Liz operates independently as a driving instructor and owner of Driving101 on the Kapiti Coast, servicing the lower North Island with two modified vehicles for the disability sector.

Liz's passion lies in teaching individuals with disabilities and learning difficulties, taking immense pride in helping them become the best drivers they can be with advanced driver training Techniques and vehicle modifications.
With a strong commitment to the disability sector, Liz provides advocacy support and guidance nationwide.

Liz is actively involved as a dedicated committee member of NZIDE and an observer for the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
Liz is proud to be part of the DCN Network Steering group, where valuable knowledge is exchanged, essential support is provided to the industry, and collective learning enhances the sector for everyone.

Born and raised in a Catholic Mission on Taveuni, Fiji, community has always been central to who I am. My Christian upbringing instilled a love for people and a passion for helping others from a young age. I migrated to New Zealand three years ago and now call Wairoa home. For the past year I’ve been the Drivers Licensing Coordinator for Tairāwhiti REAP, delivering learner licence programmes with Waka Kotahi, mentoring drivers, and supporting as a reader or translator when needed.

My background as a flight attendant gave me a strong focus on safety, something I continue to advocate for in this role. I’ve also worked as a traditional Masi (Tapa) maker, reflecting my entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community. Interests in networking, genealogy, and volunteering further shape my dedication to service and growth.

I am passionate about the Driving Change Network because licensing opens doors to independence, employment and belonging. Stepping into the role of Migrant & Refugee group lead, I want to help ensure the voices of those building new lives in Aotearoa are heard, valued, and supported.

Kia orana, my name is Ngametua Anna Maria Meti, also known as Ma. I was born and raised on the island of Rarotonga in the Cook Islands, and my heritage and language remain central to who I am today.

For me, language, culture and community are at the heart of everything I do. I am proud to be one of few who speak, read and write in Cook Islands Māori, and I carry strong cultural ties to Tahiti, Samoa and the wider Pacific. My background in sport and dance has instilled values of belonging, loyalty, discipline, commitment, integrity, trust and honesty, qualities that continue to guide my mahi in the police and with the communities I serve.

Since graduating from the Royal New Zealand Police College in 2014, I have worked across Auckland in roles ranging from motorway policing to family harm, youth engagement and school community officer work. I now serve as the Pacific Liaison Coordinator in Wellington, where I work closely with whānau, rangatahi and community groups. Supporting young people and their families, particularly Pacific communities, has always been my passion.

This is also why I am committed to the kaupapa of the Driving Change Network. I have seen first-hand how driver licensing is not just about a legal requirement, it is about creating pathways to employment, independence, safety and opportunity. Too often, Pacific and other marginalised communities face barriers to licensing that impact their futures. Being part of DCN allows me to advocate for those voices, to help ensure the system recognises cultural strengths, and to support fair and equitable access for everyone.

For me, DCN mahi is about more than licensing, it is about safety and opportunity for all our communities.

Tammie Metcalfe is the Programme Manager for the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ), a national network of local government-led employment initiatives focused on supporting young people and job seekers into employment, training, and education pathways. She works closely with councils, central government, employers, and community organisations to develop place-based solutions that strengthen workforce participation and improve outcomes for communities across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Tammie has a particular interest in youth employment, NEET prevention, social procurement, and the role local communities can play in creating meaningful pathways for young people. Her work focuses on connecting policy with practice, ensuring local employment initiatives respond to the realities of community needs and labour market opportunities.

The Driving Change Network's mahi aligns strongly with the work of the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs. Across many rural and provincial communities, a driver licence is not simply a licence - it is a pathway to employment, education, training, and independence. We regularly work with young people who are motivated and work-ready but are unable to take up opportunities because they cannot legally drive. Removing licensing barriers creates opportunities for rangatahi, supports local employers struggling to fill vacancies, and helps ensure young people can participate fully in their communities and local economies.

Keran has been a foundational member of the Driving Change Network Steering Group since its inception and currently serves as Co-chair. With over 15 years of experience leading community development initiatives, Keran brings deep expertise in cross-sector collaboration, programme design, and social impact strategy.

A committed advocate for equity and inclusion, Keran has worked extensively with marginalised communities, including refugees, migrants, and individuals facing systemic barriers. Her leadership has helped scale community-led solutions that empower people and create lasting change.

Notably, Keran led the expansion of The Salvation Army’s Community Driver Mentor Programme across the South Island and successfully negotiated over $5 million in government funding to support initiatives that improve access to driver licensing. Her ability to build trusted relationships with government agencies, NGOs, and grassroots providers has made her an invaluable leader in the movement toward a fairer, safer, and more accessible licensing system in Aotearoa.

I am passionate about the DCN mahi because I know, based on 10 years of working in this space and before that, an additional 7 years of watching my dad deliver in the driver licence space, that driver licence training and test facilitation is wanted by the people of New Zealand in a big way and is heavily needed by employers. It’s not just about being given a licence but doing the training that results in you achieving your driver licence. It can change a person’s outlook; it can increase a person’s self-confidence which is at an all-time low in New Zealand.

I recognise how genuine the members of the DCN are in achieving their goals and after 17 years of being associated with Driver Licence Training, I have never encountered an initiative that has brought this many driver licence groups across NZ together like the DCN has. I’m proud to be part of it.”

E tipu ana ahau ki Hongoeka.
Tū mai rā te Mana o Kupe,
Ka pari a Raukawa Moana ki uta
Nei rā a Toa Rangatira e mihi atu nei.
He hine Hōkai Nukurangi ahau, na reira he hine whaikaha.

(I grew up in Hongoeka Bay Plimmerton looking out toward Mana Island & Raukawa Moana. Toa Rangatira is my iwi. I am a disabled woman with Cerebral Palsy.)

For the last 10 years, I have been influential in driving change for tangata whaikaha (disabled people). I advocate for social justice and work to modernise support systems, achieve accessibility, and improve attitudes towards disabled people. In 2022 I developed and launched getDriving, the first and only disability-specific training programme in Aotearoa supporting people with Cerebral Palsy to have specialist driving lessons and gain their restricted license, thus making them eligible for Lottery Grant and Whaikaha funding for their own disability-modified vehicle.

I have a wealth of experience in disability project management and governance roles. I am an inaugural transformation board member at Whaikaha - Ministry of Disabled People and also serve on the board of the forward-thinking disability organisation Your Way Kia Rota and proudly maintain a tangible connection to the Cerebral Palsy Society of New Zealand. 

As kids, we’re often told to ‘rise above’ being disabled. In reality, being disabled is a fundamental part of who we are. It's important to understand the damage framing disability as something to be miserable about can cause. It’s crucial that we work together with organisations like Driving Change to reshape systems to ensure the disability community thrives. 

Angelene's work as a Road Safety Advisor involves connecting with communities and overseeing programmes that meet the needs of the communities she works with, aiming to protect people from harm and improve their well-being.

A key contributor to road safety efforts in Northland, Angelene's main focus is the Far North, where many road trauma issues are prevalent. The programmes she oversees cover a range of initiatives, including driver training and licensing, seatbelt and child seat usage, driver fatigue, and drunk and drug-impaired driving.

Angelene and her colleagues work alongside Waka Kotahi, the Police, and other agencies to deliver programmes and activities.

She is a qualified driving instructor and has recently qualified as a Community Driver Testing officer for her area.

Kelly lives in Waipukurau Central Hawke’s Bay with her husband and teenage children.  She has dedicated her life to ensuring people have opportunities within their own community.  We want to ensure that while people are in our community they are given the full support to be successful so hopefully they will stay or come back or they can be healthy contributors to whatever community they choose to be a part of. 

A driver’s licence is vital for people to access the opportunities in front of them and own their own path.  She created and manages a very successful Coordinated Community Response to Driver Safety and Licensing for Central Hawke’s Bay.   

“I am blessed to see every day, the good that happens when local people see a need, do what they can to meet that need, find the solutions, work hard to break down the barriers for people and advocate for change.  This is why I am completely supportive of the Driving Change Network.  It’s a shining example of local connections and voices, offering up solutions and uniting to advocate for true change to ensure the impact is felt right across New Zealand”. 

Born and raised in Whakatane, Matthew (Matt) has held various roles, finally finding his passion in organisations that work to make the world a better place.

He has a background in partnerships and fundraising and is now the Grants, Partnerships, and Community Engagement Lead at the JR McKenzie Trust.

His role on the steering group is to represent the various funders that support the vision and mission of the Driving Change Network. The network's work is an excellent example of an organisation operating to change a system that perpetuates inequity.

Jonelle is based in the Gore office for Southern REAP (Rural Education). She is integral to the Drive My Life Programme, which was initially piloted in Eastern Southland. Jonelle is the Manager of Adult and Community Education (ACE), which supports the Drive My Life (DML) programme.  

Jonelle also manages the Drive My Life team across the Southland, Fiordland and Whakatipu regions. The growth of this programme under Jonelle’s watch includes delivery in Invercargill, Gore, Queenstown, Te Anau, and other Rural pockets, e.g., Winton, Balfour, Riversdale, Tuatapere and Lumsden.  Jonelle has been part of the Southern REAP Team for 12 years.

She has been a member of Driving Change Network since 2021 and feels fortunate enough to be a Steering Group member. “Driving Change Network is a fantastic network working for all, ensuring that all living in New Zealand have the same right to a driver’s licence. For me, being part of the network means we have a voice and can be heard from all regions throughout the country”.

Maria started in the driver training space when she took on the challenge of running a family business which specialised in heavy Machinery training in 2020.  When the opportunity arose to work with local Charitable trusts providing driver training into local schools, it was an opportunity to explore something new, up skill and give back to the community. Since 2021 we have engaged with students from local schools giving them a resource to better themselves and open up doors to job opportunities.  We have trained students from rural areas, towns, varying back grounds and ethnicities. We are passionate about bringing an attention to the wider community and New Zealand about the importance of obtaining a Driver Licence and the impact that this has on the future of our work force and community.  We have been members of the Driver Change Network for the past 2 years and can see the value and impact that their work has had on the sector, to be on the steering group as the Education and Employment representative is a real opportunity for us to assist the Network in achieving the ultimate goals of Driver Licensing equality.

Mark is an experienced and patient instructor and President of the New Zealand Institute of Driver Educators.

With over 25 years of experience in emergency response driving in the UK and New Zealand, Mark holds the internationally respected UK Police Class One Advanced Drivers Certificate.

Mark has been an Approved Driving Instructor in England and was also on the Driving Standards Agency register of Approved Fleet Driver Trainers.

He has previously won the AA’s Corporate Trainer of the Year award and was a key member of the team that set up Motorcycle Training for the AA Driving School in 2016. Mark is also a Motorcycle Member of the Institute of Advanced Motorists and is their National Chief Examiner for car tests.

Mark believes every new driver should have access to quality education to help them understand the skills of being a safe driver, not just the ability to operate the controls. The importance of good education can create good road citizens, and the knock-on effect on experienced drivers in the student’s wider family cannot be understated. As a result, Mark’s personal goals in road safety align well with the Driving Change Network, and he is honoured to work alongside caring, motivated, and like-minded people within the Network to influence change for the better. 

Abdullah brings significant sector and business development experience and a genuine passion for making a difference in our community. He is a Language and transport Services Partner at HMS Trust. Before joining HMS Trust, Abdullah worked at English Language Partners and Waikato Refugee Forum for 10 years. 

Abdullah has a Bachelor of Management Studies from the University of Waikato. He has taught accounting and accounting software and developed course resources for adult learners at Fraser High School since 2012. 

Abdullah is passionate about working in the not-for-profit sector and advocating for migrants and refugees to ensure they have a voice in the driving education space. His dedication to equity and inclusion drives his involvement in the Driving Change Network, where he actively contributes to the mission of enabling positive change in driver education, training, and licensing and addressing significant barriers in the current system.

Born in Auckland and raised in the Waikato. Affiliated to Ngai te rangi, Ngati ranginui, Ngati Maniapoto and Tainui iwi. Joe has over 20 years of experience working in education and community areas, focusing on rangatahi. 

"I have the privilege of serving on several local and national boards and advisory groups within the community. The Driving Change Network is one of the groups I work on. As Co-Chair, I add value using my experience in governance and practical knowledge as a qualified driving instructor.”

Joe is currently the National Manager of Relationships and Development for Blue Light NZ, and driver licensing is one of the many services Blue Light can offer rangatahi. 

Joe is fully committed to ensuring that the driving licence system in Aotearoa is equitable and accessible for all our rangatahi and believes that the Driving Change Network is a great 'vehicle’ for achieving this.

Having previously worked as a Travel Safe Coordinator and Police officer, Sheree has seen first-hand how often young people first enter the justice system through traffic and licensing-related issues.

This has shaped her passion for improving road safety through a more equitable driver education, training and licensing system.

Wendy is super proud to be the "Glue" that connects the feedback, issues, and learnings from community members with government representatives in the hope of improving our NZ driver licensing system for everyone.

With expertise in funding, event management, social impact, community engagement, and workshop facilitation, Wendy has spearheaded numerous initiatives, contracts and funding for local charities and trusts.

After working in the community sector for the past 20 years working alongside police, schools, and the community in the road safety space and, most recently, for a youth driver licensing programme, she has witnessed the difference that holding a licence makes not only to the licence holder, but to their whanau and peers.

She is passionate about doing everything possible to advocate for changes to the system to assist those needing a licence to gain one and to assist community licensing providers to be able to easily support their participants with education that ensures safe, capable, fully licensed drivers on our roads.