Our Team
Our staff team consists of the most intelligent and best-looking bunch of people we could find who are willing to work for free! We are all volunteers but are committed to making your Mission Adventures experience a great one.
Wade & Erica Gadsby – Directors
Wade and Erica have been with Mission Adventures NZ since 2007, and they love their job! They also love to work on their project house and car, cook food for homeless people, and listen to crazy stories. They live in Auckland with their cat Jake, and can be found eating KFC most Friday nights.
Coming Soon – South Island Coordinator
More information coming soon!
Trista Lucas – Bay of Plenty Co-Coordinator
Trista is originally from the USA, but has been living in NZ for the last 11 years. She lives with her 3 year old son Keenan in Tauranga, where she works as a travel agent and a zumba instructor. She is passionate about showing youth other countries, and how they can be used by God to bless others.
Matt Dawson – Bay of Plenty Co-Coordinator
Matt and his wife Cora have been in YWAM for just over 10 years in Australia and NZ. He’s a Kiwi but was born and raised in the USA. Matt and Cora live in Tauranga and are passionate about helping young people get hooked into an awesome destiny with God. Matt’s a straight rocker.
David Bosma – Outreach Staff
David is originally from Nelson, and has recently graduated pastoral leadership at Carey Baptist College. Often known as Bosma, David is a great member of our outreach staff team, and is well loved for inventing the “Bosma Skit” and having a large block of ice fall one metre onto his bare foot.
Jed & Kayla Olson – Outreach Staff (Cambodia)
Jed and Kayla are originally from the USA, and currently transitioning between NZ and Cambodia with their first kid on the way. This awesome couple are passionate about helping young people partner with God in reaching the lost, and are legends for only starting to date AFTER deciding to get married!
Eric & Anna Mailau – Outreach Staff
Eric and Anna are a great Kiwi couple recently married. Eric has just finished his youth pastoral leadership training, and Anna is a personal trainer and fitness guru! They both love Jesus and young people, and think that connecting these two things is the best cause out. Oh… and they love food. Especially island food.
Glenn Brown – Outreach Staff (Builder)
Many people say that Glenn is Samoan on the inside, which he blames on his upbringing in a West Auckland high school! He loves going to the tropics, people and music, and is currently a music student at Vision College in Christchurch. Glenn is also a qualified builder and can’t get enough of doing mission trips.
Fleur Hanner – Training & Outreach Staff
Fleur is recently married, and is currently based in Tauranga with her husband Luke. Her work is strongly involved with mentoring youth. She loves walking on the beach, bunny rabbits, soy chai lattes, old cars, and seeing young people released to be all they can be.
Dave Laird – Mentor & Web Designer
Dave is the founder of Mission Adventures NZ, and provides good mentorship to this day. He directed this ministry for five years before returning to the USA. Today, Dave works as a web designer, and loves good coffee, his beautiful wife Jen, and his three kids Drea, Corrie and Zack.
