umpired for several years.

Mark was the former Managing Director and shareholder of Avery Robinson Ltd. A company he co-founded in 1997 and managed for 21 years.  They were the New Zealand distributors for Dyson Appliances. He has a Bachelor of Social Science from the University of Waikato, majoring in Political Science and Sociology.

Mark is the current Chair of the Woolf Fisher Trust, a charitable trust established by the late Sir Woolf Fisher back in 1960 focused on the advancement of scientific and general education in New Zealand. He is also a trustee of the Waka Pacific Trust, which is the owner and operator of Due Drop Events Centre and Vector Wero Whitewater Park in Manukau City. He was also a member of the board of trustees of Cockle Bay Primary School for 6 years.

Now semi retired, Mark is a private investor who dedicates the majority of his time to charitable trusts and organisations.

He is married to wife Rebecca (who plays for Masters Women’s and has represented Auckland Masters several times).  They have two daughters, Jessica and Emily all of whom play hockey.

 

Vijay Patel 

Born and raised in Auckland, Vijay has been playing hockey since the age of 4. Vijay is associated with the Auckland Indian Sports Club, which is where his hockey career began, with a stint with SLAM through age group hockey. Being surrounded by hockey for most of his life, Vijay has played age group hockey for Auckland, has hoisted the Premier mens trophy twice, and now plays Division 1 with a great bunch of mates.

With two daughters also avidly involved in various hockey teams, Vijay has been actively involved in junior hockey in various coaching roles and on the AISC Executive Committee. Vijay is also the Treasurer on the Board of Trustees at Cornwall Park District School, working closely with the Property and Finance team, to give back to the community in a positive way.

Professionally, he has a background as a Structural Engineer and in Project Management, and as a Principal in the Business, take pride and ownership in the work that he undertakes. With a diversified role, his skillset is varied and communication is a key aspect of the job. He is responsible for a team of engineers, prepares financial and non-financial reports, and leads the delivery of multi-discipline major projects. Communicating ideas, solving problems, and challenging decisions to ascertain the best outcome for clients are some of the strengths that are going to be transferrable to working on this board.

Vijay is looking forward to being able to positively give back to the hockey community for which he has been a part of for over 35 years.

 

Dean Couzins

Dean Couzins brings a wealth of experience and leadership from his career as a representative of the New Zealand Men’s Black Sticks Hockey Team. With a tenure spanning from 2001 to 2014, Dean achieved 318 international caps and served as the team captain from 2011 to 2014.

His leadership, commitment, and extensive experience make him a valuable candidate for the board, where he can bring his strategic insights and passion for excellence to the forefront.

Since 2018, Dean has continued to contribute to the sport as a selector for the New Zealand Men’s Hockey Team. In this role, he is responsible for selecting Black Sticks teams for all international fixtures, offering input to the annual plan and campaign strategies, and providing constructive feedback to foster the continual development and success of the high-performance culture.

Dean has also been a dedicated player for the Southern Districts since 2002 and is currently a member of the D1 Men’s team. Additionally, he is actively involved in coaching his daughters as they begin their hockey journey, demonstrating his commitment to nurturing the next generation of athletes.

 

 

 

CEO: James Sutherland
President: Pam Elgar
Vice Presidents: Neil McCorkindale/Patricia Rangi

 

AKH proudly acknowledge the support of our Partners

Partners

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