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 - Trustee
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 - Trustee
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 - Trustee
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.
Jeremy Crang - Trustee
Jeremy has a strong -background in the financial services industry working as an Investment Advisor at Craigs Investment Partners and having worked as an Investment Advisor at Lawerence Milton and Howarth (LMH) early on in his career. Jeremy also gained wide experience in the telecommunications industry having worked in the UK for eight years in telecommunications. In addition Jeremy holds a Batchelor of Commerce Degree, Honours in Forestry Science and a Diploma in the NZ Stock Exhange. Jeremy joined the Champion Foundation Trust as a Trustee in 2021.
Andrew Tait, LLB, BA - Trustee
Andrew joined the Champion Foundation Trust in 2022. He is a Partner at Rhodes & Co. lawyers having joined the firm in 2009. He has a broad range of experience in business, commercial and property law and provides advice to clients across a range of industries. He also provides advice to various private clients on property, trusts and estate planning structures. Andrew is a keen traveller, is married to Johanna and they have one son, William.
Laraine Sharr - Trustee
Born and raised in Invercargill, Laraine joined the Champion Foundation as Trustee in October 2022. After obtaining her degree and professional qualification as a Secondary School Teacher, Laraine taught English and German in the secondary school sector. Laraine has spent a significant portion of time working within the independent school sector including twelve years as a teacher and senior administrator at St Andrews College in Christchurch and Principal of St Catherine’s School, Toorak, Melbourne. Later Laraine worked in the tertiary sector as Principal of College House, an independent tertiary residential college at the University of Canterbury. Laraine has also spent time on the Board of Governors, University College, Melbourne and more recently at Christ’s College, Christchurch. Laraine is married to Peter and they have a family of three. She has a strong interest in volunteering; especially supporting young people to give back to their communities.
Georgia Heard - Trustee
Georgia grew up in the small North Canterbury village of Greta Valley. Growing up in the remote and picturesque surroundings of rural farm life inspired Georgia’a creative side from a young age. Georgia graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts from NASDA, and went on to write and act in numerous professional Court Theatre productions. Georgia has founded, owns and performs in The Starlets entertainment trio for the last 11 years, entertaining audiences all over New Zealand. But her greatest role to date has been motherhood, being the proud mum of two beautiful boys, with one of her sons having significant additional needs and attending The Champion Centre for 5 years, receiving vital early intervention therapy.
Having had a child go through The Champion Centre, has given Georgia a strong passion for the life changing therapy provided to her son, and the incredible organisation behind it all. Georgia is very excited about helping to raise funds to support the Centre and increasing its public awareness.
Georgia grew up in the small North Canterbury village of Greta Valley. Growing up in the remote and picturesque surroundings of rural farm life inspired Georgia’a creative side from a young age. Georgia graduated with a Bachelor of Performing Arts from NASDA, and went on to write and act in numerous professional Court Theatre productions. Georgia has founded, owns and performs in The Starlets entertainment trio for the last 11 years, entertaining audiences all over New Zealand. But her greatest role to date has been motherhood, being the proud mum of two beautiful boys, with one of her sons having significant additional needs and attending The Champion Centre for 5 years, receiving vital early intervention therapy.
Having had a child go through The Champion Centre, has given Georgia a strong passion for the life changing therapy provided to her son, and the incredible organisation behind it all. Georgia is very excited about helping to raise funds to support the Centre and increasing its public awareness.
Emma Newman - Philanthropy and Development Manager
Born in Otago and raised in Christchurch Emma studied Environmental Management and Geography at UC before travelling and coming home to work for Environment Canterbury and Consultancies in resource management. She was the Honorary Consul for Uruguay in NZ for a number of years and embarked in her business as a wedding and event planner alongside her role as mother. Her business has evolved and includes many charitable events in recent years so her part-time role assisting the Trust with fund raising is a natural fit.
Born in Otago and raised in Christchurch Emma studied Environmental Management and Geography at UC before travelling and coming home to work for Environment Canterbury and Consultancies in resource management. She was the Honorary Consul for Uruguay in NZ for a number of years and embarked in her business as a wedding and event planner alongside her role as mother. Her business has evolved and includes many charitable events in recent years so her part-time role assisting the Trust with fund raising is a natural fit.
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.
Thank you for supporting the Champion Foundation Trust