Candidate Statements for the position of Disability Rights Officer 2025

Sasha Rodenko

Hi everyone! I’m Sasha and I’m running for Disabilities Rights Officer for 2025!

A bit about me – I’m in my 3rd year of a Bachelor of Optometry👀, am a huge animal lover🐱, and love to bake some yum food in my free time🎂.

I have an invisible disability and have been involved in advocating for disabled peoples’ rights for a while now, starting the Disability Action Plan alongside the Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity, and other disabled students/staff since my first year of uni. Here we speak from our experiences as disabled people at The University of Auckland to implement positive changes in the university environment for all. More recently I have founded the UoA Students with Disabilities in Healthcare Association, a club and a more importantly, a safe space for disabled learners who have an interest in healthcare.

If chosen, I will fight for more disabled-friendly events, more academic support for disabled people, as well as more opportunities for us to learn, relax, and have fun. Currently as a member of the Disability Action Plan I can only speak for the experiences that I have had, if elected I will make sure you all have a voice that the Pro Vice-Chancellor Equity will hear, implementing changes that matter and will ACTUALLY make a difference to you.

I am committed to ensuring that our needs are heard and most importantly… met.

Theo Van de Klundert

Kia Ora. I’m Theo van de Klundert, and I’m excited to be standing for election to be AUSA’s first Disability Rights Officer. Building on two previous terms on the AUSA Executive, I’m asking for your vote to build a stronger student voice, greater visibility of disability equity, and improvement of student services. I’m a fifth year BA/LLB student, the Chair of Spectrum Work Aotearoa, an employment advocacy trust for neurodiverse communities, and a member of City Vision. I have considerable experience in student advocacy and governance and lived experience as a disabled student. I’m collaborative, positive and effective. I enjoy productive relationships with other executive members, student groups and university leadership, and am well engaged with a range of groups across the disability sector.

Once elected, I’ll work to achieve improved disability support services on campus, extending access to diagnosis services to all students, easier and more consistent extension policies, and better access to student hardship grant funding. I’ll establish an AUSA Disability Advisory Group to provide advice from lived experiences to better support the executive and student council response to disability issues. With your vote, I’ll work tirelessly to ensure every student will be heard, valued, and well represented. 

Jude Pountney

I'm a 3rd year arts student that has dyslexic and ADHD, I'm passionate about finding way to best accommodate people of all kinds and finding ways to improve our learning experience at university. I understand the struggles of navigating university when you are different from others and know how scary and Isolateing it can all feel. Personally I dropped out due to my inability to keep up with my course work due to my different nature but I'm back with a keen desire to finish my degree and create a more accommodating and positive experience for people like me.

Ayolabi Martins

My name is Ayo, and I am a second-year Law and Arts student at the University of Auckland. Throughout my academic journey, I have been deeply involved in disability advocacy, working tirelessly to create a more inclusive environment for all students. My experience includes meeting with MPs, writing news articles, speaking in Parliament, and participating in various consultative groups.

If elected to this position, my initiatives will focus on fostering a supportive and inclusive community for disabled students. I plan to introduce bimonthly forums to address learning challenges and promote equal opportunities. These forums will serve as a platform for students to voice their concerns, share their experiences, and collaboratively develop solutions.

Additionally, I will establish regular drop-in sessions where students facing health challenges and academic pressures can meet, support one another, and share coping strategies. These sessions will provide a safe space for students to connect and build a sense of community.

I am also committed to actively seeking input from the broader disabled community at UoA. By listening to their suggestions and feedback, I aim to ensure that our initiatives are truly representative and effective in meeting the diverse needs of all students. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable university environment.

Your support would allow me to continue advocating for positive change and making a meaningful impact on the lives of disabled students at our university.