Meet the team.
Say a bloody big hello to The Period Place's core team.
Acting General Manager
Debbie Baker
Debbie has spent over 20 years running NGOs and national training organisations. She has been engaged to guide The Period Place through the next stage of its development.
Communications and Engagement
Kate Palmer
Kate is a former journalist and magazine editor who has transitioned to the role of corporate communicator, yet at heart, she remains a storyteller. With a diverse background spanning local and central government, non-profit organisations, and multinational corporations, Kate has honed her expertise in strategic communication.
Following a mental breakdown, Kate made the bold decision to leave the corporate world and redesign her life to find more meaning and purpose, which led her to The Period Place.
At The Period Place, Kate is instrumental in developing strong, collaborative partnerships and facilitating community-led solutions that tackle menstrual inequity and drive systemic change. Her strategic insight and commitment to creating lasting impact make her a vital part of our mission to address period poverty and build a more equitable world.
Operations and Logistics
Victoria Henderson
Meet Victoria, the cool, Doc Marten-wearing aunt and beloved crazy cat lady who serves as the anchor at The Period Place, ensuring we run smoothly. Passionate about creating thriving, resilient communities and achieving meaningful change, Victoria brings her considerable skills to the table with gusto, helping develop practical solutions to period inequity.
We’re incredibly fortunate to have Victoria’s well-rounded and versatile background, which spans parliamentary services, where she was the member support and communications advisor to the MP for Maungakiekie, as well as several operations and management roles with The University of Auckland and Artspace, where she was the Gallery and Exhibitions Manager.
Victoria is our MVP and an invaluable asset to The Period Place, where she continues to make a significant impact every day through problem-solving in an ever-changing environment.
Our support crew.
Meet our support crew, who do a bloody great job making it all happen.
Xavier Walsh
Xavier is the Co-president of Unite, a union that represents hospitality workers. Recently completing their Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Māori Studies, Xavier will soon start their PhD, focusing on worker grievances, Te Tiriti and tikanga Māori emphasising capitalism and colonisation in the employment relationship.
As part of their practice, Xavier enjoys spending time in their community organising with Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga and the Living Wage Movement to improve lives and outcomes of people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
As a volunteer and advocate for The Period Place, Xavier champions stigma-busting conversations and brings a unique perspective to our kaupapa. Their unique perspective and enthusiasm is unmatched, especially when donning the inflatable blood clot costume to hand out period products.
Hannah Geary
Meet Hannah, our 23-year-old volunteer based in the beautiful Mangawhai Heads. Hannah holds a Bachelor's degree majoring in psychology and criminology from the University of Auckland, as well as an Honours degree in Psychology from AUT, where her dissertation explored the outcomes of interventions aimed to reduce burnout amongst nurses, with a specific focus on sleep hygiene practices.
Currently, she is pursuing her Masters in the Health Psychology programme through Massey University. Hannah's diverse experience includes roles as a relief teacher, teacher aide, individual support worker, and volunteer with Anxiety NZ. She also volunteered overseas in Fiji last year, helping to provide health education and early screening for diabetes.
At The Period Place, she uses her education and lived experience to develop a range of practical menstrual resources aimed at increasing menstrual literacy among both menstruators and non-menstruators. With a particular focus on supporting mental health, Hannah is dedicated to making a positive impact through her work.
Alex Zurrer
Meet Alex Zurrer, our youngest volunteer at The Period Place. A Year 9 student from Onehunga High School, Alex graciously tackles the tasks we’re too busy to handle. From stock takes and spreadsheets to sorting products and packing donations, Alex’s contributions are invaluable.
Beyond his logistical support, Alex also lends his skills in photography and increasingly offers brutal feedback on what is and isn’t cool.
We’re incredibly fortunate to have Victoria’s well-rounded and versatile background, which spans parliamentary services, where she was the member support and communications advisor to the MP for Maungakiekie, as well as several operations and management roles with The University of Auckland and Artspace, where she was the Gallery and Exhibitions Manager.
Victoria is our MVP and an invaluable asset to The Period Place, where she continues to make a significant impact every day through problem-solving in an ever-changing environment.
Marie Le Nignol
Meet Marie, our dynamic French-born volunteer at The Period Place. Freshly arrived in Aotearoa we’re fortunate she’s opted to help us out while she’s interviewing for her dream role. She's on a mission to bring systems and process improvements to our operations and website, all while learning about menstruation and our collaborative ecosystem.
With an industrial engineering background and over five years of experience across Australia, the UK, France, and China, Marie specialises in process improvements, data analytics, and business intelligence, particularly within supply chain and logistics. Fluent in French, English, Mandarin, and Spanish, she’s a true global citizen, adept at bringing order to chaos wherever she goes.
Our Board.
Natalie Jackson
Manager - Organisational Strategy and Performance at Parliamentary Counsel Office
Dr Holly Thorpe
Sociologist of Sport, Gender and Physical Culture at Waikato University
Sharn Maree
Kaiwhakahaere Hōtaka - Ara Poutama Aotearoa, Department of Corrections
Rebecca Barnes
Lead of National Security and International Policy at New Zealand Police