Chair Lesley Vehekite

Lesley was elected to the board in August 2021 as a parent representative. Lesley was born and raised in Tonga, then migrated to New Zealand at the age of 15 to 1987 for a better life. Lesley became a New Zealand Citizen in Oct 1992. Currently, Lesley is a Business Advisor for Pacific Island Businesses. Lesley holds a Bachelor of Applied Management majoring in Accounting and is currently undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Enterprises. Lesley advocates passionately for her people, she sees gaps in many areas. Her areas of focus are education, employment, health, and equity. Lesley has two daughters at CGHS, and she believes in equity, fairness, and partnership between parents and the school. Lesley also sits in the CDHB Tamariki Ora Well Child Steering Group and the SDBH After Hours Care Board representing the Consumers.

Deputy Chair David King

David was appointed to the board in August 2021. Married to a CGHS old girl, he has been involved with the school since 2016 when his eldest daughter started in Year 9 and he has two daughters in Year 12. He has been a member of the CGHS rowing committee for four years and is a passionate supporter of the school and the opportunities it offers its students. David's background is in journalism and public relations in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and he is Corporate Affairs Manager at Ryman Healthcare. He is also a board member of Alzheimer's New Zealand and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Parent Representative Paula Kirkpatrick

Paula Kirkpatrick was elected to the Board in 2022. Paula was born and raised in Ōtautahi, and trained at Canterbury University and Christchurch Teachers’ College in the early 1990s before teaching in Nelson, Marlborough and London.

Returning to Christchurch in the early 2000s, Paula married Ieuan Attewell and has raised two teenagers, a daughter currently in Year 10 at CGHS and a son who will start at CBHS in 2023.

Paula currently leads a team and teaches at Paparoa Street School. She has a passion for inclusive and innovative education, with a particular interest in curriculum design.

Paula is studying Te Reo Māori through Te Ahu o te Reo Māori and volunteers for Diabetes Youth Canterbury and Kai for the Community. In her spare time Paula enjoys traveling with her family and supporting them in their artistic and sporting endeavours.

Co-opted Parent Representative Linda Lee

Linda is the BOT whānau representative and her whakapapa is Ngāpuhi. Linda grew up on the Wigram Air Force base and has one son and five daughters. Linda served four years on the Wellington Girls’ High BOT and looks forward to working with the BOT and whānau of Christchurch Girls’ High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora. Linda’s professional career spans across the entire education sector from establishing an early childhood Puna Reo to primary teaching, community youth work, designing literacy, numeracy and NCEA solutions for the Department of Corrections, promoting digital literacy within Māori medium kura, managing secondary-tertiary partnerships for students bridging into work, to currently strengthening Māori health advancement within health research and workforce.

Co-opted Parent Representative Rosalind (Ros) Robertson

I have been co-opted onto the board of trustees from the "Old Girls Association" where I have been a committee member for over 10 years.

I have had an association with the school for over fifty years, in my dual roles of being a past pupil and also a parent.

I was a boarder at Acland House ( along with my 3 sisters) when the school was located in Cranmer Square, while my daughters attended the school at its present site.

My occupation is a registered nurse and currently, I am a Children's outreach nurse, which involves seeing children with ongoing health problems in their home environment.

The reason I have accepted this appointment is that I would like to assist the school to continue to grow and further develop in the coming years.

Co-opted Parent Representative Isha Masoodi

Isha Masoodi was co-opted to the Christchurch Girls High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora Board of Trustees in November 2022. Isha is a current board member as a Parent representative at Wharenui school and has experience of being on the Board since July 2019. Isha lives in Christchurch with her husband and two children. Her daughter attends Christchurch Girls High School / Te Kura o Hine Waiora at year 11 Level. Isha has a degree in Science and also holds an Advance Diploma in Software Management. She has worked in New Zealand and overseas in some major IT based organizations including Wipro India, Dubai Internet City and Dell.

Isha is passionate about working with wider communities and has been actively involved in Voluntary work for LC Hub (Ministry of Education), Reading Together program (Ministry of Education), Pink Ribbon Foundation, Bike Bridge, MAC and Riccarton Community. She also coordinates a parent support group for new migrant parents to better understand the NZ education system.

Isha likes ensuring that quality education and opportunities for participation are available to students from all backgrounds. Isha is a strong advocate of diversity and inclusivity and believes that diversity should be accepted and celebrated.

Acting Principal Peter Sawyer

Staff Representative Rob Frier

Student Representative Sophie Yarham

Ko Sophie Yarham tōku ingoa, and I am the Board of Trustees Student Representative for 2024. My purpose within this role is to voice a student's perspective at a governance level. When representing the student voice I look to overview past actions and current situations with the intention of creating an environment within our kura where all ākonga can flourish. Using my voice I will ensure that the students are at the heart of the decisions that shape our educational system. It is an honour that I get to represent the student body and be a part of further developing Te Kura o Hine Waiora as it continues to fulfill the needs of our society. Mā te kimi ka kite, Mā te kite ka mōhio, Mā te mōhio ka mārama.