Meet the APCNZ Team
This leadership team provides strategic direction, uphold strong governance and support the growth of the thriving African Professional Council in Aotearoa New Zealand.
About Us About UsAfrican Professional Council of New-Zealand Executives
Benny Jones
President
Founder of African Professional Council of New Zealand Incorporated.
She is a Barrister & Solicitor, Serial Entrepreneur, Company Director and Business Owner.
Benny Jones is a governance-focused legal and institutional leader operating at the intersection of law, strategy, and community development in New Zealand.
As a Barrister & Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand, she brings legal precision into governance frameworks, ensuring that structures are not only visionary but compliant, durable, and credible.
In her capacity as Founder and President of the African Professional Council of New Zealand Incorporated (APCNZ), her role extends beyond administration into institution-building. She is responsible for:
Strategic Governance Leadership
Setting the long-term direction of APCNZ as a national professional body, ensuring alignment with its mission of advancing African professionals and strengthening institutional presence in New Zealand.
Ben Amadi
Vice President
Ben Amadi is a cybersecurity professional dedicated to people-centred security and sustainable practices. As the Vice President of the African Professionals Council of New Zealand (APCNZ), he is committed to enhancing career opportunities, strengthening the community, and helping African professionals thrive across Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Ifeanyi David
Secertary General
I am Ifeanyi David Ndueze, a Maritime and Logistics professional based in Wellington, New Zealand, with a strong focus on industry coordination, policy engagement, and organisational leadership. I currently serve as the Secretary General of APCNZi, where I provide strategic and administrative leadership and oversee the day-to-day operations of the organisation to ensure the effective delivery of its mission and objectives.
In this role, I am responsible for supporting governance and Board processes, managing organisational administration and communications, coordinating programmes and initiatives, and leading stakeholder and member engagement. I also represent APCNZi at various forums, engage with government agencies and industry partners, and contribute to policy advocacy and sector development efforts.
Michelle Mudawarima
Treasurer
Michelle is a Chartered Accountant with senior experience in finance, governance, and strategic leadership. She brings a strong focus on financial stewardship, long-term thinking, and organisational sustainability.
As Treasurer of APCNZ, Michelle supports the Board with financial governance and strategic insight, contributing to sound decision-making and professional growth within the African community.
Dr Aniebietabasi Ackley
Public Relations Officer
An experienced sustainability professional with a track record driving innovative and successful projects and programmes across both the private and public sector. Enthusiastic, self-motivated, reliable, organised, measured, methodical and hard-working person, who strategically use hard data to provide advice and solutions to complex issues requiring creative, analytical, and critical thinking.
My background is in Architecture and have worked and studied in three different continents of the world, with expertise in the building industry. Passionate about user centered design and healthy and sustainable buildings with a specific focus on reducing carbon and energy use and improving indoor and outdoor environments in schools, homes, offices and health care facilities.
Louise Waterworth
Communications Officer
Louise Waterworth serves as Public Relations and Communications Officer for the African Professional Council of New Zealand Incorporated (APCNZ). Alongside this role, she is the Chief Executive of a women’s centre and a registered counsellor, with a strong foundation in community-based work.
Louise is committed to communication that is inclusive, respectful, and effective. Through her work with APCNZ, she supports strong relationships, promotes the Council’s kaupapa, and highlights the contributions and achievements of African professionals across Aotearoa.
Dr Emela Fenmachi
Waikato Regional Representative
Dr Emela Fenmachi | APCNZ Regional Representative Waikato Chapter
Emela is a Senior Academic Staff Member and Initial Teacher Education (ITE) Research Lead at the Centre for Education and Foundation Pathways (CEFP) at Wintec. As the Waikato Regional Representative, she is focused on building strong community networks, leading outreach initiatives, and fostering collaborations that strengthen the presence and impact of African professionals in the region.
Ms Ruth Akiniyi Opiyo
Hawke's Bay Regional Rep
Ms Ruth Akinyi Opiyo
Regional Representative Hawke's Bay Chapter
Registered Nurse (NCNZ)|Palliative Care||Mental Health and Addictions Enthusiast||PG Student Massey University.
Aissa Edon
Community Engagement
Experienced Midwifery Specialist | Global Healthcare Leader | Remote Support for Expectant Parents| FGM Advocate
As a dedicated midwifery specialist, I have spent my career delivering compassionate, expert care to families around the world—whether in the NHS in England, remote clinics in Africa, or private hospital in the Middle East and Europe. From home births to hospital deliveries, I have supported thousands of parents through one of the most important moments of their lives.
Fluent in both English and French, I am passionate about empowering expectant parents to have a positive and informed birth experience. I offer tailored, support for families, no matter where they are, including remote consultations and guidance to ensure you feel confident and well-prepared for the journey ahead.
In addition to providing direct care, I have been a trusted member of organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), where I’ve worked in crisis zones to provide essential maternal health services to women in need. I also lead The FGM Hope Clinic Charity, helping to end female genital mutilation and offering medical and psychological support to affected women and girls.
Dr Kingsley Ihejirika
Professional Development
Dr Kingsley Ihejirika is the Council's Chair, Professional Development. He is currently working at the Ministry of Justice as a Senior Business Analyst. He is passionate about professional networking and is excited about the opportunity to foster the growth of African professionals in New Zealand.
Rhoda Irabor
Auckland Regional Representative
Rhoda Ilenwabor has always been driven by one question,
How can we make people’s lives better - mind, body, and spirit?
That question has followed her from her earliest days of studying pharmacy in Nigeria, through her journey into the research that's now defining her career path.
Rhoda is a PhD candidate in the School of Pharmacy at the University of Auckland, passionately committed to improving pain care for older adults. Her research sits at the intersection of technology and compassion, exploring how technology help clinicians detect pain more accurately.
For Rhoda, it’s not just data and digital health but dignity, equity, and ensuring no one suffers silently.
But Rhoda’s curiosity extends beyond clinical research. She has long believed that well‑being is also about how we grow, how we cope, and how we show up in every part of our lives.
That belief inspired the creation of the Rhoda360 Podcast, a space where she shares conversations and reflections on mental health, career pathways, personal development, and the delicate art of balancing who we are professionally with who we are at our core.
In both her research and podcasting, Rhoda is dedicated to bridging the worlds of science, self‑development, and everyday life.
Esther Wafula
Wellington Chapter Representative
Esther Wafula, originally from Kenya and now calling Aotearoa New Zealand home. Moving across continents was a big leap for her, but it profoundly shaped who she had become : resilient, curious, and deeply grounded in the value of community. Growing up in Kenya instilled in her a strong sense of togetherness, respect, and responsibility to uplift others, values she continues to carry with her in New Zealand.
Esther is passionate about technology and security, but just as much about people and creating spaces where others can learn, feel included, and thrive. Professionally, Esther works as a Senior Information Security Consultant at ANZ Bank, where she enjoys tackling complex challenges while keeping people at the centre of what she does. Beyond her role, she is also part of the bank’s Kapa Haka group, where they perform across the organisation while learning, honouring, and integrating te ao Māori and cultural values into everyday work and community.
She has proudly served the ISACA community for the past eight years, most recently as Vice President of the Wellington Chapter. Giving back through mentorship, community building, and supporting learning and inclusion is something she cares deeply about. Outside of work and volunteering, Esther value time spent connecting with people, appreciating different cultures, and enjoying the balance and perspective that life in Aotearoa offers.