Board of Directors

Janine Edge

PRESIDENT

Janine Edge is an Edmund Hillary Fellow with a focus on enhancing education in New Zealand schools for mental well-being. She is Chairman of the Scientific and Medical Network Charitable Trust in the UK, which has as its aim transformative learning and change.

Until 2020 Janine lived in the UK where she was formerly a partner of a London law firm, an accredited practicing mediator and a university Fellow in Organisational Psychology on an MBA programme. She has an MSc in Consciousness and Transpersonal Psychology from Liverpool John Moores University, and an MA in Philosophy and Law from Cambridge University.

Janine has worked as a volunteer for the Peace Foundation for over a decade. She facilitated the connection with the Resolution Institute which enabled professional mediators to coach students through mediation role plays as part of the secondary school training. She also has a keen interest in play-writing, improvisation and performance as a way to accelerate learning.

Rosemary Hunt

Treasurer

Rosemary is an Auckland based mediator and consultant. She has had a diverse career which has allowed her to develop a blend of technical analytical skills and pragmatic relationship building skills. She began her career as an accountant with Deloitte in New Zealand in the audit area and then moved to the Consulting division with Deloitte UK. Four children, two countries and quite a few years later she returned to University in Auckland and fulfilled a long held wish to study law.

Her extensive and diverse experience with many different types of organisations and people led her to mediation and she has been an accredited professional member of the Resolution Institute since 2017. Recently, she believes that there has been a ground shift in New Zealand towards a more consultative, kinder way of working. She is optimistic that much can be achieved and that schools and children are the ideal place in which to begin.

“Mau te rourou, naku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi”

Your contribution and my contribution will provide sufficient for all.

Pete hall

Council Member

Pete has more than 20 years experience in education. Beginning as a teacher and eventually as a primary school principal, Pete has led and supported Peace Education at all levels in a variety of schools.

He has seen the benefits of a Cool Schools Peer Mediation Team and has joined his leadership team in training in Restorative Practice, and conflict resolution.

Now leading a company in the private sector, Pete is proud to be supporting the Peace Foundation and the contribution they make in communities across New Zealand. ;

PHILIP McKIBBIN

Council Member

Philip McKibbin is a writer of Pākehā and Māori (Ngāi Tahu) descent. He holds a Master of Arts in Philosophy from The University of Auckland, and diplomas in te reo Māori from Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. He has written for the Guardian, Newsroom, and Takahē. His book, Love Notes: for a Politics of Love, is published in New York by Lantern Books. When he was a student at Papatoetoe North Primary School, Philip was a Cool Schools Peer Mediator; and as a young adult he taught English and Te Reo Māori at high school level. He is passionate about literature, language revitalisation, and animal liberation. 

Ian Upton

Council Member

Ian was born in Palmerston North and worked mostly in transportation including trucking, bus, and taxi. Ian was also a driving Instructor for the Austin Assembly Plant, worked with the Marsden Power Station, and the Royal Melbourne Hospital.  

Ian‘s also has been involved with Mental Health Waiheke Island, was President of the Waiheke Island S.P.C.A., President of Ostend Play Center Waiheke Island, Treasurer and Vestry Member Waiheke AngelIn Church, Cub and Scout Leader with the Waiheke Scout Movement, former director Ahu Ahu Ahu up Whanganui River, and Presently Company Director Awaawroa Eco Village Waiheke Island.

Cherie Taylor-Patel

Council Member

Ko Pakinui te awa e mahea nei aku māharahara.
Ko Kaipara te moana.
I tipu ake au ki Tāmaki Makaurau ki te Uru.
E noho ana au ki Taupaki, ā, e mahi ana ahau i Te Atatū.
Ko Crystalline te waka,
Ko Ngāti Pākehā te iwi.
Ko ahau te tumuaki o te kura o Flanshaw.
Ko Cherie Taylor-Patel taku ingoa.

Dr Cherie Taylor-Patel is an experienced teacher, school leader and researcher. Having taught at all levels in the primary sector, Cherie has been principal of two schools. Her first principalship was in Tokirima, a two-teacher country school. She has been the principal/tumuaki of Flanshaw Road School, a multi-cultural urban school in West Auckland, for twenty-two years.

Cherie completed her Doctorate in Education in 2011 through the University of Auckland. She has been a sector representative and member of the NZEI Principals’ Council and an executive member, vice president and president of NZPF – Ngā Tumuaki o Aotearoa. She is a current member of the International Confederation of Principals.

Cherie is a strong advocate of Te Tiriti o Waitangi, social justice, peace education and education for sustainability. In 2025, Cherie won the ASB-APPA Travelling Fellowship. Through this fellowship, she met with world leaders in environmental education, to inform and strengthen work being done in Aotearoa New Zealand. She believes all progress must be founded upon “right relationships” and decision-making that is good for all, now and in the future.

Tamkeen Saeid

Council Member

Tamkeen Saeid is a lawyer and former Peace Foundation employee. Having spent three years as the Youth Programmes Ambassador, she has grown a passion and love for the work our team does. She has grown up in West Auckland as a refugee from Afghanistan and has been involved in refugee and social justice advocacy her whole life. She cares deeply for our rangatahi and is invested in making sure our future generations have the skills and resources to become true peace ambassadors in their communities.