Trustees of the Prema Charitable Trust

Debra’s photo coming here soon

Trust Advisor

Phillip Cottingham PhD (Public Health)

Chairperson of the Trust, Phillip is a naturopathic practitioner who has been in practice and teaching for the past 37 years. He is the founder of Wellpark College of Natural Therapies of which he is now Principal Emeritus. He has been involved in many high level advisory positions within the education and naturopathic & complementary medicine fields. He was a member of the interim committee for the establishment of the World Naturopathic Federation and has presented his research to several conferences internationally. He is currently studying for a PhD in public health with the Australian Centre for Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the University of Technology.

Phillip is a co-founder of the Prema Charitable Trust and a Trustee of the Satyavan Trust, which work to foster spirituality, health care and education in New Zealand. He was asked by Swami Sundaranda to become a trustee of the Tapovan Trust around 2005, a position he accepted and, with Swamiji’s loving approval is happy to serve the Tapovan Trust.

Phillip brings to the Trust: a comprehensive knowledge of natural healthcare and its relationship to general healthcare in Aotearoa; A deep understanding of yoga and meditation and their roots in Vedantic philosophy and over 40 years of service in tertiary education, naturopathic organisations (including the World Naturopathic Federation) and charitable trusts serving healthcare and other needs in Aotearoa

Jenny (Savitri) Cottingham

As a co-founder of the Prema Trust Savitri brings strong leadership and management experience in areas related to the mission and vision for the Trust. A visionary with a practical ability to transform a vision into reality, she has dedicated her life to creating and managing communities and retreat centres based on the values held by the Trust as well as co-founding training institutions delivering natural therapies, yoga, ayurveda and body therapies in govt approved programmes. 

Savitri was the founding mother of the New Zealand International Yoga Festival, and subsequently the Voices of Sacred Earth Festival she has sought to connect yoga communities across New Zealand and Indigenous elders from around the planet, at sixteen annual festivals held on the North Shore

With a keen interest in the spiritual aspect Savitri has completed two master’s degrees exploring the spiritual process, within both social leaders in New Zealand and heads of spiritual institutions in India. The first on 'Consciousness' and the second titled 'From the self to the Self - An exploration of the process of Self-realisation in the context of Indian Psychology'.

 Savitri founded India Sacred Journeys and has over the past fifteen years led sacred pilgrimages to both the Himalayas and Mt Kailash in Tibet. Her current focus is writing and guiding students through an integrated yoga approach to inner transformation and awakening to the Self as well as continuing her work in unfolding sacred landscape.

She is passionate about the evolution of the work of the Trust as it moves into a new phase.

Debra Wymer

 As a Trustee and Director with many companies, Debra brings considerable experience in management and coordination.

Debra has many Qualifications including Kinesiology, Holistic Pulsing and completed a Business Diploma at Te Wananga of Aotearoa.

As the Director of 'Ngakau Ora', Debra has built an ever increasing Practioner & Client base promoting the traditional Holistic Maori Healing drawing on the centuries-old knowledge of Wananga Lore.

Debra also has many years well respected experience in Childcare as an Owner-Operator of Lollipops.

Along with her Husband, Debra has operated property investment Companies throughout NZ and the USA.

Her current focus is the development of Ngakau Ora and the future of the Prema Trust's mission.

Prasanthi Cottingham.

As a Harvard Graduate of Design student, studying for a Master in Urban Planning, Prashanti Cottingham brings a strong commitment to the Trusts mission.

Prashanti also Majored in International Relations & Development Studies in the completion of her Bachelor of Arts, and been involved with development policies on gender, development and decolonization..

Over 5 years working with Auckland Council in NZ, she gained substantial experience in Advisory & Coordinator roles. Alongside this, she has been a committed Volunteer for many NZ organisations or over 10 years. 

Prasanthi also attended Wellpark College of Natural Therapies, graduating with Diplomas in Therapeutic Massage and Aromatherapy.

She has received Awards in Development & Research, and brings significant experience and dedication to the role of advisor to the Prema Trust.