Angela Wilton

CEO

Angela became Belong Aotearoa's Chief Executive in October 2024. A global social justice advocate, researcher, and leader now raising two teenagers in Aotearoa.

Email: angela.wilton@belong.org.nz

Malu Malo-Fuiava

Programme Director

Malu leads community initiatives at Belong Aotearoa, drawing on her Samoan migration story. She balances strategic work with family, including her little one.

Email: malu@belong.org.nz

Charlotte Gordon

Safari Programme Manager

Charlotte leads Safari Programme playgroups supporting migrant and refugee women. A former teacher with 20 years' experience, she lives in Avondale with her family..

Email: charlotte@belong.org.nz

Sally Chu

Project Support Coordinator

Sally supports Belong Aotearoa's administration, logistics, and Safari Playgroups operations. She loves cooking, experimenting with recipes, and enjoying leisure walks.

Email: safari@belong.org.nz

China González

Digital Communications Coordinator

China shapes Belong's digital presence and amplifies community voices through storytelling. Currently completing a Master's in Participatory Arts in Edinburgh. 

Email: china@belong.org.nz

Nadir Shafaq

Community Engagement Lead

Nadir leads community engagement at Belong, fostering partnerships supporting migrant and former refugee communities. From Afghanistan, he champions equity, inclusion, and meaningful participation.

Email: nadir@belong.org.nz

Nazmin Bhikoo

Community Development Coordinator

Nazmin coordinates community development at Belong, leading initiatives addressing settlement barriers. With 10 years' sector experience, she lives in Puketāpapa with her family.

Email: nazmin@belong.org.nz

Mel Hornby

Finance Assistant

Melanie, a third-generation Chiwi descendant of former refugees, works in administration and finance at Belong. Her love language is service; she enjoys dance and swimming.

Email: accounts@belong.org.nz

Gary Stewart

Business Services Manager

Gary drives business at Belong, believing business should serve social justice. Passionate about sustainability, he co-founded New Zealand's first cohousing eco-neighbourhood community.

Email: gary@belong.org.nz

Tayyaba Khan - Chair

Tayyaba’s whakapapa of forced displacement inevitably led her to two decades of serving migrant and former refugee communities in government, and third sector roles. Having lived and worked in New Zealand, Palestine, Australia and the UK with the opportunity to apply her interdisciplinary qualifications of mental health and international development in practice, she is deeply passionate about working with minority and faith-based communities. Her particular interest with these population groups is posited in utilising social justice, human rights, and ethical approaches to building a better and more peaceful world for everyone.

She is the founder and CEO of Khadija Leadership Network, and holds two Peace Ambassador roles with the European Muslim League & Universal Peace Federation New Zealand. Tayyaba is a Leadership New Zealand alumna. She holds the Chair role for Belong Aotearoa and Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand. Tayyaba has also worked for organisations like the Australian Red Cross, British Red Cross, Alzheimer’s UK, Cage UK, Office of Ethnic Communities and the Tertiary Education Commission to name a few.

Elena Kim

Elena is an experienced corporate lawyer based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has extensive experience advising on complex corporate transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and governance matters.

She brings a thoughtful and inclusive approach to her work and has been recognised for her leadership and contribution to the legal profession. Her acknowledgements include being named among Aotearoa New Zealand’s Most Influential Lawyers (2023, 2022), receiving the International Bar Association scholarship as its first New Zealand recipient, and being a finalist in the INFINZ Emerging Young Leader awards.

Elena is a public speaker on equity, inclusion and leadership, and speaks internationally as a legal subject-matter expert.

Of tauiwi heritage, Elena brings lived migrant experience to her governance work. She is committed to strengthening inclusion and belonging in Aotearoa and aims to bring a considered, people-centred perspective to the Board’s work and the communities that Belong Aotearoa serves.

Lynette Adams

For 25 years, Lynette has worked with community, leading a community organisation aimed at helping people fulfil their potential. As a Board member, Lynette brings vast experience facilitating capacity and capability building to create transformative change.

Lynette works with organisations to create impactful social change for good, focussing on strategy and organisational development, change management, mentoring, facilitation, co-design and community engagement. Lynette sees herself as a bio-degradable leader always looking to make her work redundant but like the nutrients in the soil, is always there to offer support and nourishment.

Lynette is currently a Director on Pūmanawa Āwhina, a national initiative that works with communities using physical activity and recreation for community and social development. Lynette has held other positions including roles on local, regional and national boards.

Dr Javeed Ali

Javeed is Fijian-Indian and a child of migrant parents. Javeed was born and grew up in West Auckland. He is passionate about equity and inclusion for minority communities, especially in sport. Javeed is currently the Community Insights and Training Lead at New Zealand Cricket.

Javeed previously worked at Sport Waitakere, championing and leading the diversity and inclusion in sport work focusing on increasing Asian and Pasifika participation. He is also a current member of the Auckland Cricket Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group.

Javeed has a Bachelor of Sport (Sport Coaching) from Unitec, Master of Business (Sport Management and Leadership and Master of Philosophy both from Auckland University of Technology. He recently graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy from Auckland University of Technology exploring the experiences of early-career rugby referees.

Ron Lal

Ron, Founder and CEO of Momentum Mind Lab, is a leader in Design Thinking, working with purpose-driven businesses and organisations to build ideas, strategies and systems that create positive impact.

Balancing his time between Aotearoa, Singapore and Jakarta, Ron collaborates with NGO leadership teams to help shape sustainable strategies. His expertise lies in revealing and realising potential, nurturing confidence and building outcome-driven strategies.

Ron holds memberships and mentorship roles with respected organisations like NZ Asian Leaders, Global Founders Institute, Auckland Business Chamber, YES Foundation, Business Mentors New Zealand, Adplist, and Entrepreneurs Organisation Global.

Ron has a Bachelor of Commerce from Auckland University of Technology. He is also an affiliated Human-Centred Design Practitioner from the Design Thinking Academy in the Netherlands and an accredited Design Sprint consultant.

Ron brings a focus on human-centric design to the Board, ensuring we make informed decisions and stay focused on impactful outcomes for our communities.

Cynthia Tieu

Cynthia is Teochew Chinese. Her family are former refugees who arrived in New Zealand from Cambodia and Vietnam over 35 years ago. Cynthia was born in and has spent most of her life living in South Auckland.

As a young person growing up in South Auckland, Cynthia was exposed to a rich and diverse community of different cultures and ethnic groups. Her experiences as young Asian woman navigating the New Zealand education system and workforce has made her passionate about supporting other people from former refugee and migrant families to succeed.

Cynthia has a clinical background as a registered alcohol and drug clinician and supervisor. She has worked for over 10 years in the mental health and addiction sector and has a strong commitment to creating accessible health services for everyone. Cynthia is currently based in Wellington and works in the public service. 

Dr. Anmar Taufeek

Dr. Anmar Taufeek is a values-driven leader with extensive experience in health, safety, and asset management across the public sector. She currently serves as Asset Planning Manager at Thames-Coromandel District Council (TCDC), where she leads strategic planning to support sustainable infrastructure and community wellbeing.

Anmar is the founder and former chair of Auckland Council’s Muslim Staff Network, which grew to over 100 members and fostered inclusion and belonging across the organisation. She also serves on the board of New Zealand Ethnic Social Services (NZESS) and leads The Good Deed Group—a volunteer initiative that supports families in need and promotes acts of kindness within local communities.

Anmar holds an Honorary PhD in Engineering and Safety from the University of Delaware and is a graduate of the Advanced Women Leadership Programme in Australia. She is passionate about empowering diverse voices, strengthening community connections, and creating spaces where everyone feels valued and included.

Ayo Oyawale - Associate Board Member

Ayo brings a unique perspective shaped by his upbringing across two continents, having grown up in London and Nigeria before migrating to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2012. As the son of a senior diplomat in the UK, he witnessed privilege firsthand, while later experiencing widespread insecurity and poverty in Nigeria. These contrasting realities ignited a deep commitment to justice and equity, particularly for those marginalised by ethnicity, economic circumstances, or social barriers.

A trained lawyer and public sector principal advisor, Ayo has over 15 years of leadership experience spanning government, business, and the non-profit sector. As General Manager of a restorative justice service provider, he worked alongside the Board to implement a five-year strategic plan. He also served previously as lead advisor managing the Ethnic Communities Development Fund at the then Office of Ethnic Communities, where he developed the Fund’s governance and decision-making framework following the significant funding increase after March 15, 2019.

An entrepreneur at heart, Ayo co-founded New Zealand’s first 100% electric commercial transport fleet. He is also passionate about coaching emerging founders, public speaking, and faith-based mentoring. Ayo brings systems thinking and strategic insight to the Board, drawing on both his lived experience and professional expertise to create lasting impact for refugee and migrant communities, not only today, but for generations to come.