Meet Our Governance Group
Priya (she/her)
Chair, Governance Group
Ko Priya tōku ingoa, and I am the Chair of the Mothers Network Governance Group. I am tangata tiriti, proudly raising two tamariki in a culturally diverse home. I joined Mothers Network soon after returning to Aotearoa following ten years overseas, seeking connection and support as I navigated the early years of parenting.
My journey with motherhood has been one of learning to embrace the evolving versions of myself while supporting my tamariki to grow with confidence in their identity and values. Participating in my Mothers Network group provided a space where I felt seen, understood, and accepted without judgment which strengthens my connection to this kaupapa.
I was inspired by this experience to complete facilitation training and co-facilitate my first group, and in August 2020 I joined the Governance Group, stepping into the Chair role in mid-2024. I bring a professional background in HR, a people-centered leadership approach, and a strong commitment to fostering supportive, non-judgmental spaces for mothers at every stage of their journey.
Madeleine Taylor (she/her)
Governance Group Member
Tena koutou katoa, my name is Madeleine and I currently serve as a Governance Group member for Mothers Network.
I was born in the Wairarapa into a farming family who had been on that land since the late 1890’s. I call myself Pākeha. I had a wonderful childhood and attended Playcentre. At 12 years old travelled to Wellington to go to boarding school, eventually training as a social worker. I live in a cross-cultural household and my husband and I have three grown children.
I joined the Mother’s Network in July 2020 because I was wanting to move into a governance role and because I have had a long respect for the work of Mother’s Network, formerly New Mothers Support Groups.
Mothering is the cornerstone of a healthy community.
I work as a People Skills Consultant and have a passion for supporting people to navigate the tricky things of life. Facilitating, mediation, training, supervising, coaching are all my thing. I also support parents through my Resilient Kids work and have a book and podcast.
Hannah Carty
Treasurer
I am a Chartered Accountant employed in the private sector, and am mum to my boys, Oliver and Finlay. They eat up most of my spare time with ballet, football, hockey and rugby, but when I have some time to myself I enjoy reading and spending time in the outdoors. I also hope – now that the boys are a bit older – to be able to resume skiing and rock climbing, which were once a large part of my life.
It is a real privilege to be able to share my skills and experience as a member of the Mothers Network board. It is so easy to lose yourself in the busyness of all that comes from being a parent. I attended a Working Mums group in 2019. I enjoyed having a safe space to connect with other mothers, share stories and support each other. I’ll be working hard as Treasurer to ensure that Wellington mothers can enjoy the same support and connections that I experienced.
Marg Lawson
Governance Group Member
Kia ora koutou, I’m a parent of three adult children who I deeply admire for the diverse ways they are living their lives. I love how I keep learning and growing as a human being and as a parent from all they share.
I divide my time between te Whanganui-a- Tara (Wellington) and the Wairarapa. You will often find me in my happy places in the garden or the sea.
I believe in empowering and supporting women in all aspects of their lives, including being a parent. I know what it’s like to be human and struggle at times, and how reassuring it is to be able to share and connect with others.
I joined the Mother’s Network Governance Group in August 2025. I bring skills and experience I hope will be valuable from three years of governance experience in the not-for-profit sector and four decades in social research for not-for-profits and government.
Taulapapa Ivanah Tiata-Penita (she/her)
Governance Group Member
Malo lava le soifua maua ma le lagi e mamā, my name is Taulapapa and I currently serve as a Governance Group member for Mothers Network.
I am born and raised in Te-Whānganui-a-Tara and am a proud daughter of the
Pacific hailing from the villages of Luatuanu’u, Leulumoega, Lalomanu, and Solosolo in Samoa. I joined the governance group in November 2025 because I believe in nurturing spaces that support mothers to thrive.
My motherhood journey has been both beautiful and complex. It’s taught me the quiet strength it takes to keep showing up each day, often holding more than anyone sees and feeling the weight of caring for others without being cared for in the same way. We’re often defined by what we do for others rather than who we are. That’s why spaces that value and support mothers as people first hold a lot of meaning for me.
I’ve come to see motherhood as multifaceted and richly layered. To truly support mothers, we need to value them for who they are, not only for what they give.
In my professional life, my work sits at the intersection of strategy, governance, and community development, with a focus on inclusion, collaboration, and systems that centre people. I bring this same mindset to Mothers Network, working alongside others to strengthen our foundations and uphold a kaupapa that continues to empower mothers in meaningful, sustainable ways.
For me, this mahi is about collective care, because when mothers thrive,
communities thrive.
Employees
Angela Humphrey
Groups Coordinator
I am delighted to be part of the team at Mothers Network and to be able to assist with all the mahi that is required to deliver such a precious service to our Wellington mums. After a long period of being at home with my children it is good to be able to offer something to the wider community, drawing on my skills from the not-for-profit sector, while also supporting, driving, enjoying, cheering on and listening to my two teenagers.
I look forward to continue meeting many of you within the Mothers Network support system, and especially to welcoming more of you in to this community on behalf of Mothers Network.
Group facilitators
Are you interested in becoming a Mothers Network facilitator?
Our group facilitators are special people.
They are generally women who have participated in our groups previously and decided they would like to make that experience happen for someone else by giving back of their time and effort to help the group sessions run smoothly.
No prior experience is required, just a willingness to want to give other mothers the experience they have had. We run facilitator training regularly and all new facilitators will go through a training session and are then buddied up with an experienced facilitator to run a session together. It's a great way to build some skills in a fun and supportive environment.
Our facilitators are paid a koha, $500 for six 2 hour group sessions, which includes time spent on admin, set up and travel.
If you have participated in one of our groups previously and would like to give this a go then please get in touch.