New chair and trustees for the Otago Community Trust

OTAGO COMMUNITY TRUST MEDIA RELEASE

Lauren Semple is to take over the role as Chair of the Otago Community Trust in July.

Ms Semple takes over from Stuart Walker, who has served his term after being on the Trust for eight years, the last four as Chair.

Mr Walker along with fellow trustees Louise Rosson and Ken Lister have retired from the Trust.  Former trustee Ken Copeland passed away in 2013.

The Associate Minister of Finance Jonathon Coleman has appointed four new trustees to the Otago Community Trust - Peter Chin, Colin Jackson, Kate Hazlett and Susan Johnstone. They will start in their new roles in June.

Present trustee Stephen Kornyei has been reappointed to the Trust for a second term.

Lauren Semple

Dunedin-born Lauren Semple is a partner of Greenwood Roche Chisnall specialising in resource management law. Passionate about urban planning, she has consented some of the largest new developments and subdivisions in the South Island (including both the Forsyth Barr Stadium and the temporary AMI Stadium in Christchurch).  She is now actively involved in development plans to assist with the Christchurch commercial and residential rebuild.   

As the recipient of a Rotary International Group Study Exchange in her early years of legal practice, Lauren was able to see first hand the huge impact that community organisations have on the world around them.  She went on to serve on the Queens High School Board of Trustees, the Otago Youth Wellness Trust, and the Methodist Mission Board.   

Ms Semple now chairs the Christchurch Arts Festival and is a trustee on the Christchurch Stadium Trust as well as being a Director of Mercy Hospital.  She has three children who are actively involved in swimming, ballet, netball, fencing, rugby and golf in Dunedin.

She has been deputy chair of the Community Trust for the last year.

Peter Chin

A former partner in Web Farry lawyers, Peter Chin was the mayor of Dunedin from 2004 to 2010.  He is presently a trustee of the Chinese Poll Tax Heritage Trust, and the the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

More recently, he has been Chief Gambling Commissioner of the Gambling Commission.

Mr Chin has served on numerous organisations over many years, including the Constitutional Advisory Panel, the University of Otago council, the Dunedin Chinese Gardens Trust, and was president of the Otago District Law Society.  He has also been heavily involved in music and theatre in Dunedin.

Colin Jackson

Oamaru-based Colin Jackson is Chief Executive of the North Otago Rugby Union.

A graduate from the Wellington School of Journalism, he had worked as a journalist for the Otago Daily Times.

He has also a been professional cricketer and coach in the Netherlands, and Club Manager for the Cornwall Cricket Club in Auckland, has served as a professional rugby coach, and was Director of Rugby at the Bedford Rugby Club in England.  He was also a Director of Sanctuary Sports Management in London.

Kate Hazlett

Kate Hazlett serves on the the Roxburgh Medical Services Trust and New Zealand Dental Council, and is a former Director of Gore Health Ltd, and Gore and District Health Inc.

Based in Roxburgh, she brings public and community governance experience and rural community involvement skills to the Trust.

A formal dental nurse, she is a current director of the New Zealand National Party, and was a member of the New Zealand Met Service. She has also helped with the Heriot Community Centre fundraising and was original convenor of the Show Market for the West Otago A & P shows.

Susan Johnstone

Susie Johnstone is the Managing Partner at Shand Thomson Accountants in Balclutha.

A winner of the New Zealand Young Accountant of the Year in 1996, she currently has governance roles in several organisations, including the Otago Polytechnic (deputy chair), the Research and Education Advanced Network New Zealand, and the Dunedin City Council. 

She has been Deputy Chair of Tourism New Zealand, the Otago & Southland District Health Boards and a director of the New Zealand Blood Service.  Her involvement in the voluntary sector includes serving two terms on the board of the New Zealand Hockey Federation, a term on the Otago Business Development Board, and a longstanding treasury role in her local Anglican Church.