Executive Leadership Team
Andrea Midgen
Chief Executive
Andrea joined Blind Low Vision NZ in January 2024 as Chief Executive, bringing in-depth experience in organisational leadership & strategic development, financial acumen, and stakeholder management. Andrea’s leadership principles are ‘to be curious and to be kind, it is all about He tāngata He tāngata He tāngata.’
Andrea is a proven leader, with a wealth of CEO and senior executive experience in the not-for-profit and corporate sectors. Throughout her career, she has consistently demonstrated a clear sense of vision, mission, and purpose.
Andrea served as Chief Executive Officer of the Royal New Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) for seven years. During her tenure, she unified forty-two independent societies into ‘One SPCA,’ significantly improving animal welfare, income streams, fundraising initiatives, and growing sustainable income streams through the national expansion of Op Shops.
Before joining the SPCA, Andrea was Group Strategist and CFO for Southern Cross Group. Prior to her role with Southern Cross, she held various senior executive roles at Vodafone. At Vodafone, she culminated her career as Director of Customer Operations and gained valuable governance experience as Chair of the Vodafone New Zealand Foundation. Her earlier roles included Financial Controller and Executive Sponsor for a $500 million multi-year Australia/New Zealand system replacement.
Andrea’s career began in an accounts office while she pursued her Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification from Unitec Te Pūkenga. Her career and leadership journey included leading finance teams in New Zealand’s building insulation and road transport industries and England’s air cargo industry. Returning to New Zealand, Andrea joined Ericsson Cellular as GM Operations during the early days of mobile phones.
Outside of work, Andrea enjoys hiking, yoga, volunteering, reading, jigsaws, and spending time with her husband, son, family, and friends.
Greg Hurn
Chief Operating Officer Operations
Greg has over 13 years of experience at Blind Low Vision NZ as the Chief Financial Officer. He brings a wealth of experience in financial management, strategic planning, business development initiatives and customer service. He consistently demonstrates a capacity for swift decision-making and effective problem-solving.
Greg also oversees the property division of Blind Low Vision NZ and is a Board Member of Foundation Properties Limited. He was a key player in the development of the Mobility Training Centre, the new Parnell Office and Retirement Village project.
Greg believes in leading by example and fostering an environment of open communication and shared purpose. Greg’s aim is to ensure we are financially sound and sustainable over the long term horizon.
In his spare time Greg is an avid lawn bowls player and recently became a grandfather for the first time.
Stephen Keeling
Chief Financial Officer
Stephen joins the Executive Leadership Team as the Chief Financial Officer following a successful career in senior finance roles and more recently as Head of Finance at Blind Low Vision NZ.
Joining Blind Low Vision NZ in 2019, Stephen has brought a successful track record in leadership, governance and delivering financial results on behalf of organisations to their Board and stakeholders.
A key focus has been on delivering our first Statement of Service Performance for the 2023 financial year which will continue to be developed over the coming years to provide greater insight into the delivery of services to our clients and members.
Stephen’s aim is to continue to ensure we are financially sound and sustainable over the long term horizon.
Stephen is a Chartered Accountant and has been a member of ICAANZ (Institute of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand) for over 25 years.
Liz Ansell
General Manager Client Services
Liz is a seasoned leader with experience across both public and private sectors including FMCG, banking, media and security. Following extensive experience in HR and managing change, she is thrilled to bring her skills into managing and growing a team of people passionate about providing first-class service in the not-for-profit sector
Gwen Green
General Manager Engagement and Marketing
Gwen has over 20-years fundraising, marketing, and communications experience both in New Zealand and the UK. She has also worked with organisations across the globe to support their development of best practice fundraising strategies, notably in South Africa and across the Pacific. Gwen has a passion for developing donor focused fundraising, creating new income opportunities, and re-visioning existing fundraising strategies to maximise income generation in ways that are flexible to our ever changing world.
Catherine Simanu
General Manager People
Catherine is a seasoned leader of People functions at an executive level who has worked across diverse industries for over 20 years. These industries include Banking, Education, Technology, FMCG, and Health. As a member of Executive Leadership teams, she had reported to CEO’s and contributed at Board level on all matters relating to people.
Most recently, Catherine has worked for Te Whatu Ora (HealthNZ) during the transition/transformation of the previous DHB model to a unified singular National Health operation model. In this role, Catherine led the change programme for a Data & Digital shared services agency to transition this service into the National Data & Digital function as well as transitioning her own People and Culture team of 15 into the newly formed National P&C function.
Catherine is known for being resilient, pragmatic, and composed under pressure, drawing on her experience to ensure business stability during challenging situations. She can deliver at both a strategic and operational level and loves building and growing a team as well as advising senior colleagues on people related commercial issues. In her new role at Blind Low Vision NZ, Catherine is keen to champion a workplace and culture that is engaged, connected, and working to its full potential to be a ‘great place to work’ to deliver the very best to our clients and stakeholders.
Dan Shepherd
General Manager Community & Inclusion
Dan joins the Executive Leadership Team having provided authentic, lived experience leadership across the organisation since 2019. Following roles in Client Services, Awareness and Accessibility, Dan brings his experience working with Blind Low Vision NZ to lead a renewed focus on how communities can lead change and remove access barriers for people who are blind, deafblind or low vision as General Manager Community and Inclusion.
Diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa at the age of 15, Dan adds a client voice to the Executive Leadership Team at Blind Low Vision NZ, which is key to our connection to cause – our clients and members.
Driven by his passion for social inclusion and barrier-free choice for others in their communities, Dan aims to influence change and accessible participation in the community through relationships with communities and engagement with key stakeholders.
Marjorie Hawkings
Executive Assistant to the Chief Executive
Marjorie joined Blind Low Vision NZ in 2010. She has held a number of different positions during her tenure and has been in her current role since 2020. Marjorie is also the Compliments and Complaints Officer; manages the internal Travel Centre Team and is Board Secretary for Foundation Properties Limited and Bledisloe Royston Trust.
Marjorie consistently demonstrates exceptional organisational skills, attention to detail, and a deep understanding of the organisation. Prior to her employment at Blind Low Vision NZ, she spent many years overseas and has extensive experience as an accomplished and dedicated Executive Assistant with a proven track record of providing high-level support to executive management teams.
