Platform One Foundation is an independent charitable foundation established to help communities strengthen their ability to shape the things that affect their future.
The Foundation provides long-term stewardship, fiduciary accountability and continuity, while practical community work happens through initiatives such as WE Share Community Power and Project Circles.
Platform One brings together people with different experience, skills and perspectives who share a commitment to community-first outcomes, independence, constructive partnership, fair value and long-term stewardship.
We are here to help carry forward the independent community-side capability behind this work. That means supporting communities to set their own priorities, work with others on fair terms and bring their resources together to create value for both their communities and the wider systems they are part of — while keeping more of that value anchored locally. As the Foundation develops, our focus is on strengthening the stewardship, knowledge and relationships that allow this capability to endure.
Our Trustees
Platform One Foundation is stewarded by five founding trustees, all members of the Waiheke community:
- Antoni Kew — Chair
- Dana Darwin — Deputy Chair
- Louis Kinsler — Secretary
- Paul Brisbane — Treasurer
- Michael Fleck — Trustee
The trustees hold the Foundation’s legal and fiduciary responsibilities and work collectively to protect its community-first purpose, independence and long-term stewardship.
Their role includes protecting the Foundation from private or external capture and helping ensure that value created through community participation can remain in, or flow back to, community benefit over time.
The current trustee appointments and officer roles were formally confirmed at the Foundation’s founding meeting on 9 May 2026.
Strengthening Our Trustee Group
As Platform One develops, we are looking to strengthen the trustee group with additional people who bring complementary experience, perspective and strong community connections.
We are particularly interested in people who understand community leadership, governance, partnership-building, philanthropy, public institutions or the wider social and environmental challenges Platform One is seeking to address.
Trustees do not need to agree on everything. What matters is a shared commitment to Platform One’s community-first purpose, independence and long-term stewardship.
If you believe you could contribute to this work, or know someone who may be a good fit, we would welcome a conversation.
People Around the Work
Platform One’s work extends well beyond its trustees.
People contribute through WE Share, Project Circles, community organisations, partnerships and specific pieces of work according to their interests, experience and the contribution they choose to make.
Some bring local knowledge and community connections. Others contribute technical, professional, financial, organisational or practical expertise.
People and organisations remain independent, while Platform One helps provide the continuity and community-first stewardship that keeps different efforts connected around shared purpose, practical outcomes and greater community value.
Where there is an agreed longer-term community direction — such as Power-Positive Waiheke through WE Share — individual projects and organisations can contribute to that direction in their own way.