Ross Davis
Director of Youth and Community Projects
Director of Youth and Community Projects
Ross grew up with his parents, Francis Davis and Fay Paterson, and sisters Helen, Jane and Mary in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland), te whenua o Ngāti Whatua (local iwi). His connection with Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington) goes way back, however – his father's great grandparents arrived here from Ireland in 1845.
Ross has been living in this city and directing BGI for about 20 years now. He and his wife, Anna, have brought up their three tamariki Andrew, Eve and Claire here.
At BGI, Ross' role is Director of Youth and Community Projects. This has required understanding the ins and outs of BGI's history to develop projects which both further the vision of our founders and honour Te Tiriti.
Ross is not new to working with rangatahi (young people) – he was running youth groups through his church when he was just 20 years old! He's always loved learning from young people. Between then and now, he's been a qualified accountant and business co-owner, doing lots of sailing, sports and te ao Māori study on the side.
Given the chance to support his younger self, Ross says, "I'd reassure him that God really does love him – and that a life driven by giving to his community will energise him and spark joy. I’d encourage him to stay excited about the love of God, don’t go to church too much, learn Te Reo, art, and the guitar and keep practising your whole life."
Mary Major
Funding Coordinator
Funding Coordinator
Mary recognises the privilege of having grown up with a large, close and loving family in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland). These days she lives in the Wairarapa with husband, Geoff, a handful of sheep & chickens, and a kitten called Tui.
Mary’s background is in teaching English – she’s currently writing a novel – and she came to BGI to work on ideas for funding future projects. Mary has worn many hats at BGI, and is now focusing on Funding .
She says her greatest achievement is being a mother to her three grown-up children. And when asked how she'd support her younger self, Mary says she’d tell her to "follow your passions and don’t be afraid of failure – be afraid not to try."
Carey Young
Outreach Team Lead
Outreach Team Lead
Carey comes from a background in the arts, running dealer galleries and fostering opportunities for artists young and old to experiment, take risks and create.
She spent her childhood in Te Matau-a-Māui and moved to Australia with her whānau in her early teens. A unfettered urge to return to her homeland landed her in a turreted villa with an eclectic mix of musicians, artists and actors when she was 17 years old. The energy and opportunities this city offers has bought Carey back to Pōneke time and time again, it feels like home.
Carey takes on the role of Outreach Team Lead at BGI, where she passionately champions the importance of meaningful connections and actively works towards establishing BGI as a strong Te Tiriti partner. In her position, Carey assumes responsibility for various areas including funding, communications, marketing, and overall outreach efforts with an overarching mission to stand with young people to create great communities.
Georgia Bardsley
Operations Team Lead | EA to at the Director & Comms Assistant
Operations Team Lead & Comms Assistant | EA to the Director
Georgia grew up in Te Awakiarangi Lower Hutt, and now calls Wellington City home.
Georgia studied Health Promotion and Gender Studies at University, and is passionate about equitable policies that encourage people to live meaningful lives.
In her position at BGI, Georgia does a lot of the ‘behind the scenes’ mahi. She works closely with Ross to make sure things are running smoothly at BGI. She loves seeing the impact that BGI has on young peoples lives.
Georgia loves New Zealand summers that are full of camping, tramping and any opportunity to take her van on a weekend getaway.