Power of Connection 2025 - meet our speakers!

Our Power of Connection event brings together a diverse group of individuals with lived experience of hearing and communication differences. Each person’s story is unique, powerful, and a reflection of the many ways people connect—with themselves, their communities, and the world around them.

Below, we invite you to meet our incredible speakers and contributors who are generously sharing their journeys.

Danielle Aitchison, Paralympian	Twenty-three-year-old Danielle Aitchison grew up on a dairy farm 40min north of Hamilton. After birth, due to a complication she developed celebral palsy and 80-90% hearing loss, and received cochlear implants in 2017 when she was 15 years old.  Danielle is a Paralympian, specialising in track - 100m and 200m. She has been to multiple World Championships and Paralympic Games, and most recently won two silver medals in the 100m and 200m at the Paris Paralympics.   Danielle has a Bachelor of Social Sciences majoring in Education and Society from the University of Waikato.
Annette Barker, The Hearing House	Seventy-three-year-old Annette Barker had her cochlear implant fitted four years ago when tests showed that her hearing had deteriorated to a point that hearing aids were no longer effective. The Auckland-based grandmother says being able to have phone conversations with her family has been life-changing, and she keeps busy with friends, her church, grandchildren's activities and a very active social life.
Gracie Chin, SCIP	Gracie lives with her parents and her two siblings in Christchurch. Gracie’s hearing difference was identified through Newborn Hearing Screening. She was first fit with hearing aids but these did not give Gracie enough access to spoken language and she subsequently received bilateral cochlear implants.  Her younger brother Louie also has bilateral cochlear implants.  Having a hearing difference does not hold Gracie back from doing anything.  She loves playing sport and joins in a variety of activities both within and outside school. Over the last year she has been involved in netball, rugby, swimming, touch rugby and gymnastics. She has joined the Kapa Haka group at school this year.
Natasha Cloete, Manager of Children & Youth Services, Deaf Aotearoa	Natasha is the Manager – Children & Youth at Deaf Aotearoa, which includes overseeing the world-leading First Signs service and the Youth Transition service.   Natasha’s commitment and enthusiasm is infectious and her skill in bridging cultural divides within workplaces and organisations has seen her acknowledged in several realms.   Natasha is recognised internationally as a leader in the Deaf world and is a member of the Deaf Leadership International Alliance, and has served on the New Zealand Sign Language Board which advises the Government on issues related to NZSL.
Jack Coombs, The Hearing House	Thirteen-year-old Jack Coombs attends Tauranga Intermediate school in the sunny Bay of Plenty.  He is a Year 8 student, loves school and aims for 100% - 120% if you include the weekend!  His favourite subject at school is working with Jude from Ko Taku Reo 3 times a week.  She makes the “work” he does fun! She always has his best interests at heart like going to school when it isn’t going to interrupt his other learning, and always finding a quiet space for them to work. She is awesome!  Outside of school Jack plays Indoor Bowls, attends drama classes and has recently started a Sewing Club Class.  He is constantly on the go and loves baking for his teachers and class.  He was lucky enough to attend a school trip to Samoa last year where he developed a taste for raw tuna.  He loves to share raw tuna n a regular basis with one of the senior leaders at school, Matua Jack.  Roger went along on the holiday and was very spoiled.  Jack has been with The Hearing House since he had his first cochlear implant when he was 18 months old.  He had his second implant at 2.5 years old.   The Hearing House has been phenomenal with their support, understanding, counselling and ease of contact! This journey has been made so much easier with them! Jack's big brother Reid, who is 20, has been with The Hearing House for over 10 years as well!
Greg Fleming, MP for Maungakiekie	Greg is in his first term as the Member of Parliament for Maungakiekie. He serves on the Māori Affairs Committee and is Deputy Chair of the Petitions Committee.  In March 2024, the members’ bill in Greg’s name, the Crimes (Increased Penalties for Slavery Offences) Amendment Bill, was drawn from the ballot. The bill aims to strengthen New Zealand’s approach to human trafficking by increasing the penalties for domestic trafficking offences to the same level as international trafficking.  Born in Masterton, Greg attended Wairarapa College and gained a Bachelor of Commerce from Victoria University. He is a Chartered Accountant, beginning his career in London finance, and is a student of te reo Māori.  With 25 years’ experience in the charitable sector, Greg worked to build up enduring community institutions, including The Parenting Place, the Aspiring Leaders Forum, and Te Whakaora Tangata. He also co-founded the Maxim Institute and the Venn Foundation, and most recently Te Wānanga Ihorangi.   Greg’s lived in this community since 1998, where he and his wife Kirstin have raised their five children. In his spare time, he enjoys running up Maungakiekie and picking up cricket, tennis, and golf balls after his kids.
Dr Claire Green, CEO, The Hearing House	Dr Claire Green joined The Hearing House as Chief Executive in June 2019.   She has an established insight into The Hearing House, derived from being on our Board for several years. Prior to joining The Hearing House, Claire was a lawyer with leading Auckland law firms Simpson Grierson and Meredith Connell, specialising in commercial law. She thrives on working together as a community in the service of collective wellbeing and advocates for equality and diversity in the services and programmes that The Hearing House offers.  Claire has a PhD in Law.
Chris Rehn, Co-Chair and Director, First Voice; Chief Executive, NextSense	Chris is co-chair and a member of the Research Advisory Committee at First Voice. He has a wealth of health management experience and expertise prior to NextSense, having held senior roles within a range of public and private sector healthcare organisations. Prior to his appointment as NextSense Chief Executive in 2010, then as Royal Institute for Deaf and Blind Children (RIDBC), Chris was General Manager of the SCIC Cochlear Implant Program, which merged with RIDBC in 2014, creating Australia’s largest cochlear implant programme.  With formal qualifications in health and business studies, he is a Harvard Club Australia Non-Profit Fellow, Chairman of an independent Montessori school on Sydney’s northern beaches and has a passion to make a difference in the disability and education sectors.
Sofia Spillane, NextSense	Sofia Spillane is a very active and multi-talented nine-year-old girl from Sydney, Australia, who also happens to have been born deaf in both ears. At six months, Sofia received cochlear implants from leading NextSense surgeon Clinical Professor Catherine Birman. She has been receiving mapping and early intervention therapy services from NextSense to support her speech and language development since then. The youngest of four siblings, Sofia plays A grade netball for her school team and loves shooting goals. She’s also an accomplished ballet and jazz dancer, and enjoys reading. In her downtime, Sofia loves to make dragon puppets, which she accessorises with jewels, glitter and intricate drawings.
Kathy Thomas, The Hearing House	Te Atatu-based Kathy Thomas, who’s a self-taught singer, has sung in bands and at venues throughout New Zealand since she was a teenager, with career highlights being singing alongside 80’s icons Ardijah, Dalvanias Prime, Price Tui Teka and Tropical High.  She entered the Get Mad on the Mic karaoke contest, staged by Hapai te Hauora Tapui (Maori Public Health), with support from the Mental Health Foundation. She then went on to record a te reo Māori karaoke album a few years later.     Two years ago, Kathy was an extra on the TV series, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, and has featured as a vocalist on a range of TV commercials, including the DB Export I’m Drinking it for You ad in 2019 and Meridian Energy in 2022.  Kathy developed hearing difficulties when she was 11 years old, and has had a series of ear surgeries throughout her life. She received her cochlear implant two years ago when she was 55 years old.
Flynn Wells, Shepherd Centre	Twelve-year-old Flynn received his cochlear implants when he was 14 months old after losing his hearing due to the impact of cytomegalovirus. He is in Year 6 at the Friends School in Hobart, Tasmania. He has a 14-year-old sister, Olivia, a 10-year-old brother, Louis and pet dog, Ivy. Flynn loves reading (especially manga) and is very much looking forward to connecting with everyone at the Power of Connection event.