Founding Sign Language Board appointed

  • Nicky Wagner
Disability Issues

Disability Issues Minister Nicky Wagner today announced the appointment of the 10 founding members of the New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Board.

“The establishment of the New Zealand Sign Language Board is an opportunity to promote and maintain one of our three official languages,” Ms Wagner says.

“I am looking forward to working with the Board’s founding members to help improve the lives of New Zealand Sign Language users.

The New Zealand Sign Language Board members are:

  • Victoria Manning (Chair) – Ms Manning has been an active member of the Deaf community for over 20 years. She became a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to the disabled and Deaf communities in January 2015.
  • Sara Pivac Alexander – Mrs Pivac Alexander is a NZSL lecturer and member of the Victoria University Deaf Studies Research Unit.
  • Richard Peri – Mr Peri is a NZSL and Te Reo sign teacher. He has affiliations with Ngati Porou and Te Rarawa.
  • Karen Pointon – Ms Pointon received the Queens Service Medal in 2012 for services to Māori and the deaf community and has an extensive knowledge of cultural awareness and NZSL. She is of Ngapuhi descent.
  • Bridget Ferguson – Ms Ferguson has been a professional NZSL interpreter for over 24 years, as well as a resource teacher of the Deaf. Ms Ferguson will be the Board representative for Deaf Aotearoa.
  • Josje Lelijveld – Ms Lelijveld is the Vice President of the Deaf Society of Canterbury and is involved with several other advisory groups. Josje currently teaches NZSL at the University of Canterbury.
  • Dr Rachel McKee – Dr McKee has 30 years of involvement in the NZSL community, as an interpreter and Deaf Studies researcher and lecturer.
  • Shona Jones – Ms Jones has worked at the Kelston Deaf Education Centre (KDEC) for 14 years as a teacher and pre-school Manager.
  • Chris Blum – Mr Blum has experience teaching NZSL at Auckland University of Technology, as well as involvement in Deaf Mental Health Services and the Friend for the Young Deaf leadership training.
  • Lee Bullivant – Mr Bullivant has wide experience in the challenges the deaf community and NZSL users face in regional towns and communities.

Members are appointed for three and four year terms. More information about the NZSL Board can be found here: www.odi.govt.nz/what-we-do/nzsl/nzsl-board/index