Trustees
Celia Barker LLB – Trustee and Chair
Brought up in Geraldine, Celia is a qualified lawyer with a long career in private practice law. Up until 2018, Celia was partner of Cavell Leitch Law where she specialised in commercial property. In her practice she had a strong interest in trusts, wills and estate planning. She has since ‘self-deployed’, and this has given her more time to assist with furthering the interests of The Champion Foundation Trust. Celia has served on various charities over her career, including her current long-term tenure as Deputy Chair of the Opera Foundation.
Celia is very keen to see the integral work of the Champion Centre better understood and supported. Celia believes the significant difference the Centre can make for the future lives of children and their families, is in her opinion, is not well understood. Celia’s aim for the Centre is to assist it in moving forward, secure in knowing it has a sustainable future, supported by the efforts of the Foundation.
Brought up in Geraldine, Celia is a qualified lawyer with a long career in private practice law. Up until 2018, Celia was partner of Cavell Leitch Law where she specialised in commercial property. In her practice she had a strong interest in trusts, wills and estate planning. She has since ‘self-deployed’, and this has given her more time to assist with furthering the interests of The Champion Foundation Trust. Celia has served on various charities over her career, including her current long-term tenure as Deputy Chair of the Opera Foundation.
Celia is very keen to see the integral work of the Champion Centre better understood and supported. Celia believes the significant difference the Centre can make for the future lives of children and their families, is in her opinion, is not well understood. Celia’s aim for the Centre is to assist it in moving forward, secure in knowing it has a sustainable future, supported by the efforts of the Foundation.
Dr. Patricia Champion, MBE, PHD.
Patricia has practised in the field of developmental and child psychology for over 40 years. She is the founder of the Champion Centre, New Zealand’s longest running early intervention programme. Her experience includes in-depth clinical work with children and infants with special needs and with their families/whānau.
Patricia has taught and lectured both in NZ and internationally, across early intervention, developmental psychology, child development and infant mental health. She currently holds a teaching position as honorary senior lecturer at the University of Otago Medical School. Patricia is active in research and has been published internationally in a number of articles and texts.
Patricia has practised in the field of developmental and child psychology for over 40 years. She is the founder of the Champion Centre, New Zealand’s longest running early intervention programme. Her experience includes in-depth clinical work with children and infants with special needs and with their families/whānau.
Patricia has taught and lectured both in NZ and internationally, across early intervention, developmental psychology, child development and infant mental health. She currently holds a teaching position as honorary senior lecturer at the University of Otago Medical School. Patricia is active in research and has been published internationally in a number of articles and texts.
Michael Norris
Raised and educated in Christchurch, Michael has been a trustee of the Champion Foundation since 2010. He returned from living overseas 18 years ago, where he built up extensive overseas business experience. Michael is the founder of Sportsworld Group, a niche travel ticketing and hospitality platform, that has been used for eight FIFA World Cups, amongst other high-profile international events. Dividing his time between Christchurch and Akaroa, Michael is currently the Chair of the Akaroa Civic Trust and a trustee of the Great Christchurch Building’s Trust and the Akaroa Community Health Trust. A past Commodore of the Akaroa Cruising Club, Michael also has a strong interest in conservation and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Raised and educated in Christchurch, Michael has been a trustee of the Champion Foundation since 2010. He returned from living overseas 18 years ago, where he built up extensive overseas business experience. Michael is the founder of Sportsworld Group, a niche travel ticketing and hospitality platform, that has been used for eight FIFA World Cups, amongst other high-profile international events. Dividing his time between Christchurch and Akaroa, Michael is currently the Chair of the Akaroa Civic Trust and a trustee of the Great Christchurch Building’s Trust and the Akaroa Community Health Trust. A past Commodore of the Akaroa Cruising Club, Michael also has a strong interest in conservation and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
Bridget Frame
Born and raised in Southland, Bridget graduated from Otago University with an Honours degree in Marketing with minors in accounting and finance. She has worked in the corporate sector for over 15 years in banking and the oil industry, took some time out to bring up a family, and then re-entered the workforce part time working with a not for profit organisation. Bridget then spent some time working for a funding grant maker and remains a strong advocate for ‘communities solving community issues.
Born and raised in Southland, Bridget graduated from Otago University with an Honours degree in Marketing with minors in accounting and finance. She has worked in the corporate sector for over 15 years in banking and the oil industry, took some time out to bring up a family, and then re-entered the workforce part time working with a not for profit organisation. Bridget then spent some time working for a funding grant maker and remains a strong advocate for ‘communities solving community issues.
Stephanie Burdon (Trust Administrator)
In Steph’s earlier years, she worked as a Legal Secretary, before embarking on a degree in Psychology and Post Graduate Diploma in Business at the University of Canterbury. Steph worked as a Senior HR Consultant for a number of businesses, including the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in Wellington.
She moved to Sydney in 2001 where she worked in various HR roles in government and engineering, before returning to Christchurch to raise a family. Steph returned to work in 2016, in her current role as part-time Administrator for the Foundation.
In Steph’s earlier years, she worked as a Legal Secretary, before embarking on a degree in Psychology and Post Graduate Diploma in Business at the University of Canterbury. Steph worked as a Senior HR Consultant for a number of businesses, including the Reserve Bank of New Zealand in Wellington.
She moved to Sydney in 2001 where she worked in various HR roles in government and engineering, before returning to Christchurch to raise a family. Steph returned to work in 2016, in her current role as part-time Administrator for the Foundation.
Thank you for supporting the Champion Foundation Trust