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Dale Bailey
Dale has worked in numerous roles that influence his passion for the lives of young New Zealanders, holding responsibility for learners across the nation. He began his career as a teacher of geography and social studies in Palmerston North, before working as a Review Officer (and later Deputy Chief Review Office Northern) at the Education Review Office (ERO).
He has since worked as Counties-Manukau Regional Manager and Northern Manager at Careers New Zealand, leading the redevelopment of careers education and support for schools. More recently, Dale joined the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa as Director of Collections Research and Learning.
Dale is keenly interested in promoting high quality education and life long learning across Aotearoa New Zealand and was a awarded a MNZM for services to education in the 2025 New Years Honours list.
Ellie Sutton
Ellie leads our programme delivery. She brings more than 15 years of professional experience working in the not-for-profit sector with passion and drive to contribute her energy, skills and experience to make a difference in our communities.
Before joining Springboard Trust, Ellie worked for the Ministry of Education and the Westland Rural Education Activities Programme (REAP). In this role, she led the development of the 10-year strategic plan for youth development in Westland.
In her spare time, Ellie volunteers for a Rangatahi Māori Youth Development Trust and sings with Christchurch City Chorus.
Linnae Pohatu
Linnae (Ngāti Porou, Ngāi Tahu, Rongowhakaata, Ngai Tāmanuhiri and Te Aitanga-ā-Mahaki) has 14 years experience as a senior executive in the state and museum sectors. This includes leading Māori and Pacific strategy and development at Career Services, representing them during the development of the Government’s Māori Education Strategy Ka Hikitia Managing for Success (2008-2012). She was also the Tumuaki Director Māori and Pacific Development at Tāmaki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum. There, Linnae was responsible for strategic Iwi Māori and Pacific partnerships and relationships, Māori and Pacific strategy, and human remains repatriation.
Linnae also has experience as Bicultural Policy Analyst at the National Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Policy Analyst at the Office of Treaty Settlements which included a period as Private Secretary to the then, Minister Responsible for Treaty Settlements, Hon Margaret Wilson, and as an Associate Clerk to the Māori Affairs Select Committee in New Zealand’s Parliament, after completing a Bachelor of Arts (Hon) in Māori Studies at Te Pūtahi ā Toi, Massey University.
Linnae’s voluntary life saw her working with her iwi, for over 20 years, as an oral history researcher, Trust Secretary and Trustee for the Ngā Taonga ā Ngā Tama Toa C Company, 28 Māori Battalion Trust. Linnae lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner, Julian, and their 9-year old son Tamati who is a graduate of Te Kohanga Reo and current learner in one of Auckland’s oldest Māori Language Immersion units, Whanau Ata, at Freeman’s Bay Primary School.
Chris Sullivan
Chris brings a wide range of experiences to Springboard Trust as an experienced director, consultant, general manager and project manager and more than 15 years of experience working with public, private, and not-for-profit clients. His areas of expertise include learning design, change management, stakeholder and partner management in new and established teams and organisations.
Chris has worked in a range of sectors including education, GLAM, publishing, B2B, youth and health. Chris has led significant local, regional, national, and international projects. His interest lies primarily in education and the interface of strategy and practice; the use of data and evidence to inform change; and relationship management in complex multi-sector and multi-agency environments.
Chris has been a volunteer capacity partner and facilitator for Springboard and currently serves on the board of the New Zealand Youth Mentoring Trust. His interests include the outdoors, travel and playing the guitar and piano.
Dianne Smardon
Dianne brings skills in staff development, educational leadership and e-learning to her role with the Springboard Trust. Over the past 20 years Dianne has worked as an adult educator in NZ where she has led several professional development projects. She has also fulfilled short term consultancy contracts in Hong Kong, working as a coach with school leaders and teachers.
Most recently, Dianne has been contracted by the University of New England (NSW) in the capacity of In-Country Lecturer in a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade funded Teacher Education Project, in the Republic of Nauru.
Emma Robertson
Emma joins Springboard as a skilled service delivery and relationship manager with more than 10 years’ experience leading teams. She has broad industry experience across private, public and not-for-profit sectors including 5 years in the business training sector supporting business growth.
Bringing strengths in leadership, strategy and stakeholder management, Emma joins Springboard Trust with a passion for services which benefit the wider community and promote equity.
Jennifer Wright
Jennifer joins Springboard Trust with extensive experience in the education sector with a career that started by supporting charities teaching in developing countries. She is skilled at leading programmes that make a meaningful difference in the lives of students and strengthening education frameworks. Passionate about making a difference in peoples’ lives and giving back to the community.
Jennifer has a proven ability to create environments of open communication, innovation and learning, working with key stakeholders and communities, listening to their needs and fostering channels of openness to achieve mutually beneficial goals.
Krystyna Frampton
Krystyna is relatively new to both New Zealand and Whanganui, having arrived in Aotearoa from the UK in September 2021. She has a first-class BA Hons in Social Science and is an experienced manager and consultant in impact measurement, stakeholder engagement, economic regeneration, and skills development, with over 13 years’ experience working in this space. Krystyna has worked both in the business private sector and the public sector and has provided training and consultancy services to enterprises and economic development agencies wanting to understand how to measure their social impacts.
She is passionate about redressing the imbalance of opportunities and resources available to individuals from disadvantaged cohorts and those marginalised in our society.
Shahin Sultana
Shahin is passionate about education and the non-profit sector, driven by a strong desire to give back to the community and support initiatives that create a brighter future for students. She believes that education is a powerful tool for transformation and is committed to contributing her skills to initiatives that enhance learning opportunities and educational outcomes.
Bringing a diverse IT background, she specializes in data analysis, data management, and project coordination, with experience spanning the shipping, space, and finance industries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering from India and a data analysis certification from Otago Polytechnic. Her expertise in data-driven decision-making allows her to support education-focused programs with insights that drive meaningful impact.
Beyond work, Shahin enjoys baking, gardening, traveling, and spending quality time building Legos with her two primary school-aged children.
Rebecca Robertson
With a positive and enthusiastic approach, Rebecca brings a variety of strengths to her work, including fostering a culture of equity and diversity for the betterment of the broader Springboard Trust community.
Linda Lee
Nō Hokianga ōku tīpuna
Ko Ngāpuhi te iwi
Kei te noho au ki Ōtautahi
Linda’s career began as a youth leader, which prompted her to become a primary trained teacher, leading Linda into adult education for second-chance learners and to introduce whānau to a kaupapa of lifelong learning. Linda has worked extensively across a broad sector of education including being part of establishing Te Puna Reo o Ngā Kākano, Foundation Business Manager Open Polytechnic, Programme Manager Te Wananga o Aotearoa, Project Manager Te Rau Ora, Research Advisor Māori Health University of Otago Christchurch, Communication and Engagement Ministry of Education.
