Meet our Board
John Scutter
Chair
John operates a business turnaround and restructuring consulting company in Paraparaumu Beach. He has been a long-time resident on the Kāpiti Coast, attending secondary school at Kāpiti College and obtaining his first full time employment opportunity as an Accountant, after completing his degree at Victoria University, on the Kāpiti Coast.
John is passionate about giving back to the community and encouraging employers and employees to grow together, maximising the opportunities available to them. As a Chartered Accountant, with over 25 years’ experience in public practice and completing his MBA studies on the elements required for a successful business, John provides a good understanding of business and business growth opportunities to employ to the Trust.
Meet John!
Julia Palmer
Board member
Julia is the Director at Star People HR & Recruitment - curating a talent pool of star people for businesses on the Kapiti Coast and beyond.
Julia's desire to make the world a better place is reflected in her business purpose - to grow business and employment in the communities we work in.
Top accomplishments: raising three pretty awesome humans, creating a sustainable business, and giving back to the communities she is part of through various projects in sport and her local residence of Reikorangi.
When not helping others to improve the quality of their lives, Julia is happiest in gumboots on the farm, riding horses, motorbikes, skiing in the winter and e-biking to work when she can. Julia secretly enjoys baking way too much!
Meet Julia!
Kim Kelly
Board member
Kim is a Student Engagement Manager at the University of Waikato and formerly the Head of Careers and Transition at Paraparaumu College. With 20 years’ experience across primary, secondary, tertiary and careers education, she is dedicated to helping young people become future‑ready with equitable access to real‑world work experiences and higher‑education pathways.
Kim has been working with Work Ready Kāpiti programmes since 2019, supporting students to build confidence and employability skills.
She lives in Waikanae with her husband John, a tradesman, along with a mini schnauzer, and a huge ragdoll cat. She also has two adult children, Jackson and Anika. In her spare time, Kim enjoys dog walking, Pilates, the gym, camping, thrift shopping, reading, and creative projects.
Meet Kim!
Joanna Humphries
Board member
Joanna is an experienced educator and community leader based on the Kāpiti Coast, with expertise in Literacy, Food & Nutrition Technology, and inclusive education. She currently teaches at a primary school and works part-time as an online curriculum designer.
She is passionate about empowering others through relationships, hands-on learning, and sustainability. In 2023, she led the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) programme at Horowhenua District Council. She also actively volunteers in initiatives focused on food accessibility and community wellbeing.
Meet Joanna!
Arron Baker
Board member
Arron recently retired from Wellington to the Kapiti Coast after a 35-year career in the public service. He is married with two adult children and keen to make Kapiti a better place.
He's a keen gardener, fisher, e-biker and foodie.
Meet Arron!
Sally Duxfield
Board member
Meet Sally!
Sally is an experienced executive Performance and Leadership coach renowned for her ability to empower leaders to achieve sustained peak performance. Leveraging over 40 years of extensive experience - including a decade serving as a military officer - Sally specialises in guiding senior executives, entrepreneurs, elite athletes, and peak-performing teams through transformative performance journeys.
Sally’s unique approach combines structured coaching frameworks, personalised action plans, and immersive learning experiences, often incorporating her bespoke properties -Makahika OPC and Arete Retreat in New Zealand - to deepen the impact of her sessions. Her engaging, humorous, and direct style creates a compelling environment for executives to explore their leadership potential authentically. She is an entrepreneur, author, and founder of two self-leading businesses.
An accomplished author and international speaker, Sally’s expertise extends to the critical areas of sleep science, stress management, and peak performance. She designs environments and coaching experiences that optimize wellbeing, enhance executive presence, and foster sustainable productivity.
