Our board & leadership

Sarah Morris

Sarah is a leader, writer and weaver of people and projects. Sarah works as a policy consultant and as an independent social change consultant serving clients in the tangata whenua, community and voluntary sector.

Sarah is values driven, and brings intellect and integrity to work that contributes to rights-based, equitable and sustainable social, environmental and systems change. Sarah has a special interest in allyship and how non-Indigenous people can take anti-racist actions and affirm and resource tino rangatiratanga Māori. Sarah has managed teams and programmes in roles across government, the community sector and in leading international development agencies. She is an Atlantic Fellow and has a Masters in Indigenous-led Social Change Leadership from the University of Melbourne.

Mandy Smith

Mandy (Samoan, Scottish, Irish) lives in Murihiku, Southland and is a passionate advocate for community driven change. Mandy brings a breadth of experience across governance, philanthropy, youth development, and operations in the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. With an academic background in education, she is now studying public policy, strongly believing in the words of great activists "Educate to Liberate".

Dr Ganesh Rajaram Ahirao

Ganesh is a first-generation New Zealander of Indian ethnicity, raised in Te Awa Kairangi ki Uta and now lives with his partner in Pōneke. Ganesh acknowledges Māori as Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa.

An economist by trade, Ganesh has accumulated more than 40 years of experience and knowledge during a professional career that has ranged from academia, to consulting, to public service. His most recent position was as Chair of the Productivity Commission Te Kōmihana Whai Hua o Aotearoa. Before the Commission, Ganesh was Chief Economist and Research Director at private sector consultancy Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL).

Since the disestablishment of the Productivity Commission in early-2024, Ganesh continues to monitor the economic situation publishing comment and articles on his Substack site. Ganesh regularly volunteers for shifts at the Wellington City Mission's Whakamaru Social Supermarket and serves in voluntary positions on several Boards.

Ganesh believes economics is distinct from money and finance. He prefers an economics framing around nurturing, protecting, maintaining, and improving individual and collective taonga and resources to ensure a fit-for-purpose legacy is passed to future generations.

Sharn Cassady

Ngāpuhi, Te Whānau-ā-Apanui

Sharn is the Chairperson of a national charity tackling period poverty in Aotearoa. An experienced leader in large-scale programme management, she brings strategic insight and a strong commitment to social justice.

Sharn has worked across government and NGO sectors in youth, education, justice, mental health, culture and heritage. She is a passionate advocate for equity and systemic change.

Dr Helen Potter

He uri nō Ngāti Maniapoto, he whāngai nō Ngāpuhi

Helen brings her experience in governance, politics, and kaupapa Māori research to the board of ActionStation, and is also a member of the ActionStation taumata established to support the director.

Helen has been a kaupapa Māori researcher for nearly 30 years. She is a former research manager and advisor at Parliament, first for the Māori Party and then the Mana Movement, and is the author of numerous reports and publications examining Māori wellbeing across several fields including education, health, housing, whānau development, cultural identity, and the environment. During that time, Helen has also been a member of numerous boards spanning the academic, community, and iwi sectors.

Kassie Hartendorp

Kassie Hartendorp (Ngāti Raukawa, Ngāti Tūwharetoa) is our Director. She has also co-led key campaigns on Te Tiriti justice, including Together for Te Tiriti, stopping the Treaty Principles Bill and keeping Māori wards. Kassie has a background in community organising, youth work, takatāpui / LGBTQIA initiatives, anti-racism and workers rights. Her work is guided by aroha, kotahitanga and a steadfast determination that a better world is possible.