BOARD OF DIRECTORS
2024/2025 BOARD MEMBERS
Gavin Scott
Gavin has been an active patrolling member of the Whangamata SLSC for 5 years. He has held senior management and in-house legal roles across a number of organisations in NZ, UK and Australia.
Gavin, through his two sons Eddie and Patrick, has over the last 13 years been involved in the club’s nippers, rookies, lifeguard and surf sports programs. He re-qualified as a lifeguard himself in 2019 and has been part of volunteer patrols since then. His two uncles are founding members of Bungan Beach SLSC on Sydney’s Northern beaches, so he feels getting involved in the club at a governance level was in some ways inevitable.
Lisa Marvin
Lisa has been involved with the Whangamata surf club since 2004 with her husband Rod and daughters, Jess, Lucy and Charli. They spend as much time as possible in Whangamata and love their WhangaFam and life at the beach.
Lisa is a qualified accountant and has been Finance Director on the Board of Directors since 2018. She was Chair of the Junior Surf Committee 2019 – 2021 and has a special interest in enhancing social and family connections within the club.
grace westenberg
Our new Club Captain Grace first joined the club as a nipper in 2007 and has come back every season since! In those 17 seasons, she has been involved in Life Saving Sport, a Junior Surf coach, a Regional Lifeguard and more – but her favourite thing is the people she gets to meet and hang out with through surf!
After finishing her post grad studies down in Dunedin, Grace spent 2023 travelling, and has now moved to Auckland to work for Tonkin+Taylor.
Dianna Harrison (DIDE)
Dianna (Dide) is the Club Manager since moving to Whangamata in November 2023. Dide has a high energy personality and enjoys working with people of different abilities and backgrounds. She has a degree in Sport and Recreation and has worked in various roles in community spaces including education, community development and health promotion. Dide is looking forward to contributing to the future aspirations of the club, its members, and the wider community of Whangamata.
Mandy Rodger
Mandy has been coming to Whangamata regularly since 2006 and she and her family have been actively involved with the Club as her 3 children move through its Junior Surf, Life Saving Sport and Lifeguard programs.
Mandy worked as a litigation and commercial lawyer for 15 years in NZ and the UK. More recently she studied and now practices as an artist. She served on the board of Grey Lynn primary school for 6 years, through a major rebuild and the appointment of new leadership. Mandy places a high value on sport, fitness and recreation where everyone can have fun and grow their sense of self and community.
JONO MORGAN
Jono has been a Whangamata Clubbie since 2003. During this time, he has been a Professional Lifeguard, a Director of Recruitment all the while continuing with volunteer activity, forming many long-lasting and deep friendships.
In 2011, Jono and his family moved to Australia, where he worked in the Telecommunications and I.T industries in roles across APAC. Now based in Auckland with his family, Anna and Olivia have started to show an interest in Junior Surf.
Jono is looking forward to continuing his contribution to the legacy of this outstanding organisation and the people involved.
BRYAN BLACK
A Life Member, Bryan qualified as a lifeguard over 50 years ago and has been an integral part of the surf club ever since. Still very active assisting the club with patrols, swim coaching and running the iconic event the Harbour Swim held annually that sees over 100 people swim from the northern point of main beach to Hauturu island and then into shore.
peter gilbert
Peter has been a regular bach stayer and surfer at Whangamata for more than 50 years. As Head of the Phys Ed Dept at St Paul’s Collegiate and as a qualified Surf instructor he brought 30 students to sit their Bronze Medallion Surf Lifeguard Award at the Whangamata SLSC for nearly 15 years.
In addition to being on the Board Peter is coaching director for Life Saving Sport here at Whangamata where he is passing on his experience as Director of High-Performance Sport and sports coach at St Paul’s.