About Us

Eleanor Bodger (QSO)

Favourite Song: Staying Alive by Bee Gees (not especially but the title is good)

Co-founder and visionary leader of Eldernet, Eleanor is still very much involved in the day to day running of Eldernet. Her background as a Registered Nurse and Social Worker allowed her to see the potential in the idea that became Eldernet. Still brimming with ideas and passion for empowering older people, Eleanor keeps the team inspired to bring their best to the table every day.

Esther Perriam

Favourite Song: The Flower Duet from Lakme

Esther is a Director at Eldernet and has been working in the business for over 15 years, starting way back when we were just a team of two. Esther has a real passion for our business, for the organisations and people who work in the sector, and for older people. Esther’s love of learning and delight in sharing knowledge means that you’ll often find her at conferences and other knowledge exchanges – either as a speaker or delegate. Esther has deep knowledge of the whole older adult sector and often shares her knowledge by writing articles for our Knowledge Lab.

Penn Trevella

Favourite Song: Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way by Waylon Jennings

Penn is our CEO who has worked in marketing and customer experience roles for more than twenty years. He's a Cantabrian who returned to Christchurch in 2022 after living overseas for many years, and then in Auckland since 2011.

Living in a house with 3 females, he gets alone time on his bike, enjoying the challenging hills of Banks Peninsula for some great views and long rides.

Courtney Carter-Smith

Favourite Song: There's Nothing Holding Me Back by Shawn Mendes

Courtney came to The Eldernet Group from Te Whatu Ora – Waitaha, and has experience in smoking cessation – a clinical arm of health promotion, allied health, clinical ethics, and cross-organisational leadership. She is passionate about supporting communities to achieve positive health outcomes, as well as networking, collaboration, and sector education – all of which are beneficial in her role as Partnerships Manager.

Courtney loves spending time with her grandparents, hiking, exploring Aotearoa, reading, researching genetic genealogy, and all things plants.

As a keen lifelong learner, Courtney strongly relates to the whakataukī ‘Whaiwhia te kete mātauranga’, which means ‘Fill the basket of knowledge’.

Ameliah Saywell

Favourite Song: Bad Influence by P!nk

Ameliah is the most senior member of our customer support team. As our Senior Support Specialist, there’s very little that she doesn’t know, which is why she’s often the go-to for anyone in the office with a question.

Ameliah is responsible for ensuring our Aged Residential Care Vacancy Report is updated every day, and training providers on how to use the system. If you ever need help with making the most of your listing, she’s a wealth of information. Ameliah is also one of the brains behind our online Chatbot Tilly.

Ameliah has a self-confessed addiction to horses – one which she has passed down to her three children. Even the family dog is called Pony!

Ana Maria Molina

Favourite Song: Walk Away by Ben Harper

Ana Maria is our bright, bubbly, Brazilian-born Support Specialist. While she’s new to the aged care sector, she comes armed with a skillset honed via a diverse career in retail – including as Operations Manager for 15 Subway franchises across the UK. She also speaks multiple languages, including Portuguese and Spanish.

While Ana Maria is originally from South America, she firmly considers herself a kiwi, having lived in Christchurch since 2014. Before that, Ana Maria lived in London for 13 years where she met her English-born/New Zealand-raised husband.

While her three children keep her busy, she still finds time to relax with a good book. She misses travelling but hopes to do more North Island travel in the coming months and is planning to one day visit Mexico.

Louise Fleming

Favourite Song: Interstate Love Song by Stone Temple Pilots

Louise provides much-needed support to our customer service team and (luckily for us) has recently become a permanent member of the Eldernet team. If you’ve requested a copy of our Where from here handbook, chances are you’ve already spoken to Louise. As well as continuing to support our busy distribution team, she’s also helping to implement new developments on our Making Life Easier site.

Louise is also a superstar outside of the office. She has a Certificate in Dog Psychology Behaviour and Training and, together with her gorgeous dog Oscar, is a therapy pet volunteer supporting people in rest homes, hospitals and schools.

Laura Wheeler

Favourite Song: Fast Car by Tracy Chapman

Laura is our Sales and Key Account Manager. Laura was one of our very first employees here at Eldernet, and we wouldn’t be where we are now without her.

She is constantly looking for ways to grow our business, and is always working to ensure her clients present themselves in the possible way too. You only have to talk to her to know how passionate she is about working in the older person’s sector!

Laura is an absolute netball fanatic. If she could play every day of the week, she would – not even injuries slow her down (we can tell you from personal experience). Off the court, Laura is mother to six children, and fur-mother to a dog and two cats.

Charlie Sinclair

Favourite Song: I think we’re alone now by Tiffany

UK born Charlie is one of The Eldernet Group's Business Development Managers. Originally a qualified hairdresser, Charlie has worked in sales and education in the salon industry for the past 10 years, and loves connecting with her new Auckland-based clients in the older person sector.

Charlie loves going on outdoor adventures with her blended family including hubby, 5 kids, and 2 fur babies. She also enjoys cooking, baking, travel, scrapbooking, and listening to a huge array of music genres…from the classic 80s to today’s hits!

Khristin Hach

Favourite Song: Little Red Corvette by Prince

Khristin is our lively Business Development Manager. Having moved from Iowa more than a decade ago, Khristin has well and truly made Christchurch her home; if you’re an Ōtautahi local, you might remember Tiki Taco, a food truck Khristin founded and ran for 6 years. Sales is well and truly in Khristin’s blood and she brings great ideas, enthusiasm, energy and a sense of fun to the team. It’s why she’s a perfect person to help grow our business.

When she’s not in the office, Khristin loves spending time with her son and partner. She particularly loves watching live music – and if there’s an opportunity to dance, sign her up.

Natalie Connor

Favourite Song: Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars

Natalie is a member of our exceptional customer support team. Natalie has come to us after working for many years in the banking sector – it’s probably why she has a great eye for detail and why nothing ever seems to phase her. If you’ve called the office, you’ll know just how helpful Natalie is – especially when it comes to helping our clients make their listings as impactful as possible.

Outside of work, it’s all about her family. Her three young boys certainly keep her on her toes, but she wouldn’t have it any other way.

Meg Roulston

Favourite Song: This Must be the Place (Naive Melody) by Talking Heads

Meg is one of our superstar Support Specialists, primarily supporting Charlie and Shauna in our sales team. With a background in financial service administration, Meg has the perfect skillset to help our clients get the most out of their Eldernet listings.

Together with her husband and two sons, Meg lives in Southshore nestled between the estuary and the sea. She loves live music, particularly local artists like Troy King, Delaney Davidson, and Shapeshifter.

Meg takes the award for one of the most creative members of the Eldernet team! Alongside her role at Eldernet, she's also a keen potter and runs her own business 'Meg Roulston Ceramics' making beautiful ceramics for homewares and gifts which she sells online and at local markets.

Demelza Pearey

Favourite Song: Never Miss a Beat by Kaiser Chiefs

Demelza is our trusted accountant and office manager. With over 20 years’ experience as an accountant we know we’re in safe hands with Demelza. Demelza looks after everything from invoicing and banking , to paying the bills (and the team), preparing monthly accounts and developing (and most importantly enforcing) the dreaded ‘Budget’. She enjoys working with the passionate, hardworking Eldernet team, and takes pride in being part of an organisation that makes a real difference in the lives of older people.

In her spare time, Demelza loves being active and getting outdoors – whether that’s on two legs or two wheels. Her two children are equally sporty, so most weekends Demelza can be found cheering them on from the side-lines.

Natasha Doré

Favourite Song: Wuthering Heights by Kate Bush

Natasha is our Co-creator: Content Writer. She recently completed her PhD in social psychology, and is looking forward to contributing to The Eldernet Group’s mission of creating a better Aotearoa for older people.

When not at work, Natasha spends her time surfing, getting tangled upside-down in the aerial silks, and working on a biography about her grandma’s journey as a Gottscheer refugee during the Second World War.

Autumn Brown

Favourite Song: Rocky Mountain Way - Joe Walsh

Autumn is our Co-Creator focused on marketing, communications, and project initiatives at Eldernet. A recent marketing graduate, she brings fresh perspectives to an industry she’s passionate about, especially in the social media space. Outside of work, Autumn enjoys golfing, collecting vinyl records and attending music events throughout Christchurch.

Sheridan Anquetil

Favourite Song: I would do anything for Love by Meatloaf

Sheridan originally joined the Eldernet team in 2022 as one of our Support Specialists, where her organisational skills proved second to none, before moving on to a new challenge as Design and Production Coordinator. Her sector knowledge and relationships with clients come in handy as she ensures our Where from here book looks amazing and up-to-date!

With three young children – including twins! – Sheridan’s life is busy away from the office (although occasionally she gets to enjoy a much-deserved sleep in). She enjoys socialising with family and friends as much as possible – many of whom live in her local New Brighton community. Sheridan also loves listening to music and no genre is off-limits when it comes to putting together the perfect playlist.

Summer McCambridge

Favourite Song: Just A Girl by No Doubt

Summer is our knowledgeable Product Manager, working alongside our development team. Having spent the last five years working in the production and design side of the business, including working on the Where from here He ara whakamua handbook, she has become a wealth of knowledge on all things related to older people, retirement villages, residential care, and more. This expertise proves useful as she works to ensure The Eldernet Group and our clients have the best possible products available.

Summer is a tramping enthusiast – what started out as a summer hobby has become a year-round obsession. She’s also a keen traveller and hopes to take her teenage girls on as many trips as she can.

Shauna Anderson

Favourite Song: I am woman by Emmy Meli

Shauna is our Business Development manager for the Mid North Island. She found herself gravitating towards The Eldernet Group after looking for a change from her work in the telecommunications industry. Passionate about empowering others, Shauna is excited about helping reform the future for everyone as we age.

Shauna is all about health and wellness, and believes a strong body equals a strong mind. Outside of work, she often spends her time training for bodybuilding competitions, and has competed at a national level!

Leanne Savelkoel

Favourite Song: Bat out of Hell by Meatloaf

Leanne is one of our valued Customer Support Team Specialists. With 10 years of experience working as an Information Management Advisor at Selwyn District Council, she is a valuable addition to the team.

Leanne has a big weakness for second hand shopping and has an eye for hidden treasures – her best find to date has been a beautiful Wedgwood coffee set in mint condition! Her home resembles a miniature museum, with her impressive collection of five display cabinets, alongside her husband’s collection of models. In her free time, she enjoys painting by numbers and is teaching herself how to cross-stitch.

Matt Currie

Favourite Song: A Glorious Dawn featuring Stephen Hawking and Carl Sagan

Matt is our super programmer – Eldernet just wouldn’t be Eldernet without him. Master of code and all things techie, Matt is responsible for turning our (sometimes dim) ideas into bright ones and using his skills to keep us ahead of the game.

Matt has been a software developer for almost half of his life – and luckily for us, many of those years he’s spent with Eldernet. Matt works crazy hours and while you’ll never get a response from him before 10am, you can be assured he’s firing on all cylinders when you email him at midnight!

When Matt can tear himself away from the computer, he loves spending time with his partner and two young children. He hopes to visit Beijing sometime soon, to see where his partner grew up.

Simon Winder

Favourite Song: One Headlight by The Wallflowers

As our Intermediate Full Stack Software Developer, Simon is part of the team that takes our ideas and makes them an online reality (not an easy task at the best of times). Simon has come to software development later in life following a varied career, yet we can safely say that Simon has found his calling as a programmer (and we’re lucky to have him as part of the Eldernet team).

As a born and bred Christchurch local, Simon loves exploring the Canterbury hill country on foot (often for hours at a time) or walking the shores of his beloved New Brighton beach. Off the clock, Simon enjoys hosting Dungeons and Dragons game nights with friends.

Gregor Brabyn

Favourite Song: Sun Is Shining by Bob Marley vs. Funkstar De Luxe

As a Full Stack Developer, Gregor helps us to continue improving the functionality of the front and backend of our various websites.

Gregor returned to Christchurch in 2019 after living and working in Berlin, Germany for the past eight years. While he enjoyed his time overseas, he’s pleased to be settled back in Christchurch. Aside from his work at The Eldernet Group, Gregor is kept busy with his young son and daughter.

Away from the work computer, Gregor is currently enjoying learning about permaculture practices and applying them to his home garden. As a keen hiker, he’s also been rediscovering the many day-walks Christchurch has to offer.

Neroli Williams

Favourite Song: Paint it Black by The Rolling Stones

Responsible for making us ‘look good’ Neroli is our in-house Graphic Designer. She spends most of her time working on creating adverts for our print publication. Neroli’s skills with a pen and paper, as well as a computer, have resulted in many awesome drawings and cartoons gracing our workplace including our unique Christmas cards.

Tilly

Favourite Song: Who let the Dogs Out by Baha Men

Tilly is the resident office dog. She is often found lounging in the sun or doing the rounds of the office looking for whoever will give her pats and tummy rubs.