Meet the Team

Joe Asghar’s multi-layered experience spans health and government and includes roles at the Royal Society of New Zealand, Diabetes NZ, ACC and Physiotherapy NZ.

Actively involved in a range of community groups and networks, Joe does volunteer work with the homeless, is a Justice of the Peace, chair of Te Awakairangi Health Network, a member of the Pharmacy Council Professional Conduct Committee and General Practice NZ Strategic Council.

He’s also heavily involved with Rotary and the Onslow Community Church in Ngaio, Wellington.

He considers the work of PSC and its amazing team as essential in today’s society where those in need are often overlooked or left alone. Joe is driven by the objects of the organisation to be there for those who need that help and support

In his spare time, Joe enjoys fishing, DIY and going to the movies with his family.

Nicola is the Chief Operating Office for Presbyterian Support Central. In this role she has responsibility for both Enliven and Family Works services.

Originally an Occupational Therapist, Nicola left clinical work in the late 1980s to become Registrar of the Occupational Therapy Board. Since then her career has spanned a range of health management roles, including Quality Manager for the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, Service Manager at Hutt Hospital, Integrated Care Manager and then Older Persons Funding and Planning Manager at Hutt DHB. Nicola joined Presbyterian Support Central in 2006.

Nicola is also on the NZCCSS Older persons policy group and was an Eden in Oz and NZ Board member between 2009 and 2017.

Jonathan joined PSC in 2021, attracted to the organisations values and is passionate about the opportunity to make a positive difference in the lives of those in need and for the communities that we serve. In his spare time, Jonathan enjoys watching Basketball, walks with his Japanese x German Spitz (Evie), and spending quality time with his family.

Andrea joined Presbyterian Support Central in late 2022 and is the Chief Financial Officer.

Anthony joined PSC in 2017 and is part of the senior leadership team at Presbyterian Support Central responsible for the strategic direction of our property portfolio. In his role as General Manager of Property, he is accountable for all property assets, strategic asset management, site development and maintenance.

Mikaela is Enliven’s Clinical Director. She joined Presbyterian Support Central in 2023. Mikaela is a passionate and dedicated Clinical Director who has spent the past 10 years doing patient safety and quality improvement in various roles. Her dedication began at the age of 16 when starting as a Kitchen Assistant before progressing to a Healthcare Assistant for 12 years. Now, she’s proud to contribute towards Aged Care as Enlivens new Clinical Director, all while completing her PhD. After working 15 years in hospitals, Aged Care has equipped Mikaela to see matters in a different perspective. Her focus is on safety indicators and ensuring that all components are central to holistic care. “It’s been about the wellbeing of the resident and being at the center of everything the homes are doing. People are here to do the right thing,” she says. “It’s about understanding why they are there and what they need – it’s their home, and that is a top priority for all the people that I’ve spoken to over time.” Valuing progression and expertise expansion, Mikaela is currently working hard towards her PhD. One of many motivations to completing her degree was inspired by her desire to learn. “Learning is a cycle that we do every day – there’s something new that always pops up,” she says. “To know that by helping others learn, I’ve got to learn too.”

Peter started his career in the financial, business and insurance sectors before looking to fulfil his dream of working to support the community. Driven by a desire to engage with the community and a passion for helping the elderly, Peter moved to the Wairarapa from Auckland in 2015 to take up his first role in aged care as Regional Manager for Access Home Health in Wellington. He joined Enliven in 2016 as the Manager of Kandahar Home and Court. He is now a Regional Manager and is a passionate advocate of Enliven’s elder-centred philosophy. “Enliven allows me to be a genuine, empathetic and principled leader with the ability to lead our teams to be resident centred, whilst empowering an environment and culture of strong personal values and ethics.”

Kiran Sunny, known as Sunny, is the Regional Manager for Enliven. Hailing from the beautiful Indian state of Kerala, popularly known as ‘’God’s Own Country”, Sunny started his professional life in the Kiwi-land with Enliven in 2017 as a Business Analyst before moving onto his current role. Sunny has completed his Engineering Degree in Electronics & Telecommunication and is a Graduate Diploma holder in Computer & Information Sciences. He has also done his Masters in Business Administration. His previous work stints include working for 2 of the global Top 10 IT service providers, in Digital Presales Consulting and Application Support. With an “Always happy to help” attitude, what keeps him going is the understanding that all he does ultimately improves the lives of the elders in the community, albeit indirectly. A strong advocate of the concept of collaboration and creating synergies, he believes that the future belongs to those who can learn, un-learn and re-learn.

Anna was born in the Philippines and is the eldest of 4 children. She was a teacher for 7 years before moving to New Zealand in 2003. Anna and her family live in sunny Wainuiomata, where she enjoys spending time out in the garden. On rainy days, she likes to play guitar or listen to old-time favourites while trying out a new recipe in the kitchen. When the mood strikes, Anna also engages in art, painting landscapes on canvas. Anna’s love of aged care came from her childhood, when her grandmother would care for her while her parents were at work. “I see my grandparents in every elder I meet” Anna says. Anna joined Enliven as a health care assistant and was awarded a scholarship grant from Enliven to study nursing at Massey University. Throughout her nursing studies, her passion for supporting elders grew. This was always recognised by the Enliven team and Anna has worked in different roles, including Registered Nurse, Clinical Nurse Manager, and now, as the Facility Manager of Huntleigh Home in Karori. “I am extremely grateful to Enliven for all the support I have received for the twelve years I have worked in the company. My love for teaching and nursing have really been nurtured here as I get myself immersed in a complex and challenging, but equally very rewarding responsibility of supporting our elders in their own journeys”. Anna enjoys developing creative ways to benefit the people she supports, and wants to continue to work hard for her own personal growth. She has completed two bachelor degrees (teaching and nursing), a National Certificate in Business (First Line Management) and recently, a Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing in Older Persons Health.

Christine is a Registered Nurse who has worked with Enliven for 14 years. Originally working as a Care Manager at Willard Home, Christine took on a Clinical Nurse Management position, and then in 2019 became the Facility Manager for Brightwater and Willard Homes. “I enjoy the variety in the role and meeting all the different people from residents, families, staff and getting to know them”. Christine believes in empowering elders to maintain their independence and developing ongoing relationships with residents, their families and the community. A lover of nature and animals, she is also a firm supporter of Enliven’s pet-friendly philosophy. In her spare time, Christine can often be found outdoors gardening and exploring nature.

Noelette has spent over 40 years working in the health care sector including nursing, midwifery, community health and residential care. She came to Enliven’s Longview Home with an extensive background in senior management roles within the District Health Board, ACC, Needs Assessment and Service Coordination service and more recently with traumatic brain injury. Noelette is passionate about the provision of care, and is excited to be working once more in residential care.

Stephen started his nursing career in India, where he worked for various multi-specialty hospitals. He moved to New Zealand in 2014. Stephens respect for the elderly and their wisdom attracted him to aged care in New Zealand, and he commenced his career as a Registered Nurse in a rest home, then progressed into Clinical Manager and Facility Manager positions. Stephen enjoys seeing the elders of Coombrae Home benefit from incorporating Enliven’s philosophy of care with quality clinical care. “Working for Enliven provides me with the freedom to work towards continuously improving the person-centred care.” Outside of work, Stephen enjoys leisure time with his son, cricket, technology and current affairs.

With a career in nursing that began in 1990, Melissa brings a wealth of experience and a deep passion for aged care. After working across a variety of fields, including administration and publishing, she found her calling in residential care over 22 years ago - and has never looked back.

Throughout her career, Melissa has worked as a Registered Nurse, Clinical Manager, and now Rest Home Manager. While she no longer holds a practising certificate, this has allowed her to focus fully on leading the home, supporting her team, and ensuring the highest standards of care for every resident.

Since joining Enliven in 2022, Melissa has embraced the Eden Alternative philosophy, placing each elder at the heart of the home. She is especially passionate about building meaningful connections and can often be found spending time with residents, whether that’s sharing a conversation, playing bingo, or enjoying a quiz together.

Melissa values the rich life experiences and wisdom that each resident brings, and is committed to creating a warm, engaging environment where people feel truly at home.

Trish joined the Enliven team in 2017 from Mary MacKillop Care NZ where she was a General Manager and Operational Manager of Nazareth Rest Home in Whanganui. Prior to this, she worked in a variety of management roles including administration, finance, logistics, human resources, sales and marketing as well as production management in the manufacturing sector. Trish is a strong advocate for continuous improvement and is passionate about working with others to make a difference in the lives of elders and their families. “He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.” “What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.” This well known Maori proverb captures the essence of the care and service that we deliver every day at Kowhainui for our elders and whanau by our dedicated staff.

David brings over 35 years extensive experience working across the health and disability sector in leadership, executive management, governance, and appointments to national and local transformational working groups.
 
David possesses the ability to think and lead aspirational strategic planning and execution through operational business management to achieve the strategic plan and strategic priorities that contribute to improved health and wellbeing outcomes for vulnerable tangata whaiora, whānau and communities.

Jo started her nursing training in the beautiful city of Napier and has had the privilege of working around NZ and overseas in various roles mostly in leadership or management positions.  With a philosophy that all people are precious, Jo has been drawn to aged care and working with some of the most vulnerable people in our community.  Jo has a professional interest in quality improvement and when not at work she is often busy with her family, messing about with music, creative things or the garden.

Arlyn has been a nurse for more than 30 years, beginning her career in 1991 after completing her training at De La Salle University in the Philippines. She went on to earn a Master’s in Maternal and Child Nursing and gained experience across a wide range of nursing fields including medical-surgical care, obstetrics, paediatrics, psychiatry and community nursing.

Alongside her clinical work, Arlyn spent 12 years in nursing education as a tutor, supporting students from first to fourth year and managing both classroom and clinical training.

Her journey to New Zealand began unexpectedly in 2007, when she travelled to Dunedin to complete her Competency Assessment Programme. The following year she joined Enliven as a Registered Nurse, marking the start of a long and fulfilling career within the organisation. Arlyn is now transitioning into her new role as Longview Home Manager.

Outside of work, Arlyn loves cooking for her family and spending quality time with her two adult children.

Kia ora/Namaste. My name is Manisha, and I am the Home Care Manager for Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights. Johnsonville holds a special place in my heart, as it is the community in which I grew up, and I feel deeply honoured to serve as kaitiaki for both homes.
I bring a professional background in social work and people leadership, with experience across community support, rangatahi and kaumatua wellbeing, and team development. My approach to leadership is grounded in respect, collaboration, and a commitment to ensuring high-quality, person-centred care.
What I value most about working within our two homes is the strong alignment between our organisational values and the Eden philosophy that underpins our practice. I am passionate about fostering environments where residents feel empowered, connected, and able to lead meaningful lives. The Eden principles of companionship, purpose, and autonomy continue to guide my decision-making and inspire my daily work with residents, families, and staff.
It is a privilege to support our teams and uphold the cultural, emotional, and physical wellbeing of those who call Cashmere Home and Cashmere Heights their home. I remain dedicated to nurturing a warm, inclusive, and resident-directed community.