Sarah Manley

Background

About Sarah Manley

Hi, I'm Sarah, a purpose-driven executive, and the CEO of Sir John Kirwan's Mitey.As a person and a leader, I’m driven to serve, to drive impact, and to transform communities.I proudly bring people and purpose together to drive meaningful change across Aotearoa. Whether I'm leading organisations through digital transformations, cashflow challenges, restructures, or complex stakeholder environments, it's always with clarity, conviction, commercialism, energy, and heart.Throughout my career I’ve helped organisations grow stronger year-on-year, including…At YWCA where I designed and led major community programmes and initiatives.At Hato Hone St John, where I led major change as Deputy CEO for Community Health Services. And at Mitey, where I’m focused on positioning the Sir John Kirwan Foundation as a global leader in children’s mental health education, scaling Mitey across Aotearoa, and investing in my own growth.I take genuine communication and connection seriously. From frontline teams to stakeholder networks, regional boards to government ministers, I lead with authenticity, integrity, and the belief that every voice counts.Career highlights:Scaled Mitey’s reach, growing the team by and doubling our regional reach.Positioned the Sir John Kirwan Foundation for national impact with top-tier partnershipsBuilt multiple tight, cohesive, and highly productive teams that push boundariesLed a major transformation at St John, centralising services, governance and finances.Secured major funding and support from ACC, Red Cross, and through government partnerships.Delivered first aid education to 1 million children through ‘St John in Schools’Guest on multiple podcasts and TV interviews.Deeply passionate about championing women's issues worldwide, I'm proud to have:been awarded the Queen’s Service Medal (QSM) for contributions to community & women’s leadership, and represented World YWCA at the UN Commission on the Status of Women.I thrive in high-stakes environments where I can drive growth and impact, bringing people together to create real change. I’m here to make a difference for Aotearoa. Let’s connect and talk about how we can make an impact together.