A personal message of thanks

As I write my final message to you as Chief Executive of the National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing, I simply want to say thank you.

After eight incredible years leading the Foundation, I have made the decision to step down at the end of July. It has not been an easy decision, but one made for personal reasons as I look forward to spending more time with my family in Melbourne. Before I leave, I wanted to take this opportunity to reflect on what we have achieved together and, most importantly, to thank you for believing in our mission.

As someone who has lived with severe hearing loss since I was a teenager, and whose mum also lives with hearing loss and has two cochlear implants, this work has always been deeply personal. It has never simply been a job. It has been a privilege to advocate for and serve a community that I am proud to be part of.

When I joined the Foundation eight years ago, I wanted to build an organisation that was innovative, ambitious and prepared to do things differently. Looking back now, I'm incredibly proud of what we have achieved together. Thanks to your generosity, NFDHH has grown significantly over the past eight years, becoming New Zealand's leading hearing health organisation, recognised nationally for its advocacy, leadership, partnerships and measurable outcomes.

Together, we have grown from delivering a small number of programmes to leading a broad range of initiatives that are improving hearing health and accessibility across Aotearoa New Zealand.

In 2019, we launched our Hearing Screening and Make Listening Safe Programme, which has since grown to reach more than 100 secondary schools, helping thousands of young New Zealanders understand the importance of protecting their hearing.

Following a visit to RNID (formerly Action on Hearing Loss) in the United Kingdom in 2019, where they generously shared their workplace programme with me, we adapted the model for New Zealand and established our Hearing Accredited Workplace Programme. Today, 18 organisations have achieved accreditation, creating more inclusive workplaces for Deaf and hard of hearing employees.

Education has become another cornerstone of our work. Today, our workshops are delivered to organisations throughout Aotearoa, helping employers, community groups and professionals better understand hearing health, hearing loss, communication and inclusive practices. In 2026 alone, we have already delivered more than 37 workshops.

Our Retirement Village Outreach Programme, launched in 2023 with just five villages, has grown to almost 100 retirement villages, supporting older New Zealanders to prioritise their hearing health, maintain social connection and improve their wellbeing.

We've also embraced new technologies and practical solutions that improve accessibility and hearing health. Through our partnership with Kara Technologies, we are helping to enable the use of New Zealand Sign Language avatar technology to improve accessibility for the Deaf community. We also partnered to develop Sound Monkey, a sound monitoring device now supporting healthy listening environments in more than 200 early childhood centres across Aotearoa.

Over the past five years, we have also strengthened NFDHH's leadership role nationally and internationally. We became one of the first New Zealand organisations to join the World Health Organization's World Hearing Forum, allowing us to work alongside international experts and organisations to advance global hearing health priorities. This has enabled us to bring global thinking and collaboration into New Zealand, from aligning our Make Listening Safe Programme with the WHO's global initiative to developing New Zealand's first National Hearing Health Strategy, grounded in the evidence, principles and global priorities set out in the WHO's landmark World Report on Hearing released in 2021.

We have also been fortunate to establish valued partnerships with organisations including RNID in the United Kingdom, Triton Hearing, Specsavers, Oceania Healthcare, Resonate and Amplifon. These partnerships have helped us introduce new ideas, strengthen our work and reach more people throughout New Zealand.

In 2019, we also established our dedicated Donor Relations Team, recognising that fundraising is about much more than asking for support—it's about building lasting relationships. Many of you reading this will know Graeme, Jon, Jill and Adam. Over the years they have taken the time to get to know you, share the impact of your generosity and keep you updated on the Foundation's work. I am incredibly proud of the trusted relationships they have built with our donors over many years. They genuinely care about our supporters and the work we do, and I know many of you have come to know them personally.

We've also transformed how we measure and communicate the difference your generosity makes. Our 2025 Impact Report is one example of our commitment to demonstrating clear, measurable outcomes and accountability to our supporters.

While I am proud of every programme, partnership and initiative, I believe my greatest achievement has been building an extraordinary team. They are talented, passionate people who care deeply about those we serve. I leave knowing the Foundation is stronger than when I joined, with strong governance, sustainable finances, exceptional staff and a clear Roadmap for the future.

Everything we've achieved over the past eight years has been made possible by your generosity and belief in our mission. Your support has enabled us to grow our reach, influence national policy and improve the lives of thousands of Deaf and hard of hearing New Zealanders.

Although I will be leaving NFDHH at the end of July, I am pleased to share that I will continue supporting the Deaf and hard of hearing community in a new role based in Melbourne from August. While my role will change, my passion for improving hearing health, accessibility and inclusion will remain as strong as ever.

Thank you for your generosity, your trust and your belief in what we could achieve together. I leave with enormous pride in everything we have accomplished and complete confidence that the Foundation's best years are still ahead.

With heartfelt thanks,

Natasha Gallardo
Chief Executive
National Foundation for Deaf and Hard of Hearing