Ronald McDonald House South Island welcomes new CEO

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Ronald McDonald House South Island welcomes new CEO Mandy Kennedy

Ronald McDonald House South Island is pleased to announce Mandy Kennedy as its new Chief Executive Officer, a leader with a wealth of experience and passion to keep families close.

Board of Trustees Chairman Paul Deavoll says Mandy will replace Matthew Mark, who stepped down from the role in February, to become the new Christchurch City Missioner.

“We are excited to welcome Mandy to the Ronald McDonald House South Island (RMHSI) family. She brings with her a wealth of experience in both the charity and corporate sectors and we look forward to this new chapter for the organisation.”

Based in Christchurch, Mandy will lead the organisation which runs three facilities, a 26-room house in Christchurch, a Family Room in Christchurch Hospital and the Ronald McDonald Family Room, Southland Hospital.

These facilities provide free accommodation and support to families who must travel to Christchurch or Invercargill for their child’s medical treatment.

Mandy comes to RMHSI from the Queenstown Trails Trust, where she has been the Chief Executive Officer of the charitable organisation for the last four years.

Her career spans across the non-profit, tourism and hospitality sectors. Before working for the Queenstown Trails Trust, Mandy was the Director of Business Development at the Hilton Queenstown Resort & Spa.

Mandy has held a variety of positions in the non-profit sector; Trustee on the Queenstown Primary School Board, Chairman of her local Scouts Group, and Trustee for the Baby Box Trust, a new organisation in the Queenstown-Lakes District to provide support for families with the arrival of new-borns.

As family and community are at the heart of Mandy’s ethos, she says the role at Ronald McDonald House is ‘a dream come true’.

“The opportunity to lead and work alongside a passionate, successful and caring team of a highly regarded charity ticks all the boxes for me.

“Every day the Ronald McDonald House team makes a significant difference to the lives of families in a very special way – I am relishing the opportunity to be a part of that.”

Mandy will be moving to Christchurch with her husband David Kennedy, the former Ngai Tahu Tourism’s Southern Regional head, who is the new Lincoln Hospitality Chief Executive Officer.

The couple have a 10-year-old son Jack, who Mandy says is already excited about boogie boarding at Sumner beach.

Mandy Kennedy will commence her role at Ronald McDonald House South Island on June 12.

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