Watersafe Team

Sandy Harrop, Executive Officer
(Dip. Rec & Sport, Dip.Adult Ed.)

Sandy has a background in competitive swimming and swim teaching. In her capacity as Executive Officer of WaterSafe Auckland, she has been responsible for initiating and developing water safety programmes including the safety award winning early childhood Water Safety Kit for parent education. She has addressed international forums on injury prevention in her specialist field. She is a qualified swim teacher and coach. Areas of expertise - education, programming, adult education and re-training, injury prevention and water safety.

sandy.harrop@watersafe.org.nz

Teresa Stanley, Business Manager
(MBsStud., BSc., DipTchg. (Phys-Ed),)

Teresa is both an aquatic practitioner and a participant - she has been a NZ Swimming representative and a NZ Surf titleholder, is a qualified swim teacher, has held positions with Surf Life Saving as Northern and New Zealand Education Officer and with Sport North Harbour as project coordinator. Together with Dr Kevin Moran, Teresa has had research published in Injury Control and Safety Promotion journal in September and December 2006. Teresa is an active swimmer, surfer, scuba diver and cyclist. With children involved in swimming, surf life saving, waterpolo, surfing and triathlon, Teresa brings her extensive experience and expertise in a number of aquatic areas to the position of Drowning Prevention Manager specifically in relation to Injury Prevention and Early Childhood.

teresa.stanley@watersafe.org.nz

Siobhan Harrod, Project Manager
(BSc Sport Science, Postgrad Cert in Ed in PE and Science)

Siobhan is currently a part - time facilitator of the Student Well-being contract at Auckland College of Education. She has a background in teaching and lecturing health and physical education in NZ and the UK. She was previously Head of Department of Health and Physical Education at Carmel College. She brings her experience in curriculum design and implementation, understanding and evaluating the risks involved in E.O.T.C and has many years experience in organising school camps, aquatic based activities and whole school events.

siobhan.harrod@watersafe.org.nz

Jan Taylor, Operations Manager Schools
(MSc, BA, Dip Ed GDITE)

Jan joined WaterSafe Auckland in July 2006 bringing with her a background in swimming, lifesaving and education (both in and outside the classroom). An experienced teacher, Jan has been Head of Health and PE departments at several schools where she has implemented extensive aquatics programmes. She has worked closely with the Advisory on the NCEA Aquatic Exemplars, developed modules of work at all levels of NCEA, and has extensive work with NZQA including scholarship facilitation. At WaterSafe Auckland Jan will provide support to schools to ensure a sequential approach to their water safety programmes and to promote water safety initiatives, including WaterSense and In at the Deep End and promotion of promotion of the WaterSafe Policy and Guidelines.

jan.taylor@watersafe.org.nz

Angelo Naude, Aquatic Education Support
(BA, Graduate Diploma Management, Graduate Diploma Teaching)

Angelo joined the WaterSafe team in February 2008 after working as a primary school teacher.
As a lead teacher in WAI's aquatics education pilot Angelo was inspired by the positive effect this had on both teachers and students and is enthusiastic about the effect a holisitc educational programme of learn to swim and water safety knowledge has on attitudes and behaviour.

Angelo has a diverse sporting background, participating in soccer, track and field, triathlon and lacrosse. He will provide support to schools in providing a sequential aquatics programme for their students which makes a significant contribution to the well-being of students beyond the classroom.

angelo.naude@watersafe.org.nz

Frazer Elliott, Drowning Prevention Coordinator
(BSpLS, BTchg, FCIP, OW Scuba)

Frazer joined the WaterSafe team in May 2010 after completing his studies at the University of Waikato. He has experience teaching at schools throughout the Waikato region and brings well-rounded skills in eduation and programme development and delivery. Growing up in Gisborne, Frazer enjoyed surfing and swimming at the many beaches on offer and also has a strong background in sport, representing and coaching [at GBHS] in soccer, tennis and snowboarding. Frazer is young and energetic and looks forward to building professional relationships with the injury prevention sector and communities throughout the Auckland region.

frazer.elliott@watersafe.org.nz

Stacey Willcox, Drowning Prevention Coordinator
(BHSc)

Stacey comes to WaterSafe from a health promotion background, working in public health. She was a beach education instructor with Surf Life Saving Northern Region for a number of years and is a surf lifeguard on the west coast. Stacey's role will combine her skills to develop and increase water safety awareness, knowledge and behaviour within Asian, new settler and refugee communities. She is currently studying for a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health is looking foward to working with these communities.

stacey.willcox@watersafe.org.nz

Barbara Venville, Regional Promotions Manager
(Open Water Scuba Instructor (PADI / SSI), PADI Medic First Aid Instructor)

Barbara surfaced at WaterSafe in October 2006 after many years in the dive industry. She has an extensive background in promotions and communications, membership support, sales, diver training, and underwater sports. Barbara's work has included the management & development of junior aquatics programmes, diver safety education campaigns and boating education programmes. This will add another dimension to her role at WaterSafe Auckland where she will manage and implement the regional Safe Summer campaign, coordinate the regional drowning prevention programmes and promote & facilitate the WaterSafe Policy and Education programmes.

barbara.venville@watersafe.org.nz

Sue Fitzpatrick, Office Manager

Sue brings a wealth of experience and organisational skills to the WaterSafe team.

Her many years of working in, and with, not-for-profit organisations will be a bonus. This has included 17 years with the Halberg Trust working alongside a multitude of sporting and fundraising organisations and organising events including the annual Halberg Awards.

Sue also had six years with Stars Sports Tours contracting to SANZAR (South African New Zealand Australian Rugby). She was part of the team organising travel and reporting for S12 and Tri Nations.

Sue.Fitzpatrick@watersafe.org.nz

Board Members

Dr Kevin Moran, Principal Lecturer in Health & Physical Education, Faculty of Education, University of Auckland.
(PhD (Massey), BA Hons (Birmingham), MEd 1st Class Hons (Massey), Cert.Ed (Loughborough))

Kevin is an 'active' academic with a lifelong interest in surf life saving, and unique in his field in that he has critiqued, written and revised various national water safety and swimming programmes, such as Lotto Swim Safe, Surf Sense, Surf Safety and Surf Survival, and has published academic papers in the field of aquatic safety and injury prevention.

Kevin has successfully merged sport, recreation, safety and injury prevention in his specialist area of aquatics and in 2006 completed his PhD 'Re-thinking Drowning Risk: The Role of Water Safety Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviours in the Aquatic Recreation of New Zealand Youth'.

Kevin recently attended, by invite, an international PhD Course on Safety Promotion Research at the Karolinska Institute, Stockholm. This has enabled him to further blend his specialist area of physical education into public health and safety - essential for the Health and Physical Education Curriculum.

Current areas of research for Kevin include toddler drowning prevention, perceptions of aquatic risk, swimming ability and water safety, water safety knowledge, attitudes and behaviours of youth and other specific populations including rock fishers and beachgoers.

Kevin's areas of expertise include: education, aquatic safety and programming.

k.moran@auckland.ac.nz

Julie Chambers, Senior Policy Analyst/Advocate, Safekids New Zealand
(BA (Auckland), Masters Public Policy (Victoria))

Safekids is an organisation committed to working to reduce the incidence and severity of unintentional injuries to children. In her role within Child Injury Prevention Julie provides policy analysis, data and support to the injury prevention workforce. Initially qualified in nursing and midwifery Julie has worked in hospital critical care units and lectured in nursing.

Julie's experience also includes managing not-for-profit organisations, provision of team development programmes, experience in local government and five years as an appointed planning commissioner.

On the recreational front Julie's passion for the sea sees her scuba diving and sailing (mostly family cruising).

juliech@adhb.govt.nz

Susie Fieldhouse-Flachsmann, Swim School owner & operator

Susie has been involved in the learn to swim industry since the mid 1980s, worked with Swimming New Zealand as a member of the Swimming Education Authority responsible for intitiating the first New Zealand swim certification programme for swimming teachers. In 2000, following her return from teaching swimming in Switzerland Susie opened Aquanaut Swim School.

Susie has been advisor to the WAI board in the area of pre-school aquatics, focusing on the importance of educating parents and caregivers that no matter how well a child swims in the controlled environment of our swim schools the only assurance of safe aquatics is active supervision within reach and sight.

This message became more important after Susie's father drowned saving two unsupervised boys off Browns Bay Beach. Her commitment as a board member is to network with swim schools to promote the educational value of learn to swim in the context of the supervision message.

Susie's areas of expertise include: management, aquatic education and communication strategist.

susiefieldhouse@aquanauts.co.nz

Dean Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer, Coastguard Northern Region

Like many New Zealanders Dean has been involved in recreational boating from day one, mainly pursuing recreational fishing interests with some involvement in yacht racing.

Dean joined Coastguard in the late 80s as a volunteer radio operator, progressing through the ranks, both operationally and administratively, to become Marine SAR Controller and President of Auckland Volunteer Coastguard.

In 2000 Dean was appointed Director of Operations, and in 2006 CEO, with 12 full time staff covering operations, marketing, education and administrative functions. Coastguard Northern Region has 24 member units, from Cape Reinga to Kawhia, representing 50% of all Coastguard activity for the country.

Dean's areas of expertise incude: management, maritime safety services, operational & membership services.

deanl@coastguard.org.nz

Jonathon Webber, Managing Director, AquaSafe New Zealand Ltd
(RN, BHSc, DipMgt, CertAmb; Consultant Lifeguard)

Jonathon is an Advanced Qualified Lifeguard with 19 years volunteer and professional lifeguarding experience at Piha Beach on Auckland's West Coast. A member of Piha Surf Life Saving Club, he is also a member of the United States Lifesaving Association and International Life Saving Federation.

He has 16 years experience in the field of pre-hospital emergency care and currently works part time as a Senior Clinical Tutor in the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University of Auckland and as a Resuscitation Officer for Auckland District Health Board.

Jonathon has served five terms on the Board of Directors for Surf Life Saving Northern Region in the roles of Director of Regional Services and Director of Lifesaving. He is the current Chair of the SLSNZ Research Advisory Committee and represents SLSNZ on the Drowning Prevention Council Research Advisory Committee.

He is the Senior Advisor in Lifesaving to Pakistan Aquatic Life Saving, having been involved in the establishment of lifeguard services and provision of ongoing support to lifeguards in this country.

Jonathon's areas of expertise include: lifeguard operations, emergency care education, event safety, expert witness in open-water drowning, managing in the voluntary sector and aquatic resuscitation.

j.webber@aquasafenz.com

Glenn Grey, Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour
(T.T.C. Dip.Ed., (SNRT))

Glenn has been involved in education for more than 30 years, and during that time has become involved in promoting and participating in educational aquatics and water safety initiatives in Central Auckland.

Glenn manages a team of 8 professionals who service a cluster of 12 Primary, 2 Intermediate and 2 Secondary schools.

Glenn's areas of interest include: management practices, community diversity, adolescence, policy development and consultative processes.

ggrey@mri.school.nz

Trevor Bruce,

Trevor has been involved in aquatics since childhood, in surf life saving then navy diving. He has been working in and managing aquatic facilities for 18 years, rising from a pool lifeguard position to being in charge of Lifeguard Training and Development and an active Sport Fitness Recreation Industrial Training Assessor for the National Pool Lifeguard Award.

Trevor has overseen the Education Outside the Classroom programmes for several thousand children in many fields involving water as a medium and facilitating aquatic safety education to the programme format.

Trevor has a strong local government background and in his commitment to the local community has represented various boards of trustees.

trevor.bruce@clearnet.co.nz

Board of Advisors ,

Anne McKay (Team Leader, Health & Physical Education, Team Solutions)
Dr Airini (Head of School, Critical Studies in Education, Faculty of Education)
Dr John Wren (Senior Research Analyst, ACC )
Paul Harrop (ONZM, JP, BMus, CA)
Simon Peterson (CEO Rowing New Zealand)
Dr Michael Shepherd (Paediatric Emergency Medicine Specialist, Children's Emergency Department, Starship Hospital and Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer, University of Auckland - MBChB, FRACP)
Steve Johns (CEO Surf Life Saving Northern Region)
Tania Peters (National Programme Manager, Safe Communities Foundation New Zealand)