Mary Gordon

Founder & President

Mary Gordon is the Founder, President, and inspiration behind Roots of Empathy. She is recognized internationally as an award-winning social entrepreneur, educator, author, child advocate and parenting expert who has created programs informed by the power of empathy. She is a member of the Order of Canada, the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador and the recipient of a number of awards, including a Public Education Advocacy Award from the Canadian Teachers Federation. In 2002 she became an Ashoka Fellow.

Hon. Steve Chadwick

Director

Steve is a Registered Nurse and Midwife and was in charge of Maternity and Child Health at Rotorua Hospital and Lakes DHB. Steve is a former Member of Parliament for Rotorua and until recently, the Mayor of Rotorua. As Mayor of Rotorua Lakes Council, Steve was a strong influence on Rotorua Lakes Council’s new way of doing business through the Rotorua 2030 Vision. Under her leadership the council established a meaningful and ground breaking partnership with Te Arawa and secured significant partnership investment to enable iconic place-making projects. Steve’s career in Central Government began in 1999 and spanned twelve years, including three years as a List MP. During this time, she held the portfolios of Associate Minister of Health, Minister of Conservation and Minister of Women’s Affairs. As Minister of Conservation Steve advocated for the opening up of the Conservation Estate – believing that access, without leaving a footprint should be the ultimate goal. Her proudest achievements include sponsoring the Smoke free Environments Act and securing funding ($72 million) for the clean-up of Rotorua lakes. In recent years, in addition to her mayoral responsibilities, Steve has chaired the Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa since its inception in 2018, was Co- Chair of the New Zealand Tourism Futures Taskforce from June 2020 to early 2021, and since 2018 has been on the board of the Responsible Camping Working Group. Steve is a Director on the NZ Tourism Board since 2022. Steve is the Co Chair of Atawhai Aroha, Compassionate Communities a Community lead group supporting natural burials and the development of a Natural Burial site with Iwi in Rotorua. Steve is now on the Board of Manaaki Ora a community lead Board with contracts for Drug, Alcohol and Gambling Addiction services and Iwi based Tipu Ora mother and pepe support services.

Ian Lambie

Director

Ian Lambie, PhD, P.G.DipClinPsych, DipBus is an Associate Professor in Clinical Psychology at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. There he teaches clinical, forensic, child psychology. He has been working with adolescent offenders for 25 years and has published nationally and internationally in this area. His specialist clinical and research interests are youth forensic psychology and in particular severe conduct disorder, adolescent sexual offending and arson. He has recently been appointed as Chief Science Advisor for the Justice Sector across Justice, Police and Corrections.