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.
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After overcoming early obstacles in life, Nathan delved into the fitness industry before embarking on a transformative path in higher education, earning degrees from the University of New South Wales in Software Engineering and Finance. With a solid technical foundation, Nathan gathered skills as Product Manager at Australia's leading tech firm, Atlassian, to then work at the cutting-edge medical AI startup Annalise.ai. Fuelled by a passion for innovation and learning, Nathan subsequently founded his own fit-tech startup, where he gathered key learnings in the ever-evolving landscape of technology entrepreneurship. Nathan’s diverse experiences have not only shaped his professional journey but also instilled a profound understanding of resilience and determination. Joining our team with a wealth of industry knowledge and a commitment to progress, Nathan embodies the spirit of innovation and perseverance that defines our Take2 company culture.
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.
Velani brings 17 years of expertise in the Correction industry, earning her a strong reputation among both prison staff and justice-impacted individuals. She joins Take2 to expand our pastoral support services for graduates in the community and lead our student recruitment. A Samoan descendant, Velani is a seasoned pro in providing pastoral care for Pacific Islanders upon their release from prison. In her own words, she was drawn to Take2 because she has never seen a program as impactful as this.
An experienced educator and software engineer, I bring over three years of expertise in teaching information management and web development at the University of Nigeria, coupled with more than two years of practical software engineering experience at Nawill IT Solutions. I am currently pursuing a PhD in Information Systems at Victoria University of Wellington. My research focuses on utilizing a design science approach to investigate the potential of AI chatbots in medical consultations, particularly for stigmatizing conditions. This interdisciplinary expertise positions me uniquely at the intersection of technology, education, and healthcare innovation.
Andrew has over 10 years of experience as a software Developer and leading development teams. Before returning from the UK, Andrew was the Head of Training for <a title="Nology" href="https://nology.io/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener"><strong>Nology</strong></a>, a global coding bootcamp. In this role, Andrew was responsible for the curriculum, industry partnerships and the line management of 10 technical teachers. Andrew brings industry experience from companies such as Universal Music Group and Kernel.