Our committee members
Premila D'Mello, President
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Committee members
Prathima Rao | Felicity Turner | Alex Finn | Mark Bils | Ramesh Sharma | Ian Manson | Beverly Vokia-Scarlett | Stan Gregec
Prathima Rao | Felicity Turner | Alex Finn | Mark Bils | Ramesh Sharma | Ian Manson | Beverly Vokia-Scarlett | Stan Gregec
Meet the people behind Multicultural Tauranga
Premila D’Mello, President
Premila moved to New Zealand with her family in 2000. She has a post-graduate degree in Business Management and a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching and Learning. She has a passion for working with people especially young children. Over the years, she has been an educator in New Zealand schools and early childhood centres in Tauranga. She is actively involved in the parish life of her local church.
Being a volunteer is very fulfilling for her; she has volunteered her time doing social work for many years now. Being involved with Multicultural Tauranga fits with her personal motto of ‘giving back’. Having enjoyed the great lifestyle and opportunities that New Zealand has offered her family, she has decided to play a role in helping new migrants as they settle here and make this their home. Premila’s vision is that we will be able to live in a city which welcomes, values and embraces diversity, leading to a brighter future for our Tauranga community.
'If you get, give; if you learn, teach.' - Maya Angelou
Premila moved to New Zealand with her family in 2000. She has a post-graduate degree in Business Management and a Graduate Diploma in Primary Teaching and Learning. She has a passion for working with people especially young children. Over the years, she has been an educator in New Zealand schools and early childhood centres in Tauranga. She is actively involved in the parish life of her local church.
Being a volunteer is very fulfilling for her; she has volunteered her time doing social work for many years now. Being involved with Multicultural Tauranga fits with her personal motto of ‘giving back’. Having enjoyed the great lifestyle and opportunities that New Zealand has offered her family, she has decided to play a role in helping new migrants as they settle here and make this their home. Premila’s vision is that we will be able to live in a city which welcomes, values and embraces diversity, leading to a brighter future for our Tauranga community.
'If you get, give; if you learn, teach.' - Maya Angelou
Alex Finn, Treasurer
Prathima Rao, Secretary
Beverly Vokia-Scarlett, Committee Member
Beverly, originally from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, has been living in New Zealand since 1998 and a Welcome Bay resident since 1999. A former primary school teacher, she retrained and now a New Zealand qualified Early Childhood Educator. She has been a member and in fact a committee member of Multicultural Tauranga for over 10 years. Beverly gives speeches to new Kiwis at citizenship ceremonies, participates in conferences, is a regular at organisation’s Newcomers Network, and likes to include aspect of Maori culture such as her harakeke art, especially floral arrangements.
Beverly, originally from Guadalcanal in the Solomon Islands, has been living in New Zealand since 1998 and a Welcome Bay resident since 1999. A former primary school teacher, she retrained and now a New Zealand qualified Early Childhood Educator. She has been a member and in fact a committee member of Multicultural Tauranga for over 10 years. Beverly gives speeches to new Kiwis at citizenship ceremonies, participates in conferences, is a regular at organisation’s Newcomers Network, and likes to include aspect of Maori culture such as her harakeke art, especially floral arrangements.
Mark Bils, Committee Member
Even though Mark was born in Tauranga, he spent his first 15 years in Sydney, Australia. His mother was a third-generation Tauranga person; his father was German Jewish, growing up during those difficult times in Germany.
Having grown up in a multicultural environment and in another country, Mark has strong empathy for new residents to New Zealand. He has a background in teaching and has enjoyed teaching English at Multicultural Tauranga in a voluntary role on a Thursday morning for the last eight years. He and his wife have travelled extensively and take pleasure in the international environment of Multicultural Tauranga.
Even though Mark was born in Tauranga, he spent his first 15 years in Sydney, Australia. His mother was a third-generation Tauranga person; his father was German Jewish, growing up during those difficult times in Germany.
Having grown up in a multicultural environment and in another country, Mark has strong empathy for new residents to New Zealand. He has a background in teaching and has enjoyed teaching English at Multicultural Tauranga in a voluntary role on a Thursday morning for the last eight years. He and his wife have travelled extensively and take pleasure in the international environment of Multicultural Tauranga.
Ramesh Sharma, Committee Member
No information provided
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Emmanuelle Heatley, BOPIS Coordinator
Emmanuelle was born and raised in France and is married to a New Zealander. While they were living in the UK for 30 years she was a school receptionist, independently providing French language tuition for adults and children, and also interpreting and translation services.
She has been in the role of BOPIS Coordinator since 2015, working primarily with but not limited to government agencies for almost all languages. As a French interpreter/translator herself, she is aware of what the requirements are to be a good interpreter. Therefore she understands pressures that can be put on her team of interpreters when they are dealing with difficult situations. At BOPIS Emmanuelle also organises all interpreter training to make sure the highest standards of professionalism are maintained.
Emmanuelle was born and raised in France and is married to a New Zealander. While they were living in the UK for 30 years she was a school receptionist, independently providing French language tuition for adults and children, and also interpreting and translation services.
She has been in the role of BOPIS Coordinator since 2015, working primarily with but not limited to government agencies for almost all languages. As a French interpreter/translator herself, she is aware of what the requirements are to be a good interpreter. Therefore she understands pressures that can be put on her team of interpreters when they are dealing with difficult situations. At BOPIS Emmanuelle also organises all interpreter training to make sure the highest standards of professionalism are maintained.
Alessandra Tilby, Creative Officer
Alessandra Tilby, Creative Officer
Alessandra arrived with her family in New Zealand from San Antonio del Pasubio, Italy in 1952; she was 4 ½ years old. She has travelled extensively, and lived with her family for two years in Thailand and five years in Indonesia where she was involved in volunteer work as a member of ANZA, an organisation which ran many expat social welfare programmes.
In 2010 Alessandra joined Multicultural Tauranga. Her duties were on the committee, serving as Secretary for several years, but her passion was special projects centered around the more creative events such as exhibitions, as festival stage manager for four years, organising discovery tents, window displays in community centres and costume parades on special evenings for local businesses. She is also a life member. Her interests include tramping, mountain biking, skiing, travel and family.
Alessandra arrived with her family in New Zealand from San Antonio del Pasubio, Italy in 1952; she was 4 ½ years old. She has travelled extensively, and lived with her family for two years in Thailand and five years in Indonesia where she was involved in volunteer work as a member of ANZA, an organisation which ran many expat social welfare programmes.
In 2010 Alessandra joined Multicultural Tauranga. Her duties were on the committee, serving as Secretary for several years, but her passion was special projects centered around the more creative events such as exhibitions, as festival stage manager for four years, organising discovery tents, window displays in community centres and costume parades on special evenings for local businesses. She is also a life member. Her interests include tramping, mountain biking, skiing, travel and family.