WHA Governance
The Board is the governance body of the Association, setting policy, controlling finances and supervising Association Employees, Committees and Advisory Groups.
Wellington Hockey Board Members
Wendy Edwards - Chair
Wendy is currently Tumu Whakarae (Chief Executive) of Edison Consulting Group delivering electrical engineering design, project management and professional advisory services across the energy sector. Wendy has 20 years’ experience working in utilities in both operational (service delivery and engineering) and governance (risk and audit) roles. Wendy has a Masters Degree in Computer Science (First Class Hons), memberships of IAM, IIANZ and ISACA, and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors. Wendy has lived in Lower Hutt for 17 years and been a member of Lowry Bay Yacht Club since 2005 and Naenae Hockey since 2014, participating in those sports and also serving in governance positions.
John Thomason - Deputy Chair
John joined the Wellington Hockey Board in February 2019. A recent transplant from the United States, he has served on numerous charitable boards over several decades and across many service areas. John has held senior leadership roles in capital markets, banking, and the nonprofit sector. He is currently the COO of an independent school in Wellington. John has a Master's degree in Public Policy and an MBA, as well as a passion for hockey.
Kyle Pontifex
Having played 100 matches for Wellington/Capital NHL and a 15 year international hockey career, Kyle has a wealth of high performance knowledge and experience in the sport. Additionally Kyle brings a strong business acumen and a strategic management approach gained from studies in Business Administration (MBA) and an 18 year professional career in Technology and Banking.
Rochelle Roddick
Rochelle joined the Board in November 2018. She is a Partner in international accounting and business advisory firm, FINDEX, and has over 25 years’ experience in advising businesses and not-for-profits. Rochelle has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University of Wellington, is a chartered accountant (CA) and holds a certificate of public practice. She is also involved in sports coaching and administration.
Molly Powers
Molly joined the Board in April 2020. She is an avid hockey player with an extensive expertise offering legal counsel and sport governance. Molly competed in Division-1 field hockey at the University of Michigan and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (History) before attending DePaul University of Law and graduating magna cum laude with a doctorate in Jurisprudence. Molly also played for the USA National team and at club level in Dublin, Ireland.
Nathan Waddle
Nathan was elected as a club representative to the board in March 2022. He is an elite umpire and has an in depth knowledge of the game and the umpire spaces. His knowledge and expertise will be invaluable in helping Wellington Hockey grow and develop the umpiring community which will offer our region into a higher quality of game at all levels.
Garath Jeune
Gareth rejoined the Board as the second club representative in 2024. Gareth has played hockey for over 20 years and is a proud member of the national champion Wellington Over 35’s Masters team. Gareth has been connected to various committees during that time, including the reestablishment of Tawa Hockey Club over the last ten years. He is interested in how WHA can best serve the hockey community and provide equal opportunities to the diversity that our communities represent. Additionally, Gareth brings over 12 years’ experience in Risk and Project Management.
Wellington Hockey Board
Committed to operating with clear and transparent governance processes in line with accepted codes of practice.