Board Members
Meet the Board – The governance team behind WALSH Trust
WALSH Trust is a charitable trust and leading provider of community mental health and employment support services in West Auckland. A vital part of the community for more than 30 years, the Trust’s commitment to its clients and their families, as well as the wider community, has been recognised by the awards achieved, attesting to how much value this group brings.
Chairperson
Madhavan Raman
Madhavan has extensive experience in public service (both in Fiji and New Zealand) including finance, public housing and community development.
Madhavan was invited to join the WALSH Trust Board in 1993. He held the role of Chair of the Finance, Risk & Audit Committee for many years.
Madhavan is involved with a number of other charitable and community organisations in addition to serving as a Director of Tamaki Regeneration Limited and its associated companies.
He is a proud resident of West Auckland.
Chair – Finance, Risk and Audit Committee
Kevin Jones
Kevin is an experienced governance, finance, risk, and delivery leader with a background spanning project management, agile transformation, audit and risk, and the not-for-profit sector. He has held senior project and agile leadership roles across large New Zealand organisations, helping teams improve delivery, manage complexity, and turn strategy into practical outcomes.
Kevin brings more than ten years of not-for-profit governance experience, including his role as Treasurer and Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee for Bowel Cancer New Zealand. In that role, he has supported the organisation through significant growth, strengthened financial oversight, helped develop governance and risk policies, and contributed to the transition from an incorporated society to a charitable
trust.
Kevin is motivated by the opportunity to support organisations that make a practical difference in people’s lives. He brings a calm, structured, and collaborative approach to governance, with a particular interest in helping community organisations remain financially sustainable, well-governed, and focused on the people they exist to serve.
Bram Kukler
MBS: Management; Dip. Social Sciences: Psychology, RN
I trained as a nurse in the Netherlands and since arriving in New Zealand in 1990, have worked in the disability and mental health sectors where I managed community, residential and vocational services. Roles have included positions as Funding and Planning Manager for Mental Health and Addiction at the Waitematā DHB, Sector Relationship Manager for the National Depression Initiative, Regional Manager aged residential care services and General Manager, Operations for Plunket NZ. I have also been actively involved in local, regional and national primary mental health development.
At present, I am General Manager for Early Childhood Education Kindergarten Associations in Auckland.
My association with WALSH Trust goes back to early 2000 and Funding and Planning Manager for WDHB, and later as a WALSH Trust Board member since about 2012.
Deborah Raroa
Deborah Raroa (Ngāti Porou) has a background in community development, hauora, systems change, and strategic design, with extensive experience working alongside communities across West Auckland. She currently serves as Acting General Manager for Tipping Point Resource Recovery Park and brings a strong focus on wellbeing, resilience, and collective impact through community-led approaches. Deborah also has a long history of involvement in sport and wellbeing initiatives, along with a personal understanding of the importance of mental health and whānau wellbeing.
Sonya Russell
I am of Croatian, Pakeha and Ngāpuhi descent and live in Tamaki Makaurau with my whānau.
As an experienced leader in mental health and wellbeing, I have broad experience across the health and community sector. I have worked in a range of roles, from Principal Advisor and Programme Director for the Ministry of Health, to Senior Planner and Funder with Counties Manukau DHB, through to National Operations Manager for a large community care provider.
My professional qualifications include a BSc in Psychology & Biology, PGCertHS Community Development, PGDipSc in Psychology and am currently completing my MSc in Psychology.
I have an in-depth understanding of the New Zealand health system and a strong commitment to strength-based approaches that enable people to enhance their health and wellbeing and thrive. I am passionate about addressing inequity and understand the importance of working collaboratively to ensure the best health outcomes for our communities.
David Lui
David is a graduate of the University of Canterbury who began his career in marketing before making a career change in 1995 to work in mental health. His early experience in marketing shaped his enduring belief that the people who use services should be at the centre of their design and delivery. Throughout his career, David has advocated for meaningful consumer and community participation in health and social services.
He brings more than 30 years of experience across the health and community sectors, having worked at all levels from frontline practitioner and manager through to governance and strategic leadership.
David has extensive experience in consumer advocacy and governance. He served as Chair of the PHARMAC Consumer Advisory Committee from 2014 to 2020 and was the inaugural Chair of the Waitematā District Health Board Consumer Council from 2019 to 2021. He was subsequently appointed to the Waitematā District Health Board in 2021. More recently, he completed a three-year term on the Health Quality & Safety Commission.
His wider governance experience includes 12 years on the Board of the Mental Health Foundation, three years with HealthWest PHO, and 32 years serving on school boards of trustees, including many years in the role of chair.
David has served on the Walsh Trust Board for more than 10 years. He is currently Chair of Waitākere Health Link and remains actively involved in church and community volunteering. Outside his professional and community commitments, David is a proud “westie” who enjoys spending time with his family. .
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