Penny is the General Manager of Customer and Corporate Relations at MainPower New Zealand, and has been an Aviva board member since December 2021. An experienced senior executive, Penny is passionate about using her skillset to support and enable communities to achieve positive inter-generational change.

Specialising in customer and client experience, Penny is driven to seek opportunities for improvement whilst also drawing from her expertise in communications and marketing. Penny is a member of the Institute of Directors and the New Zealand Technology Marketers Executive Council.

Ekant is a Professor of Marketing and the Associate Dean of Postgraduate Research at Te Whare Wananga o Waitaha | The University of Canterbury. His work looks at understanding how people, cultures, markets, and relationships can all play a role in driving pro-social change and community wellbeing.

Through his work he has partnered with various organisations both in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally, such as the World Health Organisation, UN, Ministry of Education, CCC, Aviva, Te Whatu Ora, and the Māia Health Foundation. His work has been published in numerous international journals and enabled him to use his platform to strive for wellbeing and equity in all spaces.

Ekant is a multi-award-winning teacher and researcher; a loving husband and father; an average photographer, and a poor, but passionate, singer.

Alana works across for-purpose and health organisations, supporting strategy, operations, and delivery, and joined the Aviva Board in 2024. She is known as a practical, down-to-earth advisor who brings a strong focus on aligning purpose, people, and performance.

Her work centres on helping organisations deliver strategy in a way that is clear, achievable, and grounded in day-to-day operations. She brings particular strength in connecting governance, stakeholder engagement, and execution, alongside experience supporting sustainable funding, partnerships, and revenue growth.

Alana is committed to supporting Aviva’s ongoing mission of an Aotearoa free from violence.

Hayley brings a passion for workplace culture and leadership to the Aviva board. As the founder of Culture Collab, an HR Consultancy in North Canterbury and Christchurch, Hayley partners with businesses to cultivate inclusive, high-performing workplaces through tailored workshops and consultancy.

With expertise in organisational values, recruitment strategies, and team dynamics, Hayley is committed to supporting Aviva’s critical work in creating safe, thriving families and communities.

Mataio (Matt) and Sarah Brown MNZM are internationally recognised New Zealand-based advocates, authors, and communicators committed to eradicating family violence by inspiring a new generation of cycle breakers. Together, they co-founded the global movement She Is Not Your Rehab, first introduced in Matt’s groundbreaking 2019 TEDx talk, The Barbershop Where Men Go to Heal. The concept emerged from a decade of transformative conversations Matt held with men in his barbershops, via men’s groups and through his prison programs. These conversations invited men to confront their childhood trauma, take responsibility for healing, and disrupt cycles of intergenerational harm. Since its inception, the couple have worked relentlessly to redefine masculinity, advance mental health equity, and make family violence prevention both accessible and culturally resonant.

In 2022, they opened the She Is Not Your Rehab Art Gallery in Christchurch, New Zealand, launching the Who Is She? exhibition in collaboration with renowned graffiti artist Mr G. In 2023, they launched innerBoy; a first of its kind, free, trauma-informed mental health app for men which actively supports thousands of men across New Zealand and Australia to heal. Their bold and compassionate storytelling has fuelled viral campaigns such as Dear Mr Rock and Love U Bro, reaching millions worldwide and igniting global conversations about healing, accountability, and community transformation. Their #1 bestselling book, She Is Not Your Rehab, first published in 2021 has inspired countless people around the world, and is followed by their debut children’s book released in 2025; This Is Not Yours to Carry, now also available in Te Reo Māori (Kaua Māu e Pīkau) and Gagana Sāmoa (E Le O Sau Avega E Amo).

In recognition of their services to mental health and the prevention of family violence, both Matt and Sarah became Members of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2022, and were awarded the Commonwealth Points of Light honour by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, in one of her final acknowledgements as Head of the Commonwealth.

Jane Cartwright was appointed CEO Aviva March 2026. Holding a Bachelor of Science, a Post Graduate Diploma in Science (Human Nutrition), an MBA from the University of Otago, and an NZ Dietetic Registration, Jane brings a plethora of experience working with communities and people from all walks of life. She takes a systems and integrated approach to working with, leading and supporting health and disability services.
Jane holds directorships, trustee, and committee member responsibilities across a variety of health organisations and also Chairs the Nurse Maude Association & Brackenridge Services Ltd. She has substantial governance and operational experience and is a Chartered Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors, Jane was awarded the MNZM for health governance in 2024.

Gwenda joined Aviva in July 2017 as Operations Manager, leading a large team of practitioners supporting people affected by family and sexual violence across Christchurch, North Canterbury, Selwyn and Mid Canterbury. Following the resignation of the CEO, Aviva’s Board adopted a new co-leadership model, and in 2020 Gwenda stepped into the role of General Manager - Operations. When her co-leader stepped down in October 2025, Gwenda served as Interim General Manager until a new CEO was appointed in March 2026. She now works as Principal Clinical Advisor for Aviva and the Canterbury Whānau Safety Service [CWSS] Integrated Safety Response (ISR) collaboration lead.

Gwenda is deeply committed to ensuring both staff and clients are well supported. She is passionate about equipping services to deliver high-quality, responsive support while fostering a safe, trusting and empowering environment for her team. With more than 20 years' experience in the social services sector, Gwenda has managed a wide range of programmes and services. Her frontline social work experience spans supporting tamariki, adults, whānau and individuals facing a variety of challenges, including intensive work with people transitioning back into the community following release from prison.

Gwenda, her husband and their tamariki spent a year serving as missionaries in the Kingdom of Tonga. She holds a Bachelor of Social Work in Bicultural Practice from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and, over the past 15 years, has had the privilege of reconnecting with her Māori whakapapa through her biological father. Her iwi is Te Aupōuri and Ngāpuhi. These experiences have strengthened her commitment to equity, inclusion and ensuring that people of all cultures and backgrounds have opportunities to achieve wellbeing and live free from injustice and discrimination. Gwenda completed the University of Canterbury's MBA Leading Collaborative Partnerships programme, gaining valuable insights into both the challenges and opportunities of collaborative approaches to creating positive change.