Welcome Susan Hassall and Stephen Town
Published on 11 August, 2025
We have recently welcomed two new trustees to the Momentum Waikato board.
Susan Hassall was Headmaster of Hamilton Boys’ High School from 2000 to 2024, following her earlier career as an English teacher there.
Susan has extensive experience in education, in the management of change in an organisation, and in the leadership of a successful school.
She has also been an Executive Member of the Association of Boys’ Schools since its inception in 2002, and has an abiding interest in, and involvement with, gifted education, having contributed to the Minister’s Advisory Group for many years.
In March 2016 Susan joined the University of Waikato Council, becoming Pro-Chancellor in 2017, and then Chancellor in July 2025. She is also a member of The University of Waikato Foundation.
Susan is also Chair of the Hospice Waikato Trust, returning to its Board after being its acting CEO for 10 months in 2024-2025.
In 2021 Susan became an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her ‘Services to Education’.
Susan contributes to the wider community as a Justice of the Peace and as a Funeral celebrant.
Stephen Town has held senior positions in education, transport and local government. He first took up a Chief Executive role at the Whanganui Regional Community Polytechnic at age 34.
Since then, he has held Chief Executive roles with Franklin District Council and Tauranga City Council, before a decade in Auckland where he was Regional Director for the NZ Transport Agency for three years, and then Chief Executive of the Auckland Council for six-and-a-half years.
Stephen left Auckland Council after completing the first post-COVID budget in mid-2020 and joined Te Pukenga, where he spent two years as Chief Executive. He was then the Cyclone Recovery Lead at Thames Coromandel District Council for two years.
Stephen has supported philanthropic efforts throughout his career and has worked with several foundations. He also has wide governance experience and awareness, having been involved in appointments to Council Controlled Organisation boards and Special Purpose Entities.
Stephen is now semi-retired and based in the Coromandel.
