The Horizon School Board of Trustees

​Horizon has a passionate Board who work together with an exciting combination of vision and experience. Their unique mix of professions and personalities make meetings a great place to embody the school philosophy of lifelong learning, and their strength is in their united heart for the school.
Jen Smith | Chairman, Proprietor Representative
Jen is both a parent at Horizon and a Proprietor Representative on the Board.  A Chartered Accountant, Jen sits on our Finance Committee and brings a structured and diligent approach to our meetings.   Living and working in the community, she has a strong belief that every child is unique and precious and that at times it truly 'takes a village'.  Jen and her husband Dan have three children - two at Horizon and one at preschool.
​Craig Henderson | Deputy Chairman, Parent Representative
Craig was elected to our Board in the 2016 elections and brings a huge amount of enthusiasm to the team.  He is one of our visionary leaders who both played a major part in the 2016 College in Planning Meeting and sits on our Marketing Committee.  Craig and his wife Lauren have three children at Horizon.
James Kimber | Parent Representative
In his second elected term on the Board, James complements our visionaries with his diligent and considered opinions.  With a background in Management Accounting and strong leadership skills, James sits on our Finance Committee and is passionate about the school.  James and his wife Louisa have 3 children, all of whom have attended Horizon.
​Jeanine Mitchell | Parent Representative
​As a lawyer, Jeanine is drawn to principles and rules and enjoys a good debate. She loves the heart of the people involved with Horizon School, and the true sense of community and belonging that she has seen instilled in her daughters since they started.
​Jeanine attended KingsWay School during her intermediate years, which left a lasting impact in terms of the servant leadership ethos. Jeanine and her husband Sean have three daughters at Horizon.  
    Helen Pearson | Principal
    Helen has been involved in education for around 30 years, teaching at Whangaparaoa Primary School and going on to be the founding Principal of KingsWay School. After leaving to start a family, Helen was a founding Director of MASTERS Institute,  a director of an educational publishing business, as well as home educating her five children along with Dean, her husband. 
    In 2011 Helen became the principal of Mahurangi Christian School, transitioning the school to Horizon in 2015. 
    Helen brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to our Board, particularly in applying learning and education principals to real life, developing relationships and inspiring and equipping individual learners as well as the skilled team of teachers she works with daily.
    Hugo Vaughan | Proprietor Representative
    Hugo is the Principal of Westmount School and a former Assistant Principal of Mahurangi College.  He has been in education since 1989.  
    Hugo is a leader in the worldwide development of teaching and learning strategies that will meet the requirements of the business world.  He believes that we are teaching students to cope in a business future that we can't predict, and therefore we need to offer more than just academic knowledge - skills, attitudes, thinking, how to be innovative and collaborative - the list goes on.  To Hugo, the opportunity to establish a new College is the most exciting opportunity to establish Christian education as a leader in the above areas.  He believes that we need to educate our children to stand strong, confident and equipped to not only survive but to lead and to be the innovators of tomorrow. If we don't, then we have to follow the innovations and lead of the world, which is not what God has intended for us. 
    Hugo is passionate about God, Christian education, innovation, the leaders of tomorrow and extending the confines of what we believe is possible in education.
    ​Matt Condin | Parent Representative
    Matt's background is in retail technology, advertising, and telecommunications. He sits on our marketing committee and is passionate about marketing in an increasingly digital world.  Matt brings humour, fun, and an inquisitive mind to our meetings. Matt and has wife Joss have three children, two at Horizon and one at preschool.
    Neville Johnson | Proprietor Representative
    Neville accepted nomination as Proprietor Representative with Horizon because of his growing belief in Christian Education.  The experience that comes from being the Principal of Matakana Primary School for 23 years brings valuable insight into the day to day challenges of running a growing school. His wonderful depth of experience is a real blessing to our Board.  Now 'retired', he co-manages Matakana Village Cottages Accommodation, is the Chair of the Board of Managers for the Mahurangi Presbyterian Church, is involved in the integration of migrant families into the Mahurangi Community, and is enjoying choral singing, playing golf and fishing. 
    ​Neville lives in Matakana with wife Margaret and has three daughters and four granddaughters.
    Pete Meafou | Parent Representative
    Pete is a parent representative who loves motivating and inspiring others to succeed. He has experience working across the education and social sectors, functioning at a senior management level with a key emphasis on developing and driving initiatives for growth.
    Pete brings a proven track record in developing and maintaining effective relationships across varying organisations and businesses, and has a particular strength in identifying stakeholder needs and developing and implementing collaborative solutions.
    In 2002, Pete established a Charitable Trust to work with children and young people delivering community programs and running events which attracted up to 10,000 people. Pete and     his wife Rhonda have four children at Horizon.
    Sam Burrows | Staff Representative
    Sam brings a fresh perspective to our Board, joining the staff at Horizon at the beginning of 2017 as Deputy Principal. Sam has a range of teaching experience in both public and Christian education, interspersed with additional pastoral work. He values critical thinking and relational teaching and learning, and loves getting fully involved in whatever he signs up to.
    ​Outside of teaching he likes to play music and read German theology.
    Warren Peat | Proprietor Representative, CEO NZCPT and KingsWay Trust
    Warren is the CEO of our Proprietors, the New Zealand Christian Proprietors Trust, and also the KingsWay Trust.  He has 30 years of service in the education industry, and brings this wisdom and experience to our Board.  Christian values and morals underpin his leadership, with a desire to see servant - leadership principles practised by all who seek to mould and guide young lives.  Warren has four children and has just welcomed his first grandchild, George.