Celebrating Service, Commitment and the People Behind NZSDRT

NZSDRT Team

Sep 4

4 min read

With heartfelt thanks to our outgoing Board members

As NZSDRT begins a new chapter following the 2026 AGM, we want to take a moment not to look ahead, but to look back with gratitude.

Board service is about much more than the position beside someone's name. Behind every role are hours of meetings, emails, assessments, planning, decision-making, member support and work that often happens quietly behind the scenes.

All of this is volunteered alongside careers, whānau, study, personal commitments and everyday life. It takes time, energy and a genuine willingness to contribute to something bigger than ourselves.

This year, four valued members of our leadership team concluded their Board service: Lorraine Cheng-Basilio, Yuri Poblete, Candice Ralph and Jacqui Hardie.

Each contributed to NZSDRT in different ways, but all shared something in common: they gave their time, knowledge and commitment in service of our members, our Society and the Diversional and Recreational Therapy profession.

As a small token of our appreciation, NZSDRT presented each of our outgoing officers with a gift to say thank you. While no gift can truly represent the many hours and contributions made during their time with us, we hope it serves as a reminder that their service has been seen, valued and sincerely appreciated.

Today, we celebrate them.

To Those Stepping Away, Thank You

Lorraine Cheng-Basilio

Vice President, 2024 to 2026

For two years, Lorraine served NZSDRT as Vice President, contributing to the leadership of the Society while also supporting the important work of the Registration Board.

Her involvement included speaking with applicants, participating in assessments and supporting Recreational Therapists seeking National Registration and Annual Practising Certificates. Through this work, she connected with DRTs throughout Aotearoa and helped uphold the professional standards that underpin our profession.

Lorraine has been a supportive colleague and a passionate advocate for the work our members do every day.

Lorraine, thank you for your leadership, encouragement, professionalism and service. Thank you for giving your time and experience so generously to NZSDRT and its members.

We wish you every happiness and success in the chapter ahead.

Yuri Poblete

National Registrar

Yuri's time as National Registrar has been one of growth and development for the National Registration programme.

During his tenure, the programme saw increasing engagement from new graduates and experienced practitioners, alongside updated registration guidelines, revised application forms, clearer work experience requirements and additional resources to make the process more accessible, transparent and supportive.

One particularly special milestone came at the 2026 NZSDRT Conference in Ōtautahi Christchurch, where Yuri celebrated his final group of National Registration graduates as Registrar.

Behind that moment was an immense amount of work. Yuri and the Registration team worked hard behind the scenes to ensure the candidates completed the necessary processes and were able to graduate on time. Seeing those newly registered DRTs recognised at Conference, surrounded by their colleagues, peers and whānau, made that effort worthwhile and was a fitting final milestone for Yuri's time as National Registrar.

His contribution was also very much a team effort, working alongside Registration Board members and the Executive to maintain a registration process that is fair, consistent and credible.

Yuri, thank you for your leadership, the improvements made during your tenure, the many hours spent supporting applicants and registrants, and especially for helping another group of DRTs reach that very special graduation moment.

We wish you all the best with your studies and everything that comes next.

Candice Ralph

Registration Board Member

Much of the work of a Registration Board happens quietly behind the scenes, and Candice's contribution is a wonderful example of this.

From monitoring registration renewals and maintaining records to responding to member enquiries, supporting virtual assessments, completing endorsements and helping with Board responsibilities, Candice contributed to the detailed work that keeps National Registration moving.

She also formed a great working partnership with Jacqui, with the two sharing responsibilities according to their strengths. Candice focused particularly on virtual assessments while Jacqui supported the review and assessment of documentation.

Candice also brought the caring spirit of a DRT to her interactions with our professional community, encouraging her fellow DRT whānau to remember to care for themselves as thoughtfully as they care for others.

Candice, thank you for every assessment supported, every member assisted and all the work that happened quietly in the background. Your time, care and commitment have been greatly appreciated.

Jacqui Hardie

Registration Board Member

Jacqui's service reminds us of something essential to any successful volunteer Board: teamwork.

Working closely with Candice, Jacqui played an important part in reviewing and assessing registration documentation, sharing the workload and helping ensure the registration process continued to move forward effectively.

Her appreciation for her Registration Board colleagues and the support they gave one another also reflected the strong sense of collegiality behind the team's work.

Jacqui, thank you for your time, knowledge and careful attention, and for being a colleague your fellow Board members could rely upon. Your contribution to NZSDRT and our National Registration programme has been valued.

Thank You for Being Part of Our Story

Leadership changes, Board terms come to an end, and eventually someone else takes responsibility for the role. But the contribution of those who served does not disappear when their term finishes.

To Lorraine, Yuri, Candice and Jacqui, thank you for the different ways you have helped NZSDRT and the people within it.

Thank you for the meetings attended, the applications and documents reviewed, the assessments completed, the members supported, the decisions made, the knowledge shared, and the countless pieces of work that happened behind the scenes.

Most importantly, thank you for giving something that is incredibly valuable and impossible to replace: your time.

The gifts presented to each of you are only a small expression of a much bigger thank you from the Society. We hope you leave your roles knowing that your mahi has been appreciated and that you have each played a part in the continuing story of NZSDRT.

As you step away from Board service, we wish each of you happiness, success and exciting new chapters ahead.

Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou katoa.

Thank you for your time. Thank you for your mahi. Thank you for your service. And thank you for being part of the NZSDRT story.