While each case is unique, we've been where you are. We are here to help you in your own journey. You are not alone.
ABOUT SAMMIE
Samantha is a Hague mother herself, experiencing domestic violence and fleeing Australia during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, seeking safety for her son and herself in New Zealand with the help from the Salvation Army they placed them on flights to return home to be safe.
Her Hague case was lost in 2021 and her son had to be returned back to Australia in early 2022. Samantha successfully won her relocation case in April 2022 and now resides back in New Zealand with her son and works in Family and Sexual Violence Services.
Motivated by her own experience and the lack of support available, Samantha co-founded the New Zealand Hague Collective, an organisation dedicated to helping other Hague parents navigate the trauma and complexity of international custody disputes. Her mission is driven by compassion, advocacy, and a commitment to ensuring no parent faces this journey alone.
Our Board of Trustee's
Dr Braden Clark
Dr Braden Clark is a Board member of the New Zealand Hague Collective and is passionate
about ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and families.
Braden is a registered social worker and has worked throughout Aotearoa New Zealand,
Australia and the United Kingdom in the child protection space. He has extensive
experience working with victims and perpetrators of family violence and has seen firsthand
how legal systems can be used by perpetrators of family violence as a form of control over
victims. Braden’s doctoral research has focused on working with children who have experienced
trauma. Braden will support the New Zealand Hague Collective to build strategic relationships with other international organisations and develop a greater understanding of how the New Zealand Hague Collective can better support and advocate for victims our organization supports.
Rebecca Johnson
Rebecca Johnson is a communications and marketing professional based in New Plymouth, where she has lived for the past 15 years after relocating from Western Australia.
Her career spans regional development, events, and marketing, focused on strengthening regional identity, driving growth, and connecting communities through strategic storytelling. In 2026, she made a decisive career pivot, stepping away from corporate life to co-own and operate a beachside café in New Plymouth.
Rebecca is a long-standing supporter of Taranaki Women’s Refuge, contributing to both Runway for Refuge and the Pop-Up Shop since their early development. These initiatives have raised significant funds to support women and families in Taranaki, and she was recognised as a Taranaki Women’s Refuge Community Champion in 2024.
Having navigated her own experience through the family court system, Rebecca brings a lived understanding of the challenges faced by parents, particularly in cross-border situations. She remains deeply connected to her community through governance and advocacy, and is a mother to her son Zac, born in New Plymouth in 2013.
Grants Manager
Natalie Plesky
Natalie is a solo mum, teacher, and advocate with lived experience navigating domestic violence, international family law, and complex legal systems across both New Zealand and Australia. Through Natalie's own journey involving domestic violence, 1980 Hague Convention proceedings, and the Australian court system, Natalie has gained firsthand insight into the emotional, financial, and practical challenges families face when trying to protect themselves and their children.
Working as a teacher supporting children with special needs has strengthened Natalie's compassion, resilience, and commitment to helping vulnerable families feel seen, heard, and supported. Natalie understands how overwhelming these systems can be, especially for parents trying to rebuild safety and stability for their children.
Natalie is passionate about using both her professional experience and personal journey to support, advocate for, and stand alongside others facing similar challenges. Natalie believes in creating stronger pathways for parents and children to access support, justice, and hope.