Our team

Kathy Wolfe Chair

Kathy brings a substantial background in working in collaborative partnerships in the commercial & not for profit sectors with a well-respected track record in leadership.  Kathy has held senior executive roles within health, leisure, tertiary education, retail & property investment.   She started her career as a para-legal & moved into senior general management roles in South Africa, United Kingdom & New Zealand.

Kathy holds an MBA from Victoria University, is a provisionally accredited director & member of the Institute of Directors & New Zealand Institute of Management.  Her strength in not-for-profit governance, strategy, change management & strategic HR combined with her commercial, business & management backgrounds enable her to relate to & assist organisations in developing business growth & efficiencies. Kathy’s diverse background brings with it a strong appreciation & ability to contribute to what we are looking to achieve through our Space initiatives.

Andy Soper

Andy's roots are in Playcentre, having come through Belmont Playcentre with his wife Kaye & their three children, having held Property, Policy & Employment roles for the Hutt Playcentre Association. Andy's  professional role is as a lawyer, & these skills have been put to good use from the  very early days of Space in  advising the team on matters such as agreements, funding, leases & organisational structure. Andy has shown  strong leadership of Space as an original member of the Hutt SPACE National Team Advisory Board, & participated in the Space Working Party. His vision for Space  is to extend its coverage, support existing & new providers of the programme, & progress towards long-term sustainability.

Doris Kaua

Doris has had just over 26 years public service experience, five years as a full-time university student, three years in the private/business sector, three years in the NGO sector & over four years in the ITO sector. Doris has strong cultural beliefs, values and experience, & coupled with her work experience provides her with a unique edge in her approach to work. Doris is comfortable & confident in both the Maori & non-Maori world, has a “can-do” attitude & an innate ability & drive to simply “get on with the job”.

Truus Dingemanse

Truus & her family were members of Belmont Playcentre, & Truus went on to become a Centre Support Person for the Hutt Playcentre Association. She brings extensive knowledge of Space from having been a founding member of the Space team, a Space facilitator, a member of the Space Centre of Innovation research team, & member of the Hutt SPACE National Team Advisory Board. Truus has many & varied links within the early childhood sector, through her  studies (recently completing a postgraduate qualification) as well as having worked in home-based education & care, kindergarten, early care & education centres, a hospital play service, & as a tutor/lecturer. She has a passion for Space & what it offers to families in Aotearoa/NZ, & wants to see it reach its full potent