Area councils
Our area councils lead, coordinate and nurture our organisation and our humanitarian activities across areas of Aotearoa New Zealand.
To help manage our people and activities, New Zealand Red Cross has 'areas' across the country.
Each area has its own area council, which is formed by a nominations process, and if necessary, elections. In 2023 the National Board merged existing councils together to reduce the number of councils.
Area councils from 1 July 2025
Area 1: Northland and Auckland | Te Tai Tokerau me Tāmaki Makaurau
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Amar |
Bhattacharya |
|
Auckland |
|
Renata (Renee) |
Fischer |
|
Auckland |
|
Alyson |
Maioha |
|
Whangarei |
|
Ronal |
Reddy |
|
Auckland |
|
Julie |
Segi |
|
Auckland |
Area 2: Waikato and Bay of Plenty | Waikato me Te Moana a Toi-te-Huatahi
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Sara |
Ahmad |
|
Hamilton |
|
John |
Evans |
|
Cambridge |
|
Shanti |
Ralm |
|
Cambridge |
|
Brydon |
Sundgren |
|
Hamilton |
Area 3: Taranaki, Manawatū–Whanganui, Hawke's Bay | Te Matau ā Māui, Te Tairāwhiti
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Jennifer |
Beaven |
|
Napier |
|
Krystal |
Boyes |
|
Whanganui |
|
Felicity |
Jansonius-Bidois |
|
New Plymouth |
|
Claudia |
Mason |
|
Levin |
|
Hamish |
McColl |
|
Hawke's Bay |
Area 4: Kāpiti, Wellington | Pōneke, Wairarapa
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Nicola |
Campbell |
|
Lower Hutt |
|
John |
Kennedy-Good |
|
Wellington |
|
Paula |
Martin |
|
Paraparaumu |
|
Lauren |
McInnes |
|
Lower Hutt |
|
Michael |
Templeton |
Kapiti |
|
|
Saba |
Vallipuram |
|
Wellington |
Area 5: Tasman-Marlborough and West Coast | Te Tau Ihu me Te Tai o Poutini
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Arnold |
Andrews |
|
Nelson |
|
Maral |
Arab |
|
|
|
Nathan |
Hume |
|
Runanga |
|
Joanna |
Maclean |
|
Nelson |
|
Sara |
Masood |
|
Nelson |
|
Leonie |
Renton |
|
Hokitika |
Area 6: Canterbury | Waitaha
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Lavina |
Anderson |
|
Christchurch |
|
Lesley |
Dixon |
|
Christchurch |
|
Casey |
Glover |
|
Timaru |
|
Bishnu |
Pokhrel |
|
Christchurch |
|
Jill |
White |
|
Christchurch |
|
Orla |
White |
|
Dunedin |
Area 7: Otago and Southland | Ōtākou me Murihiku
Members
|
First name |
Last name |
Role |
City/Town |
|
Supreet |
Kaur |
|
Queenstown |
|
Chathura |
Kohomange |
|
Invercargill |
|
Stephanie |
Ladbrook |
|
Invercargill |
|
Steffan |
Rolfe |
|
Dunedin |
|
Geoffrey |
Tompkins |
|
Dunedin |
|
Mallory |
Wood |
|
Invercargill |
To contact your nearest area council email membership@redcross.org.nz and the team will put you in touch.
Area council map
Area council responsibilities
Area council members support Red Cross people in their area, helping to motivate, inspire, and empower them to carry out their humanitarian work.
Area councils have four main areas of responsibility:
- Governance and leadership – developing a membership base and supporting local Red Cross branches, groups, individual members, and staff, and the National Board.
- Communication and relationship building – sharing information and building relationships with members, staff and other organisations.
- Planning and monitoring – leading the planning and oversight of activities in their area.
- Integrity – protecting the integrity of New Zealand Red Cross by ensuring members understand our values and principles and follow the expected standards of behaviour.
All area council chairs meet as a group regularly with the National President, the Secretary General and staff to share ideas and discuss work.
Refer to section six of the Regulations for detailed information about area councils and how they work.
National leadership
In addition to leading activities in their own area, each area council elects five representatives — known as delegates — to be members of the National Council, which is our highest governing body. This ensures all areas have a voice in decisions which affect all members. Each area must appoint at least one delegate who will be between 18 to 30 years old when the National Council meeting for the year takes place.
The National Council meets every year in the first weekend of November.
New area model provides practical benefits
Positive changes and new ways of working are helping the New Zealand Red Cross have more impact thanks to our new area model that has been operating since 1 July. These changes include fostering strengthened relationships, better connections, and stronger representation for youth councillors.