Marion Blake
CEO
Marion has been CEO of Platform|Atamira since it started in 2000. Marion has worked tirelessly to advocate for the NGO community mental health and addiction sector. She has excelled at leading collaboration in the sector and in 2017 she received a NZ Order of Merit for her services to people with mental health and addiction issues. Prior to leading Platform|Atamira, Marion has had a variety of senior leadership positions. In her spare time, Marion can be found in her garden surrounded by chickens and her dog Zena Warrior Poodle.
021 790 587
Paulien Fa'atafa
Project manager
Paulien’s background is in nutrition and physical activity, and public health. She has spent most of her career working in community health and health promotion roles, and is passionate about addressing inequities. At Platform|Atamira, Paulien manages different internal and external projects. Outside of work, she loves walking her dog in Aotearoa’s amazing green spaces.
021 539 775
Jo Witko
Deaf mental health and addiction programme manager
Jo is the Deaf Mental Health and Addictions Programme Manager, a CODA (child of Deaf adults) and comes from a large family of Deaf community leaders. Since training at a Deaf university in the USA, she has spent most of her career working as a psychotherapist within specialist Mental health and Addictions services, and later funding and planning within DHBs. Here she completed research and worked on improving access for Deaf people to health services.
021 201 5833
Shirley Vickery
Finance administrator
Shirley Vickery was raised on a dairy farm in North Taranaki where her family have been farming for over 100 years. She lives in New Plymouth. Her chief passion is making art. She is also an enthusiastic grandmother and permaculture gardener. She has experienced the mental health services both as a service user and service manager.
Elliot Farr
Data and digital analyst
Elliot grew up in Christchurch but left for Wellington to study. He recently graduated from Victoria University, where he studied psychology, and was an Intern at Platform. Upon completion of his degree, he has taken a role with Platform|Atamira working in the data and digital space.