about us
We believe in creating a world where everyone feels and is, valued.
why we exist
As a social enterprise wholly owned by the will&able Charitable Trust,
our purpose is to build a thriving enterprise that showcases and advocates for the talents of neurodiverse and differently abled Kiwis.
We do this through two mission-led business units:
Our will&able cleaning products are NZ-made and packed with pride by our team in Auckland. Available online and in supermarkets across the country.
Providing high-quality, reliable services to organisations nationwide, including kitting and assembly, light manufacturing, and product cleaning and refurbishment.
Around 80% of our business is made up of business services, delivered by a team of individuals whose skills and strengths are often overlooked by traditional employers. At will&able, they’re not just seen - they’re celebrated.
our vision, mission & purpose
Our vision is of a world where everyone feels and is, valued.
Our mission is to cultivate a community
where neurodiverse potential flourishes.
Our purpose is to build a thriving enterprise that showcases and advocates for neurodiverse talents.
everyone deserves the right to work
We empower our incredible team with roles that utilise their unique strengths, foster their independence and cultivate a genuine sense of purpose, community and belonging.
why our work matters
Neurodiverse and differently abled people bring unique strengths and, with the right opportunities, thrive - making significant contributions to workplace culture, innovation and productivity.
what our place means to our people
what makes us different?
Our values are woven into everything we do:
we are whanau.
we do our best.
we laugh together.
we grow every day.
we help each other shine.
we are all superstars.
how you can be part of it
Shop our products: every bottle you buy helps us create meaningful work for neurodiverse Kiwis.
Partner with us: use our business services and let our team show you what they’re capable of.
Spread the word: share our story with your friends, whanau and workplace to encourage awareness around neurodiversity and the employment opportunities we can offer.
By supporting will&able, you're not just buying a product or outsourcing a service. You're helping us build an Aotearoa - where everyone has a chance to thrive.
who we are
Our story began with Altus Enterprises, a trusted provider of business services and meaningful employment for over 60 years. Today, as will&able, we’ve expanded our impact - combining our established B2B services with our range of eco-friendly cleaning products - all while staying true to the values that started it all.
meet the people behind our team
Kate O’Leary, Chief Executive Officer
Kate joined will&able in 2024. Her career spans commercial law, management consulting, launching food and beverage businesses, and serving as an independent director. After a year living in Italy with her family, she was drawn to an organisation with social purpose at its heart. will&able’s vision of a world where everyone feels - and is - valued resonated strongly. Kate is excited to help create a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and able to reach their potential.
Lisa Visser, People & Culture Manager
Lisa is an experienced HR Business Partner with a focus on developing effective stakeholder relationships. Partnering and coaching to empower leadership capabilities to align with strategic organisational objectives and employee engagement. A strong people focus and organisational experience has been gathered from extensive HR generalist experience, a teaching background and executive assistant roles.
Matt Dagger, Operations Manager
Matt joined will&able in 2025. He has a background in the not-for-profit sector and has worked for a variety of different organisations in the social service and environmental sectors. Matt finds great value in will&able's mission of ensuring that employment opportunities are made available for all members of our community. Matt reckons that he is pretty lucky to work at a place where people care for each other as much as they do at will&able!
Connie Smith, Production Manager
Connie has been with will&able since 2016. She has over 30 years of experience in Customer Service and Production. Her roles included Hospitality and Print & Promo. Connie is responsible for directing and coordinating the production of customer orders with her team of competent supervisors. She also communicates with suppliers and customers daily to maintain the efficient operation of the workplace.
Craig Burston, Head of Sales
Craig joined in 2019 to set up the will&able product business. He has 35 years’ experience in sales management and general management roles, primarily in the IT industry. His motivation for joining is his son Thomas who has worked at will&able for 8 years. He has seen the positive impact and growth that a person with neurodiverse challenges gains by working in an empathetic work environment. He takes this passion to all meetings with customers and partners to seek great outcomes for the business.
Kate O’Leary, Chief Executive Officer
Kate joined will&able in 2024. Her career spans commercial law, management consulting, launching food and beverage businesses, and serving as an independent director. After a year living in Italy with her family, she was drawn to an organisation with social purpose at its heart. will&able’s vision of a world where everyone feels - and is - valued resonated strongly. Kate is excited to help create a workplace where people feel safe, supported, and able to reach their potential.
Lisa Visser, People & Culture Manager
Lisa is an experienced HR Business Partner with a focus on developing effective stakeholder relationships. Partnering and coaching to empower leadership capabilities to align with strategic organisational objectives and employee engagement. A strong people focus and organisational experience has been gathered from extensive HR generalist experience, a teaching background and executive assistant roles.
Matt Dagger, Operations Manager
Matt joined will&able in 2025. He has a background in the not-for-profit sector and has worked for a variety of different organisations in the social service and environmental sectors. Matt finds great value in will&able's mission of ensuring that employment opportunities are made available for all members of our community. Matt reckons that he is pretty lucky to work at a place where people care for each other as much as they do at will&able!
Connie Smith, Production Manager
Connie has been with will&able since 2016. She has over 30 years of experience in Customer Service and Production. Her roles included Hospitality and Print & Promo. Connie is responsible for directing and coordinating the production of customer orders with her team of competent supervisors. She also communicates with suppliers and customers daily to maintain the efficient operation of the workplace.
Craig Burston, Head of Sales
Craig joined in 2019 to set up the will&able product business. He has 35 years’ experience in sales management and general management roles, primarily in the IT industry. His motivation for joining is his son Thomas who has worked at will&able for 8 years. He has seen the positive impact and growth that a person with neurodiverse challenges gains by working in an empathetic work environment. He takes this passion to all meetings with customers and partners to seek great outcomes for the business.
meet the Board
Brent Talbot, Chairperson
Brent is a chartered accountant & a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. He uses the skills developed through these memberships to bring a disciplined approach to finance and governance oversight.
Brent has had a long career in both finance and information technology developing strong skills in both. He has worked in New Zealand and overseas as a consultant with many organisations to implement and benefit from the use of new systems.
Brent enjoys working with different community groups which work to make our communities inclusive and respectful of all. Brent is also a trustee on the Devonport Peninsula Trust.
Ewe Leong Lim, Director
Ewe Leong has been a commercial and corporate lawyer since 1987. He is a senior partner of Anthony Harper, Lawyers. He also sits on the boards of NZX-listed Blackwell Global Holdings Limited and various other private companies and trusts.
He has previously been on the board of the Americold New Zealand group of companies. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, Governance NZ, CPA (Aust) and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries. Ewe Leong has a long association with and personal interest in, the disability sector.
Mark Callander, Director
A key player in New Zealand’s competitive telco market for two decades, Mark has driven multiple strategic acquisitions as head of Vocus Group NZ. In 2022, Mark led the merger of New Zealand’s two leading challenger telcos - Vocus Group NZ and 2degrees, to form a stronger challenger committed to delivering innovation, network investment and strong competition to all market segments.
Before his involvement with Vocus Group NZ and its predecessor companies, Mark spent a good deal of his career in FMCG, where he honed his skills and passion for working in challenger businesses. This also led to an enduring appreciation of the customer in all a business does - a spirit he imbues throughout 2degrees today. As the leader of a dynamic business, Mark believes achieving cultural alignment when merging businesses is crucial in achieving high engagement and successful outcomes across teams.
Evangelia Henderson, Director
Evangelia brings a broad range of skills including marketing expertise, fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and experience in the Not-For-Profit sector. She has a track record of marketing-led innovation, leadership and governance. Her experience includes international and NZ organisations - Reckitt Benckiser, Frucor, Vodafone, World Vision and Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
As CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation for 10 years, she grew significant organisational revenue and vastly increased the range of services for patients. Evangelia has a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Cape Town, a Marketing Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing London and is a member of the Institute of Directors NZ.
Evangelia is keen to support charitable organisations making a difference in people’s lives. She is also on the board of Cystic Fibrosis NZ.
Barry O'Neill, Director
Barry is an accomplished business leader with a wealth of experience in successfully leading large teams across various functions, including sales, marketing, and supply chain. With a diverse background that spans SME and multinational companies, including Goodman Fielder, Granarolo NZ, Mars, and Foodfirst, Barry has demonstrated his expertise in managing businesses through change management and driving growth through innovation. He has also been involved in project managing numerous IT products.
Barry is committed to giving back to the community, having served as a mentor, coach, club treasurer, and committee member for the Manukau Special Olympics team for over seven years. He is proud to have taken teams to many tournaments, including the National Summer Games.
Fiona Natusch, Director
Fiona is an impact strategist passionate about reducing social inequities through innovative ventures. She has a personal connection to disabilities & brings a younger perspective to the board. Fiona draws on a decade of experience enhancing strategy and investment for impact models from mobile banking and smallholder agriculture in SE Asia through to initiating systemic change for entrepreneurs transforming Aotearoa's mental well-being offerings.
Trained in economics, Fiona holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and is a member of the NZ Institute of Directors. Her governance roles currently include supporting former refugee entrepreneurs in Aotearoa and Microfinance in Northern Myanmar.
Jacqueline Farman, Director
Jacqueline is a highly experienced senior leader, director and board chair with more than 15 years’ governance experience across corporates, SMEs, social enterprises and start-ups. She brings deep expertise in customer insight, brand and business strategy, sustainability and data management, underpinned by a 30-year executive career including CEO and Executive Director roles in multinational consulting firms. She chairs the Sustainable Business Network and has held governance roles with Millward
Brown/Colmar Brunton, Hammer Hardware and CCAL. A business owner and strategist, Jacqueline is known for driving growth, brand transformation and purpose-led change, with strong capability in risk, people and performance governance. She is deeply committed to supporting purpose-driven organisations to create meaningful environmental and social impact.
Mark Lowndes, Director
Mark is an experienced director, strategic advisor and investor with more than four decades of governance and commercial leadership in New Zealand and internationally. He has served on both global and local boards and founded two innovative corporate law
firms with international reputations and pioneering governance and use of
technology. Mark brings deep expertise in M&A, corporate advisory and cross-border business, and has extensive
experience guiding organisations through growth, change and succession. He is known for his pragmatic approach, strong relationship skills, and ability to
simplify complexity while maintaining clear strategic focus. As Chair of global law firm network Multilaw, he founded its Pro Bono Programme, which raises funds in each conference location to make significant donations to local charities - so far supporting over 40 charities worldwide. Mark is committed to sustainable value creation and proud to support will&able’s mission to grow meaningful employment for neurodiverse and differently abled
New Zealanders.
Simon Mander, Director
Simon has broad senior leadership expertise across industries ranging from ag-tech, building products, to flexible and fibre-based packaging. During Simon’s career, he has specialised in performance improvement, as well as in
strategy development and execution. He has worked internationally in a number
of industries and has recent experience in the New Zealand and Australian
building products market most recently as CEO of Metro Performance Glass.
Prior senior roles have been with well-known companies such as Tru-Test
Corporation, Fletcher Building, DS Smith PLC, Carter Holt Harvey, Partners in
Performance, Lion Nathan and McKinsey & Co. He was also a director of
NZX-listed AoFrio for nine years. Simon holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mech)
degree from the University of Auckland. A keen yachtsman, he represented New
Zealand in yachting on a number of occasions including in the International 470 class at the 1988 Olympic Games.
Brent Talbot, Chairperson
Brent is a chartered accountant & a chartered member of the Institute of Directors. He uses the skills developed through these memberships to bring a disciplined approach to finance and governance oversight.
Brent has had a long career in both finance and information technology developing strong skills in both. He has worked in New Zealand and overseas as a consultant with many organisations to implement and benefit from the use of new systems.
Brent enjoys working with different community groups which work to make our communities inclusive and respectful of all. Brent is also a trustee on the Devonport Peninsula Trust.
Ewe Leong Lim, Director
Ewe Leong has been a commercial and corporate lawyer since 1987. He is a senior partner of Anthony Harper, Lawyers. He also sits on the boards of NZX-listed Blackwell Global Holdings Limited and various other private companies and trusts.
He has previously been on the board of the Americold New Zealand group of companies. He is a member of the Institute of Directors, Governance NZ, CPA (Aust) and the Institute of Chartered Secretaries. Ewe Leong has a long association with and personal interest in, the disability sector.
Mark Callander, Director
A key player in New Zealand’s competitive telco market for two decades, Mark has driven multiple strategic acquisitions as head of Vocus Group NZ. In 2022, Mark led the merger of New Zealand’s two leading challenger telcos - Vocus Group NZ and 2degrees, to form a stronger challenger committed to delivering innovation, network investment and strong competition to all market segments.
Before his involvement with Vocus Group NZ and its predecessor companies, Mark spent a good deal of his career in FMCG, where he honed his skills and passion for working in challenger businesses. This also led to an enduring appreciation of the customer in all a business does - a spirit he imbues throughout 2degrees today. As the leader of a dynamic business, Mark believes achieving cultural alignment when merging businesses is crucial in achieving high engagement and successful outcomes across teams.
Evangelia Henderson, Director
Evangelia brings a broad range of skills including marketing expertise, fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, telecommunications and experience in the Not-For-Profit sector. She has a track record of marketing-led innovation, leadership and governance. Her experience includes international and NZ organisations - Reckitt Benckiser, Frucor, Vodafone, World Vision and Breast Cancer Foundation NZ.
As CEO of the Breast Cancer Foundation for 10 years, she grew significant organisational revenue and vastly increased the range of services for patients. Evangelia has a BSc in Chemistry and Biochemistry from the University of Cape Town, a Marketing Diploma from the Chartered Institute of Marketing London and is a member of the Institute of Directors NZ.
Evangelia is keen to support charitable organisations making a difference in people’s lives. She is also on the board of Cystic Fibrosis NZ.
Barry O'Neill, Director
Barry is an accomplished business leader with a wealth of experience in successfully leading large teams across various functions, including sales, marketing, and supply chain. With a diverse background that spans SME and multinational companies, including Goodman Fielder, Granarolo NZ, Mars, and Foodfirst, Barry has demonstrated his expertise in managing businesses through change management and driving growth through innovation. He has also been involved in project managing numerous IT products.
Barry is committed to giving back to the community, having served as a mentor, coach, club treasurer, and committee member for the Manukau Special Olympics team for over seven years. He is proud to have taken teams to many tournaments, including the National Summer Games.
Fiona Natusch, Director
Fiona is an impact strategist passionate about reducing social inequities through innovative ventures. She has a personal connection to disabilities & brings a younger perspective to the board. Fiona draws on a decade of experience enhancing strategy and investment for impact models from mobile banking and smallholder agriculture in SE Asia through to initiating systemic change for entrepreneurs transforming Aotearoa's mental well-being offerings.
Trained in economics, Fiona holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and is a member of the NZ Institute of Directors. Her governance roles currently include supporting former refugee entrepreneurs in Aotearoa and Microfinance in Northern Myanmar.
Jacqueline Farman, Director
Jacqueline is a highly experienced senior leader, director and board chair with more than 15 years’ governance experience across corporates, SMEs, social enterprises and start-ups. She brings deep expertise in customer insight, brand and business strategy, sustainability and data management, underpinned by a 30-year executive career including CEO and Executive Director roles in multinational consulting firms. She chairs the Sustainable Business Network and has held governance roles with Millward
Brown/Colmar Brunton, Hammer Hardware and CCAL. A business owner and strategist, Jacqueline is known for driving growth, brand transformation and purpose-led change, with strong capability in risk, people and performance governance. She is deeply committed to supporting purpose-driven organisations to create meaningful environmental and social impact.
Mark Lowndes, Director
Mark is an experienced director, strategic advisor and investor with more than four decades of governance and commercial leadership in New Zealand and internationally. He has served on both global and local boards and founded two innovative corporate law
firms with international reputations and pioneering governance and use of
technology. Mark brings deep expertise in M&A, corporate advisory and cross-border business, and has extensive
experience guiding organisations through growth, change and succession. He is known for his pragmatic approach, strong relationship skills, and ability to
simplify complexity while maintaining clear strategic focus. As Chair of global law firm network Multilaw, he founded its Pro Bono Programme, which raises funds in each conference location to make significant donations to local charities - so far supporting over 40 charities worldwide. Mark is committed to sustainable value creation and proud to support will&able’s mission to grow meaningful employment for neurodiverse and differently abled
New Zealanders.
Simon Mander, Director
Simon has broad senior leadership expertise across industries ranging from ag-tech, building products, to flexible and fibre-based packaging. During Simon’s career, he has specialised in performance improvement, as well as in
strategy development and execution. He has worked internationally in a number
of industries and has recent experience in the New Zealand and Australian
building products market most recently as CEO of Metro Performance Glass.
Prior senior roles have been with well-known companies such as Tru-Test
Corporation, Fletcher Building, DS Smith PLC, Carter Holt Harvey, Partners in
Performance, Lion Nathan and McKinsey & Co. He was also a director of
NZX-listed AoFrio for nine years. Simon holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mech)
degree from the University of Auckland. A keen yachtsman, he represented New
Zealand in yachting on a number of occasions including in the International 470 class at the 1988 Olympic Games.