Board of Trustees

Penny Harrison joined the Board in 2016, was Deputy Chair for 18 months before being appointed Chairperson in June 2019 through to August 2021 when she relinquished her position after two busy years of leading the board. She also chairs the Planning and Strategy Committee, and serves on the Finance and Discipline Committees. Prior to joining the Board, Penny was Chair of Stanley Bay School Board for six years (2008-2014). She is a self-employed Leadership Coach and Facilitator, and a partner in Communicate Consultants. Her work is centred on adult learning and development and brings her into contact with leaders across a broad range of professional experiences, industries and roles. Penny combines the above with 20 years of business experience, including leadership roles with a major bank and as general manager for two medium-size organisations. Married to Martin Butler, she recently had a son attending the school, as well as three adult offspring. She also serves on the committee of our local Wakatere Sailing Club.

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027 281 9502 

Gillian joined the TGS board in June 2019 bringing school governance experience, having completed three years on the Devonport Primary school board, the last 18 months as the chairperson. She combines this with 15 years experience working as a commercial litigator and employment lawyer in London and Auckland. She has enjoyed working on initiatives for authentic community engagement as part of strategic planning and believes that good governance involves staying focused on the strategic direction of the school and ensuring that student achievement and well-being remain at the heart of every decision. She has a long-term interest in the continuing success of the school with a son and daughter heading to TGS in the not too distant future. She spends free time involved in school and sporting activities, including instructing for Waterwise. Gillian hopes that her governance experience together with a legal background will allow her to make a valuable contribution to the school and its community.

Tim Williams joined the Board in 2016, and serves on the Planning and Finance Committees. He grew up locally, attending Devonport Primary, Belmont Intermediate and Takapuna Grammar School, and has two children who attend local schools. Tim is formally trained in genetics, but has become a serial entrepreneur. He spent 17 years in Japan, where he met his wife Yuri, and started an e-commerce business, before returning to NZ in 2011. Tim is now a Board member of the IceHouse, a business incubation and growth driver which helps NZ companies grow and go off-shore. He is also actively involved in a number of other local companies including The Donovan Group, 90 Seconds and Technomancy. Tim is passionate about family, friends and the local community, and loves all sport, music and fishing.

Mark Spooner joined the Board in late 2019 and currently chairs the Finance Committee. He is self-employed, as Director of Insight Accounting, a firm based in Takapuna providing accounting and taxation services to small to medium sized businesses.

Mark is a Chartered Accountant and holds two degrees, a Batchelor of Accountancy and Bachelor of Business Studies with First Class Honors and a from Massey University.

Mark currently has two sons attending the school.

Helen joined the Board of Trustees in 2018. Starting out as an Asset Manager for Fletcher Property, Helen moved into technology start-ups, co-owning a software company for 12 years. Helen currently leads Air New Zealand Digital Innovation and Strategy, collaborating across Digital and the wider business. Helen's partner grew up in Bayswater and went to Takapuna Grammar as did his mum, and uncle, Sir Peter Blake. Helen has three children, one each at TGS, Belmont Intermediate and Vauxhall Primary. She volunteered at Narrowneck Playcentre for 12 years, and is now an active member of the AUTEUR Influencer Network, a think tank set-up by AUT. Helen loves bringing the community together and travelling, especially to South America.

Haider joined the board in June 2019, and is currently employed in the technology sector. He has previously held operational, sales and marketing roles. Haider trained in the United Kingdom as a lawyer and is also formally trained in board governance and facilitation with the NZ Institute of Directors. He has lived in the Middle East for some years with his family, which provided for a diverse and rich perspective on innovation and other developing global themes, issues and values.

Achievement of young people is a particular passion, especially the role technology plays in disrupting as well as enhancing many, if not all lives and professions, and how young future leaders can express themselves in a wholesome way to combat modern day pressures which ironically technology has contributed to.

Haider, of Pakistani descent, moved to New Zealand in the late 1990's and calls Aotearoa home. Married to a second generation Kiwi of Indian descent, they have two sons at TGS and one daughter at a local primary school. Personal pursuits include long distance running, ocean swimming, cricket, and languages.