Our passionate and talented Board of Trustees has a breadth of knowledge across accounting, finance, strategy, legal and health and they're all committed to helping us ensure no young Kiwi faces serious illness or grief alone.


Dione is an experienced manager with 30 years' commercial experience in Aotearoa New Zealand and the UK. Her broad skillset has been developed across a range of publishing, editorial, product and commercial management roles within large corporates.
A keen supporter of Nic and what has been achieved through Kenzie’s Gift, Dione is looking forward to assisting the Board and the fantastic work that is being done.

Kerry has over 30 years of experience in governance and management, specializing in digital transformation across industries such as retail, banking, IT, and manufacturing. He is currently at Brother International NZ. Kerry is passionate about supporting Nic and the team at Kenzie's Gift.

Kris is a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist. She worked at Auckland and Starship Hospitals as a neuropsychologist for approximately 11 years. At Starship Hospital, part of her role was working with tamariki / children who had survived mate pukupuku / cancer and their families. Kris was employed at ACC for 12 years in various senior management clinical positions which involved clinical governance.
Currently, Kris is working for Active Plus, a rehabilitation organisation, lecturing at Auckland University in neuropsychology, and running a private practice. She is on the New Zealand Psychological Society executive as well as Director of Professional Development and Training.

Niamh is the Honorary Consul General for Ireland in Aotearoa New Zealand and a commercial lawyer with over 30 years’ experience as a partner in her law firm - McMahon Butterworth Thompson.
Niamh shares the honour with Nic of also being from Ireland. Niamh sits on a number of committees and Boards and is involved in many Law Society activities. She enjoys giving back to the community. In her spare time, Niamh enjoys anything on the water, including scuba diving. She says that scuba diving is just like a day in the office – you need to make sure you have enough air, avoid bottom feeders, and remember that there are always bigger fish in the sea! Niamh is looking forward to bringing her skills to Kenzie's Gift and joining an awesome team of similarly committed trustees.

Nic Russell founded Kenzie’s Gift in 2006 with the intent of providing appropriate and research-based psychosocial support for tamariki, mātātahi / young people and their families affected by serious illness or grief. Nic has a degree in Psychology and a post-graduate degree in Communications Management and PR.
Specialising in the health and social sector, Nic has extensive experience in campaign development, stakeholder management and championing social issues. As a recipient of the New Zealander of the Year, local hero award, she is seen as a passionate social change agent who can turn visions into reality.

Susie is an experienced business leader with over 30 years commercial business experience. She has worked across the telecommunications and IT sectors in NZ and Australia, with roles in business transformation, product management, business development and corporate affairs.
Susie has had several board roles on both commercial boards and industry boards and is currently on the board of the Broadtech Group and a member of the Institute of Director's. She is looking forward to bringing her skills to the board and working with Nic and the team to continue the important work that is done by Kenzie’s Gift.

If you or your whānau are affected by serious illness or grief, talk to us to see how we can help.
When businesses look for a cause to get behind, the instinct is often to go big: reaching for a household name, a logo everyone recognises, a charity that feels familiar. But if what you actually want is impact, the maths runs the other way. Kenzie’s Gift is small on purpose and focused by design, and the return your business gets - in real outcomes and in something your people can genuinely feel part of - is as good as it gets.
Christchurch parents Sam and Carrie had already been through a lot - the sudden death of a parent and a serious illness themselves - when Carrie was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Their two children at home were just 6 and 16 when their mum died. Sam shares the unimaginably difficult time their whānau has been through, and the ways they've stuck together through it with support from extended whānau, friends, and Kenzie's Gift.
There's a reason more and more Kiwis are getting into cold water. Better sleep. Sharper focus. More energy. Reduced stress. Real benefits backed by real research — and a few minutes a week is all it takes. At Kenzie's Gift we run an annual winter swim challenge, so Kiwis across Aotearoa can put those perks to work — for themselves, and for the tamariki and rangatahi we walk alongside who are grieving the death of someone they love.