Meet the team

Our leaders

Our leaders are here to help with enquiries, opportunities to collaborate and the needs of rangatahi in our local communities.

Jesse Boyce

CEO

Jesse is the CEO of Zeal with 18 years’ leadership and programme management experience across public, private and nonprofit sectors. He is responsible for providing leadership, direction and coordination across all activities of Zeal in line with Zeal’s purpose. Jesse is responsible for Zeal’s overall strategy and culture, key national partnerships, and the overall day-to-day running of the organisation. Jesse co-founded Zion Dance Studio in Christchurch which has impacted thousands of young people lives and community members in Christchurch and has held various roles across organisations including World Vision, NV Interactive, the Ministry of Youth Development, and the Wellington Boys’ & Girls Institute.

Reach out to the right person

Linda Wilson

Funding Manager

Sandra Stephens

Policy & Fincance Manager

Matt Renata

Pouwhakamana

Britney Jupp

National Manager

Tessa Tangaere

Hamilton Manager

Luke Galley

Taranaki Manager

Tavā Malolua

Wellington Manager

Hamish Campbell

Kāpiti Manager

Neli Alo

West Auckland Manager

Chris Foster-Winder

Digital Director

Meet our board

Zeal is a not-for-profit youth organisation, governed by a board of trustees.

Amanda Pilbrow (Chairperson)

Theologian, Spiritual Director, Integrative Enneagram Facilitator

Amanda works with a people-centred approach, focusing on people care management and promoting the well-being of individuals and communities. Amanda holds a Master’s degree in Applied Theology from Carey Baptist College, exploring various topics such as spirituality, sexuality, wholeness, diversity, and inclusion. Amanda runs a private practice as a Spiritual Director and Enneagram Practitioner, curator of Alreadyenough.co.nz, independent celebrant, and artist utilising several mediums. Amanda invites individuals to explore their spirituality and inner selves alongside understanding their unique Enneagram type. Amanda describes herself as a loyal skeptic influenced by liberation theology, which emphasises social justice and equity for all. Amanda’s goal is to help individuals find meaning and purpose in their lives and work towards personal and social transformation.

Karen Came

Director Business Development, APM

Karen’s early career as a community-based Occupational Therapist at Whakatane Hospital provided a strong foundation for her career. Now, with over 30 years in rehabilitation and health care and 15 years in executive leadership, Karen excels in leading and motivating staff across large regions. Karen has a strong understanding of quality management systems, compliance frameworks, and contract management. As a big-picture thinker, Karen is adept at problem-solving, flexibility, and adaptability. Skilled in developing and managing financial strategies and resources, Karen also has strong relationship management skills, particularly in building and maintaining partnerships with government funding bodies and private clients. Additionally, Karen is experienced in HR processes from recruitment to performance management.
In her personal time, Karen enjoys the outdoors and spending time in nature. Karen is married, and her husband has four adult children, but sadly lost a daughter in 2022. Karen has a strong interest in social justice and social services, which has been the focus of her career.

Andre Afamasaga

Principal/Founder, Lived Experience Leadership

Andre Afamasaga is a passionate advocate for human rights and inclusivity. His work has been featured in media outlets like ABC, SBS, and the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, and 1News, RNZ, and Stuff in New Zealand. Born in Lower Hutt, Aotearoa New Zealand, Andre is of Samoan heritage. With over two decades of experience across various sectors, he has been recognized with nominations for awards such as Australia Day Citizen of the Year. Andre has held key roles at Te Kahui Tika Tangata | NZ Human Rights Commission, contributing to anti-racism campaigns. His personal journey of self-acceptance has fueled his advocacy for Rainbow/LGBTIQ+ acceptance. In 2019, he publicly came out as gay in a viral opinion piece. In 2022, Stuff featured Andre in a National Portrait Piece. He continues to appear in media and speak at conferences, with a documentary about his life currently in production for public broadcast in Australia.

Jovita Stellmacher (she/her) – Board Advisor

Palmerston North City Council

Jovita is originally from Germany but now calls Whanganui home, where she lives with her husband and two young children. As a Human First Partner at Yellow, she leads the diversity, equity and inclusion strategy, and believes that happy humans drive positive business outcomes. Her passion is contagious at Yellow and she walks the talk, organising and participating wholly in many initiatives. Jovita has been volunteering for Zeal for several years, supporting us in the people and culture space. Zeal’s values go hand-in-hand with Jovita’s passion for diversity, equity and inclusion – creating a space where people can be their authentic selves, belong and thrive.

Charles Looker (He/him) – Kaihautū | Kaiako Reo Māori | Kaitito Waiata | Kaipūoro

A descendant of Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngati Te Ata, and Te Āti Awa, Charles is a proud Kōhanga Reo and Kura Kaupapa Māori graduate. This drives his research in Initial Teacher Education for Māori Medium schools. With a Master of Professional Studies in Education, his journey to varsity began with MAINZ before completing a Bachelor of Music at Auckland University. His passion for young people and his culture motivated his Postgraduate Diploma in secondary teaching and the formation of the bilingual musical duo Aro alongside his wife. Inspired by mātauranga Māori, the self-identifying edu-tainers’ music celebrates the significance and beauty of Māori in Aotearoa through story and song.

Ngā mihi