Meet the Trustees

Jill Stotter

Chair

Married to Kerry for many years. JIll has five children and numerous grandchildren plus their partners and spouses. Long career as a teacher at intermediate and secondary levels, librarian and leader in the school library sector.

Musician, singer, choir conductor. Long involvement with the Presbyterian Church, firstly in Howick and then to St Luke’s, Remuera where she has been involved in several key leadership roles. An avid reader especially of modern literary fiction and belongs to two book clubs and a poetry group.

Involved in voluntary work in the community group such as Auckland Museum and One Tree Hill College as a literacy tutor. Jill is on the Board of Trustees of The Dingwall Trust. Family is always at the centre of Jill’s life. Appreciating the privilege of being able to observe children developing into hopeful, thinking and caring young adults with all the usual up and down of their lives is a great joy for Jill and Kerry.

Chris Sanders
Secretary

I have recently retired from working at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (Te Kura the Correspondence School), where I taught and later was the Relationship Coordinator for the Northern Region.  This involved helping all schools and providers access and use Te Kura resources.

My teaching career started at what was once Rutherford High School and then onto Kelston Intermediate followed by 25 years at Green Bay High School.  I was involved with writing and moderating unit standards as they were introduced to schools and then later helping in the implementation of Achievement Standards as part of NCEA.

I have always loved reading - mainly fiction and been active in a book group for many years.  We shifted from Laingholm to Piha a few years ago and I get a lot of pleasure helping as a volunteer at our community library.

Laura Beere

Treasurer

I have 2 children and several grandchildren

and have lived in Piha for over 30 years.

Recently retired from my position of Executive Officer at a local West Auckland high school, there is more time to walk the beautiful tracks in Piha & Karekare.

Volunteering at the library is great - certainly if, like me, you enjoy reading and meeting people. 

Professor Brian McAvoy

Professor Brian McAvoy is an Addiction Medicine Specialist at the Capri Hospital Trust. He has worked with the drug and alcohol service in Tasmania and with Auckland Community Alcohol and Drug Service, and was a general practitioner in inner city Auckland. Professor McAvoy has published extensively, has written several books and has been an Adviser to the World Health Organisation.

Brian and his wife, Julie, divide their time between Piha and Auckland City.  They enjoy being part of Piha’s diverse community. Brian is keen to develop the library as a focus and resource for all Piha residents. 

Barron Braden

Barron has lived in Piha since 2007. He is a sales and marketing manager for a NZ owned international software business.

During his sales career he has held various positions with book publishers such as Random House, Pearson Education and John Wiley & Sons as well as book importers and distributors. A self-confessed bookaholic, Barron is an avid reader of predominantly non-fiction titles and a frequent consumer of e-audiobooks.

Leeanne O’Brien

Leeanne is a Piha local who writes (winner of the Sargisson Prize) and reads a wide range of literature. She joins the Trust as Board member, and also the Library Team as a volunteer behind the desk.

Chris McLean

Chris has lived in Piha with her partner Ian Lambert since 1996. She is a recently retired educator who now spends much of her time looking after her grandchildren, walking the bush tracks and the beach and doing yoga. As an avid reader Chris loves spending time at the local library as a volunteer.