SIEBA's Life Members are individuals who have been recognised for their immense contribution to New Zealand's international education school sector. 

Patrick held the position of SIEBA board chair for four years and spanning two terms of office from 2019 to 2022.

Through his stewardship of SIEBA during the difficult years of the pandemic, and other organisational challenges, SIEBA not only survived, but emerged in a strong position to prepare for life after Covid. Through Patrick's guidance and skilled governance, SIEBA was positioned to be stronger today than it has ever been.

His efforts to guide SIEBA on behalf of the sector went hand in hand while guiding his own school to do the same, along with other areas of service to groups within education.

Patrick is a person who is humble, highly respected, and dedicated to service to others. He is currently principal at Sacred Heart College in Auckland, is a former president of the Secondary Principals Association, is a former Chair of NZ Law Society Seminars on Education Law, and a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.

Jennifer Kirkham was SIEBA's first PLD Operations Manager from 2017 to 2023.

Jennifer joined SIEBA as a staff member in 2017. SIEBA was very new at the time and the position was brand new, but Jennifer spent no time in putting together a plan for how she were going to do the job.

In the following six years, Jennifer not only did the job, but created a framework through her actions, that has laid the foundation for how PLD would operate, not just at the time but into the future. That plan guides the way the role is done today, not because it must, but because it needs to.

Jennifer quickly became part of the SIEBA brand. She got to know everyone, and everyone got to know her. Jennifer's passion to help people grow, learn, and improve became SIEBA’s passion and because of this, her contribution to the organisation has been formative and will be timeless.

In June 2023 Jennifer retired to take up a writing career but stays connected to the sector and SIEBA by helping schools achieve their signatory status.

Chris was there at the beginning of SIEBA helping to shape and form the initial ideas for what SIEBA could be. He was the Chair of the SIEBA establishment board from 2014 to 2015 tasked to oversee the set-up of SIEBA business and operational systems, and was then elected to the first board of directors in 2015 and appointed as Chair by his colleagues, a role that he held for the next 4 years.

Chris' ideas and enthusiasm for what SIEBA could do to support the sector were insightful and infectious. Leading an organisation from its beginning needs a board prepared to take some risks, it needs a board willing to trust its managers, and it takes a board willing to roll up their sleeves and help on the ground when they can.

When looking for someone to be SIEBA’s first board chair, there was simply on one else in the sector more suited to the task. He was then, and still is today, one of SIEBA’s biggest fans.