Our staff

Erin Scarlett ONeill – Executive Director/Founder

Erin is the mother of a son who has struggled with an addiction to methamphetamine. Because of her own experience, she is passionate about supporting other families in similar situations and providing educational seminars for all whanau, particularly parents of secondary school children.

Originally from Auckland, with a background in business ownership, events and marketing Erin is currently working full time on Brave Hearts in Tauranga.

Adele Farac – Administrator

Adele has her own bookkeeping business, and with many years’ experience in accounting & administration is grateful to be given the opportunity to help in the growth of Brave Hearts NZ to ensure their future support to the greater community.

Adele says that working alongside this wonderful Brave Hearts family is a privilege in what they are able to provide to families that are struggling to cope with and the challenges they are facing each day. She is looking forward to learning and developing other skills from them all.

Our board members​

Rosalind Potter – Chairperson

Co-founder and Chair of Brave Hearts NZ, Ros is the owner of a business in Mount Maunganui and the mother of two daughters.

Ros had a tumultuous six years with her daughter who struggled with meth addiction. Having come through this experience, Ros is now committed to helping family and whanau through the support phone and groups.

Lindsay (Red) Smith

Red is a foundation member and Trustee of Brave Hearts offering support, education and tactics for families of addicted loved ones.

Red has been working as a law enforcement officer in the Western Bay community for over 30 years.

He has seen the effects of drug addiction first-hand and has developed a toolbox during this time which has been useful to families in the past.

Tommy Kapai Wilson

Tommy is a well-known children’s author, the Executive Director of Te Tuinga Whanau and a columnist with the BOP Times. He is also a past chairman of the NZ Maori Tourism Board. His proudest achievement is living free of drugs and alcohol for the last 15 years.

Connecting community leaders together and building bridges between Maori, are two of his focuses on the boards he sits on and through his involvement with Iwi and hapū authorities.

Angela Hale

Angela and her husband own a successful business which they started in Mount Maunganui in 1996 and have a family member battle the struggles of addiction.

Angela has had first-hand experience with how meth addiction can destroy families and the “rollercoaster ride” living with this tragic nightmare of Meth addiction.

Angela is Brave Hearts Treasurer and values the support of having Bravehearts in her life.

Michaela Kamo

Michaela works for the Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (WBOP PHO) and has a background in radio broadcasting, business ownership, marketing and events.

In addition to being a Brave Hearts NZ board member, Michaela is the chairperson for Ngāi Tahu ki Tauranga Moana keeping Ngāi Tahu whānau connected who live outside of their rohe (region).

Michaela is committed to helping the community with Brave Hearts by supporting education seminars and whānau who are struggling with their loved one’s addictions.

Fred Buijn

Fred currently works as a Probation Officer for the Community Corrections department in Tauranga. In that role, Fred writes a lot of Pre-Sentence Reports for the Judge, often on those individuals whose crimes are driven by their addiction to methamphetamine. Fred is very aware of the carnage and heartache that an addict’s behaviour can have on family, children and friends.

Fred is fully supportive of the wonderful work Brave Hearts is doing within the community and chose to become a board member and be involved as a tangible step by offering his skills and experience to help, support, listen and encourage those individuals whose sons or daughters are struggling with addiction.

Melissa Choppin

Melissa is a Senior Solicitor working in Rotorua. Melissa has experience in most aspects of general law, and is current employed in a property law firm specialising in estate and asset planning. She has seen first hand the devastating effects of methamphetamine in the clients and families she has come in contact with and would like the opportunity to give something back to the community by working with Brave Hearts as a Board Member.