Our Team
Board Directors
Prior to founding Take2, Cameron's experience spanned investment and recruitment, where he observed first-hand the disadvantages of those with a criminal record. Cameron is an Edmund Hillary Fellow, an Asia Pacific Leader for the Obama Foundation and was a finalist for New Zealander Innovator of the Year in 2022.
Marco is an EdTech entrepreneur, who co-founded and ran the leading online coding bootcamp FirehoseProject as its CEO, from inception to successful acquisition by the fastest growing EdTech company at the time, Trilogy Education. He then scaled the entire online education division at Trilogy, culminating in a $750M acquisition by 2U (TWOU), the largest EdTech acquisition at the time.
Shama is the former Chief Operating Officer of Thinx Inc., the revolutionary period and incontinence underwear company. She held a key role in Thinx’s transition from a startup to a growth stage company, overseeing operations at a time when Thinx's sales grew exponentially. She served as the company’s interim CEO three times. In February 2022, Kimberly Clark Corporation acquired a majority stake in Thinx. In 2020, New Zealand's Hillary Institute named Shama an Edmund Hillary Fellow.
Advisory Board
Advisory Board Sam Schaeffer is the CEO of the Center for Employment Opportunities (CEO), America's leading transitional jobs program for men and women returning from incarceration. Sam oversees CEO's flagship in NYC and 31 other offices across the US. Prior to joining CEO, Sam served as Director of Economic Development for US Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York. In that position he oversaw job creation and retention efforts, transportation and infrastructure policy as well as social policy.
Cathy O’Sullivan is the Editor for CIO New Zealand, based in Auckland. Cathy has worked in digital, print, and broadcast media for two decades in newsrooms in NZ and Europe. Cathy has held roles as Editor-in-Chief at Stuff and Editor at NZ Herald. She is a mentor with Pillars, a charity that supports the children of prisoners, and is on the board for St Patrick’s Festival Trust and the Irish Business Network of NZ.
Ben Daniels is a Take2 graduate currently working at Datacom. Ben is an ex-gang member and proud Māori, who served a 10-year sentence in prison. Ben will help Take2 with program design, specifically with a Māori lens.
Paul Wood is a Doctor of Psychology, motivational speaker, best-selling author, leadership and development specialist, media personality, husband and father. He is also a convicted murderer. Paul utilised education while in prison to turn his life around and become New Zealand’s most prominent redemption story. He is also the Personal Development Facilitator for Take2 students.
Heather Polaschek is the Head of People & Culture at RUSH and former Senior People Business Partner at Vend. In addition to being an experienced HR professional in the tech industry, Heather's family has worked in the justice system for decades.
Staff
Jennifer is an accomplished entrepreneur and educator, who has been internationally recognised for her previous education business, which she scaled from inception to over 200 staff. Currently a Master’s student at Harvard in Education Leadership, she seeks to bring world-class learnings into practice and create a transformative impact for her community.
Nick has a deep appreciation for the accessibility of tech and its capacity to empower and transform lives. He experienced this himself when he transitioned from working hospitality during a global pandemic to employed and thriving in the tech industry after graduating from Coder Academy. Nick is not only a skilled full-stack developer but also an advocate for non-traditional adult education. Recognizing the transformative power of technology in his own journey, he is enthusiastic about guiding students at Take2 to unlock their potential, fostering an environment where they can thrive and embrace the opportunities that tech-driven education provides.
Aiden Loughlin is a web development teacher for our Mary Wade Correctional Centre class in Sydney. Aiden brings a unique blend of skills and experiences to benefit our students greatly. With a background in Psychology from the University of Sydney, Aiden has had an exciting career that led him through startups in London and Sydney. His passion for technology and self-driven nature shine through in his self-taught coding skills. Aiden's diverse experience includes roles as a Frontend Engineer and Junior Software Engineer in Sydney. His experience makes him an ideal mentor for our students, as he can relate to the journey of skill acquisition.