Who are are - meet the Trustees of Tony’s Place
Dr Shelley Brunskill-Matson
Dr Shelley Brunskill-Matson received her PhD in Health from Victoria University of Wellington in 2023. Her PhD focused on understanding children’s experiences of care and support after suicide.
Shelley has facilitated the Waves programme (for adults bereaved by suicide) since 2015, at times training other facilitators, also. Shelley co-developed Skylight Trusts’ children’s bereavement programme, Matika with Jenny McIntosh, and they are currently developing programmes for children and teenagers affected by suicide, to be piloted through Tony’s Place, before being rolled out nationwide.
Shelley has had a longstanding training and advisory role with Victim Support Manaaki Tāngata, and previously held the role of National Manager of Victim Support’s Suicide Bereavement Service. Shelley also established the Wellington Suicide-loss Peer Support Group.
In addition to be a co-founder/Trustee of Tony’s Place, Shelley is an Advisory Board member for the Mental Health Foundation Suicide Bereavement Service.
Jenny McIntosh
Jenny McIntosh has an extensive background in counselling and pastoral care, both here in Aotearoa and internationally.
Jenny has had a longstanding connection with Skylight Trust, spending many years as the Resource Coordinator for Skylight Trust, and as Programme Manager and Facilitator Trainer of the Waves programme (for adults bereaved by suicide). Both of these roles drew on Jenny’s counselling and support skills. While no longer employed by Skylight, Jenny continues to facilitate the Waves programme.
Jenny co-developed Skylight Trusts’ children’s bereavement programme Matika with Shelley Brunskill-Matson, and they are currently developing programmes for children and teenagers affected by suicide, to be piloted through Tony’s Place, before being rolled out nationwide.
Dr Chris Bowden
Dr. Chris Bowden is a lecturer in educational psychology in Te Puna Akopai/ School of Education at Te Herenga Waka/Victoria University of Wellington. He teaches child and adolescent development in the undergraduate programme, child and adolescent mental health, and counselling in the Masters of Educational Psychology programme. His areas of expertise and research interest include grief, coping and adjustment, resilience and trauma informed practice.
Chris received his PhD in Health from Victoria University of Wellington in 2017. His PhD focused on understanding young men’s experience of losing a close male friend to suicide. He developed New Zealand’s first nationwide psycho-educational programme for adults bereaved by suicide (Waves) in conjunction with Skylight Trust.
Chris is the Academic Director of Mates in Construction NZ and an Advisory Board member for the Mental Health Foundation Suicide Bereavement Service.
Paul Matson
Paul Matson has been a Public Servant for over 40 years. He is currently the Manager, Customer Experience with Kainga Ora. While this role keeps him busy, Paul has always been very involved in his community.
Paul spent many years coaching junior rugby and cricket, and refereeing senior rugby. More recently he has managed secondary school football. Paul also has a longstanding history with swimming, having held several long distance ocean swimming records in his ‘younger days’, and he continues to officiate open water swimming events natioanlly and internationally. His extensive volunteering,, has also seen him on several Committees and Boards, meaning that Paul comes to Tony’s Place, as an experienced Treasurer. Paul brings strong strategic, analystical and business skills to the Board.