Yearly Archives: 2026

Jenny Wolf began her career as a mental health social worker. She has since worked in a variety of roles, including Regional Manager CADS Auckland, Senior Advisor Addiction Treatment at the Ministry of Health, and General Manager Bay of Plenty Mental Health & Addiction Services. Jenny is a founding member of the 2SLGBTQ+ Leadership Collaborative, in partnership with the [...]

Takurua Tawera (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Awa and Tūhourangi) has worked in the addiction sector for 38 years. A dapaanz member since its establishment in 2002, Takurua is a dapaanz registered practitioner and accredited clincial supervisor. He has been the organisation's Pou Whakarae on the dapaanz Board since 20xx. In November 2025, he was awarded dapaanz lifetime membership in recognition [...]

Helen Schmidt-Sopoaga has been a dapaanz registered practitioner since 2004 and a member of dapaanz since 2002. She is an accredited clinical supervisor and serves on multiple national committees and advisory groups. In November 2025, she was awarded lifetime membership of dapaanz in recognition of her leadership and service to dapaanz, the wider addiction workforce and Pasifika communities across [...]

Suzy Morrison is a dapaanz registered practitioner, accredited clinical and accredited peer supervisor. A member since 2014 and Board member 2017-2022, Suzy was made a dapaanz lifetime member in November 2025 in recognition of her service to the sector. Earlier this year, we asked Suzy to reflect on changes and learning across the course of her career. We share her [...]

At the end of February 2026, the number of dapaanz members identifying as Māori reached 608, or a smidge under 30% of total membership (2068 members). This milestone, and what it means for health services, communities and the addiction workforce across Aotearoa, means a great deal to us. Our Māori membership has steadily increased over the last decade. In [...]