Northern Region Football Chair Andrea Nelson has stood down at the last Board meeting, with Gina Mills being appointed as Chair and Simon Hilton as Deputy.

“I want to thank Chief Executive, Laura Menzies and the NRF team, my fellow Board members and in particular the Auckland and Northland clubs for their hard work and support. Your passion and commitment is what makes football happen. I can't wait to see what happens next. I am sad to be leaving but it is time for fresh legs,” said Andrea Nelson.

Incoming Chair Gina Mills said: “Andrea has been a driving force for increasing the diversity of perspectives around our Board table, helping us lead from the top on our equity of access strategic priority. Her deep knowledge and networks across the New Zealand sporting sector has also been incredibly valuable. I’d like to personally thank her for her strong leadership through the merger of AFF and NFF and building the governance capability of the new Board of NRF as it emerged and evolved.”

NRF President Bob Patterson was on the Auckland Football Federation Board when Andrea began in football governance said “Andrea was the first woman that we had on our Board, ever. To start she was very reticent to put things forward, but she was a great listener, picked up the nuances, and knew what was going on. Andrea was probably the best appointment I ever made of a board member. The way she is, and her understanding of governance brought a whole new dimension to our leadership. When Andrea and Aimee Barwick, who was at Northern Football Federation, got together, they did a fantastic job at leading and seeing our merger through to the end.”

Laura Menzies, NRF CEO said: “Andrea has been an excellent Chair and led the board and organsation through a significant time of change and opportunity, with the merger, Covid, cyclones and the World Cup. I’m grateful for her support and guidance over the last few years. Gina has a strong understanding of our business and the sport and this is a great opportunity for her to step in the role as Chair.
Gina Mills was appointed to the NFF Board in 2019, and has served as head of our Audit & Risk Committee most recently. 

“I love being part of an organisation that’s making a positive impact in our communities. Football is a simple game which brings people together and is accessible for all.  Our responsibility is to make it fun, fair and future proof .

"The best thing about NRF is that we are focussed on different ways to bring football to new groups of participants, whether they are players, coaches, match officials, club administrators or simply fans,” said Gina Mills.

“I’m so excited for the growth of the game in Aotearoa, and particularly in our region, with the spectacular success of the FIFA Women’s World Cup, with so many inspirational players and performances.”

“While this is a huge opportunity, I know it’s also a concern for clubs who are already stretched with capacity and resources, so it’s important that NRF is able to support our club network through this and I’m confident that we’ll work together to grow the game to new heights in the coming years. Bring it on!” said Gina Mills.

Article added: Wednesday 13 September 2023