Our Leadership and staff

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Catherine Wells is our children’s worker. She is married to AJ and they have two children - Clara-Rey and Jacob. Catherine is very passionate about children having worked with them for many years and is looking forward to seeing them grow in their faith with God. When Catherine is not at work you will find her with her daughter having dance parties and enjoying time with her family and friends. Catherine also loves music and singing and being in a choir. Catherine also loves the outdoors, walks along the beach and being in nature.

Debbie is one of the first people that our guests meet when they walk into 177 Main Road. She and her husband John have been a part of the corps for many years. She rejoined the staff team as Corps Administrator in 2023 and recently moved into a new role as our Community Ministries Wellbeing Worker, supporting guests and their needs.

Vanessa is has been married for 23 years and has three children in Tawa schools. She is an author of four ‘Restorative Fiction’ novels and has been a teacher, mentor and active volunteer in the Tawa community over the last fifteen years. Vanessa is fluent in Spanish and is well travelled, including twelve months in Argentina and six months training teachers and leaders at the Joshua Foundation and local villages in Tanzania. She is a keen outdoorsperson, often spending weekends and holidays, hiking, snowboarding and sailing with her family. She is passionate about the local community and empowering people to thrive and is excited to be joining the team at Tawa Corps.

Could this be you? Get in contact!

Majors Andrew and Rochelle Moffatt

Sarah Opie

Sarah was our Youth and Community worker from 2018-2024 when she took on the exciting new role of divisional youth worker. She has two children and a husband. They enjoying camping, having fun and spending lots of time with friends. Sarah says that "she is passionate about connecting with people and helping them to discover more about themselves and building a relationship with our heavenly Father. I love having fun - earning my Prankstar at home and in the office. As the community and youth coordinator I am privileged to hear the stories of many different people and walk alongside them."

Catherine Wells

Rhys Gibson

Rhys chairs our Corps Council. Along with his wife Sharon and two daughters, he has been a part of Tawa Salvation Army since 2003. Rhys works in the public sector and outside of Sunday’s can be found drinking tea and living out his mid-life crisis with his electric guitars.

Stuart Fraser

Stuart contributes to Corps Council brining a 40+ year multidenominational walk with Christ. With wife Vanessa and two teenage children, they joined Tawa Salvation Army in 2020. Stuart enjoys worshipping and encouraging others through music and works in a national technical sales role providing a good excuse to have a coffee with friends and colleagues,