Garth has worked in, with and around not for profit organisations (and those who fund them) since he started his first organisation with school mates as a 16 year old. His ongoing love-affair with not for profit organisations is an expression of his passion to create a more just and inclusive world. Over the years he’s led a government policy unit, worked in a cabinet minister’s office, was National Director for the Australian Council of Social Service, and for 20 years developed curriculum and taught part-time in the Unitec’s programmes.

Garth is a seasoned coach, working with leaders from large, small, local and national organisations, for example, Te Tapuae o Rehua, Toy Library Federation, Family Centre (West Auckland), Neighbourhood Trust (Christchurch), Rape Prevention Education, Citizens Advice Bureau NZ, Christian Budgeting NZ, Community Energy Action, Girl Guiding NZ, Waimana Kāku Tribal Executive. He has facilitated workshops in New Zealand, the Pacific, Australia, and Hong Kong on a range of values-based leadership issues, including Governance, Monitoring & Outcomes, Lobbying & Influence, and Strategy & Contracting.

Garth is a strong advocate for ‘our sector knowing better', and chaired the first, collaborative Study of the Non-Profit Sector in New Zealand (as part of the Johns Hopkins International Comparative Study of the Non-Profit Sector), was deputy chair of Australia New Zealand Third Sector Research, and is long-standing co-chair of Tangata Whenua, Community & Voluntary Sector Research Centre. He has written widely on sector issues.