Our Staff
Meet our staff at Transform Aotearoa!
Chief Executive Officer - Howard Goold
Howard Goold was born of missionary parents in India, and has lived in NZ since 1959, where dairy farming was his initial career. After working with Youth With a Mission ( North Africa) in Spain for six and a half years, he moved to Putaruru, South Waikato, with his wife Jill, and were pastors at the Putaruru Gospel Chapel for ten years.
Retiring in 2014, Jill and Howard with daughter Valerie, moved to Pokeno and he was a volunteer chaplain at Springhill for three years before resigning and has taken on the duties of CEO of Transform Aotearoa, based in Putaruru, amongst his old community again.
Howard is excited about programmes being run that help people to see a whole new purpose for their lives compared with where they have come from.
Chief Financial Officer - Gwen Bonnar
Gwen was born in the Waikato and resides in Kiwitahi Morrinsville, where she farms with her husband.
Gwen has a background in accounting working as a chartered accountant. She likes to use those skills to help community organisations transform the lives of people.
Gwen loves to travel and spend time with her family.
Putaruru Community Development Manager: Kim Jepsen
Kim is originally from Queensland Australia but has kiwi roots in the Waikato with a mother born and raised in that district. She came to New Zealand nearly 30 years ago. Her plans to return home two years later went west when she fell in love and married a kiwi gentleman. They have been married for over 25 years and have four lovely children. Kim is an early childhood teacher by trade. Together with her husband they pastored a church in Taupo until 2015. She is fuelled with a passion to use her many talents and abilities to help others make positive lifelong changes in their own lives. Kim has been the manager of the Putaruru Transform Aotearoa’s Centre since mid-2017.
Putaruru Community Liaison: Lamen Hohaia
Lamen was born and raised in Putaruru in the mighty South Waikato and he's a staunch Chiefs rugby supporter. Lamen has had a successful career in the department of Corrections for 28 years and was heavily utilised by Police as a liaison for work with gangs. An elder in his church for 10 years and strongly involved in men's ministry work, Lamen has also been involved with Canterbury Maori and New Zealand Maori rugby for 25 years. Now, Lamen's passion is in turning the tide, which sees so many young men end up in prison and broken families left behind. Whānau restoration and community transformation is his core business.
Putaruru Community Liaison: Belena Hohaia
Belena, originally from Christchurch, has worked in the hospitality industry in a family-owned and managed business for 16 years. She loves to serve people and loves being around whãnau. Belena is a kiwi gal with that true blue pioneering spirit - she has worked a s a landscape gardener, hair dresser, nail technician, painter, artist and she also helped build her own house! Married to Lamen, she has four adult children and seven grandchildren. Belena recently fulfilled a lifelong dream of travelling around the Carribean nation on a cruise boat, she lives by the saying that "Life is an adventure that's meant to be lived" Belena has an Advanced Certificate in Christian Leadership from the Every Nation Leadership Institute and now works as the Women's Community Liason in Putaruru and absolutely loves what she does - to her it's more than just a job.
Putaruru Community Liaison: Danny Scott
Danny is new to the Transform team. He grew up in the South Waikato and calls Putaruru his hometown. He is Married and blessed with two beautiful daughters.
Danny has had a rough past involving gangs, drugs, and prison. He has turned his life around and has a real passion for journeying with people in the community and assisting them in transforming their lives and becoming better versions of themselves.
He is involved in several programs we run here involving men and youth, bringing a different perspective to the team with not only his past experiences but education in these areas also.
Danny fellowships at the Putaruru Gospel Chapel and is involved in different ministries within the church and the youth group. He completed an internship there and has a Diploma in Christian studies.
He believes God gets the Glory for his transformation and is the pinnacle to his success.
Putaruru Community Liaison: Amber Hohaia
Amber is originally from Christchurch. She resided in Australia for 13 years working in mental health before returning home to New Zealand. She started working for Transform as a contractor in 2016 facilitating the women’s personal development programmes with her mother Belena. Her position developed over the years and now includes youth and parenting programmes.
A new development to her role since gaining an ‘I’ endorsement in 2023 has been license theory and driving instruction for South Waikato high schools. She is passionate about working with people to reach their potential. Her community work spans over 20 + years and it is in this arena that she thrives and her cup overflows.
Our Transform Aotearoa Board
CEO - Howard Goold
From left: Kent Crawford, Marilyn Baldwin, Brett Flemming (Chair), Bruce Bevins, Ross Bay
