Our board

Alex Skinner: Independent chairperson

Alex Skinner is an independent Trustee and the inaugural chair. He previously worked at KPMG for 20 years, the last 12 as a partner. Alex has been a Chartered Accountant since 1984, immigrating to New Zealand in 1998. His speciality is audit and risk, and he has been responsible for audits of privately-owned businesses, NZX listed entities, not-for-profits and public-sector organisations. Alex has been actively involved with the CA Institute and the Institute of Directors. He holds professional independent directorships including on the Board of Christchurch City Holdings Limited and Plunket.

Pam Sharpe: Deputy chair/Independent trustee

Pam Sharpe is an independent Trustee and the Deputy Chair. She has promoted quality social housing at a governance level for 10 years. She is a Trustee of Housing Plus, a Board member of Christchurch Methodist Mission and as a trustee of the Wayne Francis Charitable Trust she promotes early childhood development and housing of families. Previously she has been the mayoress of Christchurch, chairing the Mayoral Welfare Fund, served on the Pegasus Community Advisory Board, the Alcohol and Drug Association of New Zealand Board, and other charitable trusts. Pam is a registered nurse with 40 years’ experience in palliative care, aged care, community nursing and often visited patients in social housing units. Pam is a director of a business owned and operated by her family in Christchurch.

Lloyd Mander: Independent trustee

Lloyd Mander is an independent founding Trustee and the Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee. He has a background in commercial property and healthcare, including management of long-term DHB and Ministry of Health contracts. Lloyd was a lead Board representative for the transfer of OCHT’s current social housing porfolio. Lloyd is also a Trustee of Ministry of Awesome, an innovative business development organisation and is a member of the Canterbury Branch Committee of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

Vicki Buck: Council-appointed trustee

Vicki is a Christchurch City Council appointed Trustee. She is also on the Board of Accessible Properties. Her background includes environmental, social, commercial, education and property experience. She has wide experience in local government and has served on commercial boards as diverse as start-up technologies, the Christchurch City Holdings Companies, the Reserve Bank and publicly listed boards. Vicki is an OCHT establishment Trustee and although she stood down from Council in 2019, she was reappointed by Christchurch City Council in 2020 for a second three year term.

Dr Sina Cotter Tait: Independent trustee

Dr Sina Cotter Tait is an independent Trustee. Dr Cotter Tait has more than 20 years’ experience in consulting engineering as a Chartered Professional Engineer (Civil), holds an MBA and has a PhD in construction management. She was named the Governance NZ Women on Boards Emerging Leader in 2021 and is currently a director of the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, and on the boards of CEAS, the Engineering NZ Foundation, North Otago Irrigation Company and the Cashmere High School Board of Trustees. She is also on the Canterbury-Kaikoura Lotteries Committee and the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Review Panel. Dr Cotter Tait believes infrastructure leaders should take a lead on wider societal issues, including housing and equity. She sponsors the Cotter Tait scholarship at University of Canterbury for Māori and Pasifika engineering students.

Darren Evans: Independent trustee

Darren Evans is an independent Trustee. Darren is Chief Executive of Calder Stewart Group. He’s been there for more than 10 years, initially as Chief Operating Officer responsible for Finance, HR, IT and Health and Safety, and Chief Executive since 2019. Throughout his career Darren has placed great emphasis on growing people and the organisations of which they are part. Darren has a particular focus on helping his team keep mind fit so they can thrive both at work and personally. Prior to joining Calder Stewart Darren held a range of leadership roles at KPMG, EY (Ernst and Young) and BDO (Binder Dijker Otte) in financial assurance and consulting.

Pauline Cotter: Council-appointed trustee

Pauline Cotter is Christchurch city’s Deputy Mayor. She was born and raised in the city, studied teaching here, and has lived in St Albans for more than 35 years. Pauline owned and operated home-based businesses for 20 years and was first elected to the-then Shirley/Papanui Community Board in 2010, before being elected to the Christchurch City Council in 2013. She is now in her fourth term and is the Deputy Mayor. At the council, Pauline has particularly focused on infrastructure and environmental projects, especially as chair of the Three Waters Infrastructure and Environment Committee and as a member of the Regional Biodiversity Champions Group. She has been a councillor representative on the Christchurch West Melton Zone Committee and a member of the Canterbury Museum Trust Board.

Jake McLellan: Council-appointed trustee

Councillor Jake McLellan is 31 years old and has served central Christchurch on the Community Board for the last six years and as the Councillor for Central since 2019.

Originally from Southland, Jake moved to Christchurch when he was 10 years old, and he has a Bachelor of Broadcasting Communications (Screen and Television Production).

Now in his second term on Council, Jake serves on Council’s Audit and Risk Management committee as well as the Insurance, Chief Executive Performance and Youth committees.