National Executive

Our National Executive

Charlotte Robertson
President

In 1995 Auckland held a meeting to ascertain an interest in having an Auckland Chapter of OMEP and I was hooked. OMEP opened doors for me to the wider early childhood community both locally and globally. In 2021 I was elected National President to support our changing structure as we move from chapters to rōpū with national instead of regional membership.
My interest in children’s rights grew when I was on the Playcentre Federation Education Committee and was cemented when studying at the Children’s Issues Centre, University of Otago then continued as a committee member of Action for Children and Youth Aotearoa now Children’s Rights Alliance Aotearoa NZ.  
My early childhood journey started as a parent in Playcentre and continued in community based home and centre services culminating in retirement in August 2021 after 15 years as a kindergarten teacher. Like many others I have been blessed to have held early childhood related roles from volunteer to manager, from student to tutor, from first time parent to grandparent. 

While my heart lies at Hamurana on the shores of Lake Rotorua I have lived in rural and urban settings in the North and South Islands. For me OMEP provides an opportunity to hear others’ perspectives so I look forward to working collaboratively with you all to further OMEP’s aims.

Parisa Tadi
Committee - Publicity Officer

My passion and interest in ECE started 20 years ago when I was involved in teaching in kindergarten. Since then, I have been engaged in ECE as a parent, teacher, researcher and lecturer. I am currently the Practicum Leader and lecturer in teacher education at Auckland University of Technology, where I embed my research focus on parent participation and diversity into my teaching. I have been involved with OMEP since 2020, which is a highlight in my journey of promoting and advocating for ECE in various communities in New Zealand and internationally. OMEP Aotearoa provides me with opportunities of growing my knowledge at the national and international levels.  

Glynne Mackey
International Co-ordinator

I have been involved in early childhood education since my children were involved in Playcentre. Since I became a member of OMEP about 20 years ago, I have had OMEP roles including OMEP Canterbury convenor, and been a national exec member, national secretary and now international coordinator. My main contribution has been in the area of education for sustainability and am now a member of the World OMEP ESD leadership team, which promote sustainability in early childhood and research projects internationally.

Marianne Keyes 
Secretary

I started my ECE journey with Playcentre during the years our 4 children were preschoolers. Over the years I've loved the opportunities for advocacy and the satisfaction of seeing real change. I represented the Hospital Play Specialists Assn for some years on the Early Education Federation and ECAC, and was a member of the government's Strategic Plan for EC working groups in both 2000 and 2018-19.  I joined OMEP in the mid-90s and have held a number of roles in Auckland Chapter and nationally since then.

Maggie Lyall
Vice-President

I have been a member of OMEP for 

Gwen Davitt
Committee - Whanganui a Tara Rōpu representative

I have been a member of OMEP for nearly 20 years.  In my day job I am a senior lecturer, active researcher and learner with an extensive background in early childhood education as well as adult teaching and learning. I am  passionate about advocacy for children and leading change for best practice whether that be integrating theory and practice; strengthening pedagogies of teaching and learning; or contributing to submissions; engaging with policy; and/or facilitating professional learning. Being an ECE lecturer and belonging to OMEP ensures that I forefront the rights of the child and work to maintain currency of knowledge and practice.  

Lianne Dudson
Otakāu representative

I have been a member of OMEP in the Otakāu Rōpū since 2017. I am a senior lecturer of early childhood education based in Ōtepoti, Dunedin at Otago Polytechnic, Te Pūkenga.

My experience in early childhood education began with my own children who attended a rural mobile kindergarten in Matatoki. I have worked in the roles of kaiako and supervisor in both private and community centres and for many years the head teacher at Thames Kindergarten.

I am passionate about equity and children's rights and am currently an educational doctoral student at The University of Otago.

Anita Croft
Waitaha representative

Kristy Austin
​​Treasurer

Ko Kristy Austin ahau. 
My passion for early childhood education and child advocacy started while attending Playcentre with my eldest son. I completed my Graduate Diploma of Teaching ECE and became a kindergarten teacher in 2015. After a short time back at Playcentre with my 2nd son I returned to teaching and currently work as Head Teacher at Birdwood Kindergarten in Ranui, West Auckland. I am passionate about parent partnership in children's education, equity and inclusion. I love working and living in a diverse community.

Amanda Higgins
​​Committee - Website support

I have been part of OMEP Wellington for about 8 years, and have been inspired and supported working with an amazing group of colleagues. Over the past 30 years I  have held a variety of positions and roles in early childhood education, including University Lecturer, Centre Manager, Head Teacher, Professional Development Trainer, and mentor.  I  am currently one of the  Professional Learning and Development Trainers at Storypark. I have a passion for environmental education and how digital technologies can support family engagement and children's learning.

Diti Hill-Denee
Tamaki Makaurau Rōpu representative

I retired from lecturing in early childhood education at the University of Auckland ‘s Faculty of Education and Social Work in 2014.  I continue  to write, publish and edit, and am still a staff  member at the University as an Honorary Academic. For over forty years I have been actively involved with a wide range of early childhood services and organisations as parent, teacher and teacher educator.  I helped set up the Auckland chapter of OMEP Aotearoa NZ in 1995 and was the chapter treasurer for 10 years and  then the International Coordinator for OMEP Aotearoa NZ from 2002-2005.  During that time I was also Auckland Chapter President from 2004- 2007. From 2009 to 2013 I was Vice President of OMEP Aotearoa NZ and in 2014 took on the role of National President until the end of 2016. I was the International Co-ordinator from 2017-2018 and stepped up again as National President in 2019. During the years from 1999-2019 I have attended OMEP assemblies and conferences in  Singapore, Ireland, USA, Korea and Panama City. I also attended an ARNEC conference in Cambodia on behalf of OMEP in 2017.