Our team

Maia [she/they] is a queer, non-binary feminist committed to making resources and community more accessible. Maia’s passion for community work is informed by what she learned as a health journalist, about barriers to public wellbeing, particularly in women’s health and LGBTQ+ health spaces. Maia has been with Auckland Women’s Centre since mid 2023, previously as the Women’s Services Coordinator.

Janet (Pākehā) works closely to support the Centre Manager with strategy and communications. Janet also works in strategy, policy, research and communications for many NGOs, particularly in the anti-poverty and women’s sectors.

Sofia Davis (she/her) is our Women’s Support lead for wāhine and women in crisis who contact the Centre seeking brief intervention, navigation help and referral, Sofia brings integrity; warm, empathetic listening; non-judgemental care; deep understanding of intersectional feminism; and logistics expertise to her work. Having immigrated to New Zealand from Argentina as a child with her family, Sofia understands the impact of cultural differences. Sofia identifies as queer, giving her particular insight into some of the issues faced and navigated by minority sexualities.
An animal lover, she has volunteered for animal shelters in the past, and has her own dog called Hughie.

Veronica Cusack (she/her), one of our very first placement students (after a career change), now graduated! Veronica (Ngāti Korokoro, Ngāti Wharara, Te Pouka) is also one of our two registered counsellor. Warm and engaging, Veronica describes her counselling approach as “creating an environment where as the counsellor, I am decentred. Allowing the client to take control of the space and their own journey regardless of where they’ve come from. I act as a kaitiaki [carer/ safety maker] and guide them through their journey in a way that is centring them. Manaakitanga is essential –actually caring about their wellbeing, and showing it.”

Veronica is available as a counsellor at the Auckland Women’s Centre on Mondays and Wednesdays, and is also a counsellor at the Grief Centre in Pukekohe and at Atawhai Counselling, an online Kaupapa Māori service.

Emily Phillips (Te Rarawa, Ngā Puhi) has a BA in Education and has spent the last 12 years working in a range of Early Childhood Education roles as well as journeying through motherhood, with her two boys. She is passionate about practices, policies and understandings that support whānau and tamariki.

 

Chris and Sophie have extensive experience working in the not-for-profit sector. Using their complementary skills to resource the Centre, they are both passionate about social justice and feminism.

Leonie started work at the AWC in 2001 as the Projects Coordinator and shifted into the Centre Manager position at the end of 2005. She has a Diploma in Social Work and an MA in Social Policy. Leonie has worked in community work for many years including the unemployment rights movement and many different campaigns for women’s rights. Her two main concerns are finding solutions to violence against women, and poverty amongst mothers and children in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Becca Costa (she/her) is our fundraising coordinator.

“I feel really lucky that my role here is all about engaging with (and recruiting) the amazing supporters who make our mahi possible. I believe there’s so much power in every act of support we receive…big or small, each one creates a ripple effect of change!

I’m all about connecting people to causes they care about in an ethical and empowering way and throughout my career I have had the chance to train and develop fundraisers all around the world to do the same!

I’ve also worked for women’s and children’s charities, providing frontline support for survivors and ran projects on changing the culture around sexual violence in universities and domestic abuse in healthcare.

I’m originally from the UK, I love to travel and have recently made Aotearoa home. I identify as queer and love all things rainbow!  In my spare time, you’ll usually find me exploring the Waitakere Ranges, going to gigs and crafting with my whānau!”

Layba [she/her] is a penultimate-year law student at Waipapa Taumata Rau (The University of Auckland). With a background in sexual violence prevention and intersectional feminism, she is also the founder of Consent Law Reform – a campaign built on the premise that Aotearoa’s current legislation is failing to keep young people safe. In her spare time, she loves to read, nap, and rewatch Gilmore Girls for the hundredth time.

 

Lorelei is our centre’s massage therapist.

You can request a spot for a massage here