Meet the Team

Who am I? My journey with HDC started eight years ago, following the Waiau/Kaikoura earthquakes. It was during this time that I truly grasped the strength of community connections and witnessed the positives that can emerge from adversity. At the core of my approach lies a grassroots philosophy. Drawing from my experience, I bring expertise in community engagement, communication, community development and people leadership to HDC. Thank you Hurunui, you have made me feel very welcome.

Why am I here? In my role as Community Partnerships Manager, I have the privilege of overseeing a diverse range of programmes that truly make a difference. Community led development is what ties all the pieces together and at the heart of what we do. I care about people. Building relationships and collaborating with communities for me is at the core of building healthy and inclusive communities.

What can I help you with? If you have a project or initiative that you want to get off the ground, if you have questions around community projects, or you see an opportunity to work together? The team and I are happy to listen and support communities to discover what is possible.

How to contact me:
Phone: 021 2586 586

Who am I? I moved to Aotearoa with my partner Carl in 2012 from the UK where I spent 15 years in youth, community and education work. I drove horse trucks for the first two years in NZ, which was a great way to see the country. I then spent four years at Ara as Student Voice coordinator and two years at University of Canterbury coordinating the Emerging Leaders Development Programme and Mentoring. Carl and I settled in The Hurunui in 2018 with a menagerie of pets. We welcomed our beautiful daughter Darcie in 2019, who greatly influences my commitment and investment to ensuring there are great opportunities for young people in our district.

Why am I here? I am passionate about empowering young people along their journey and seeking out ways to grow. I am a strong advocate for young people, promoting youth voice in our community and committed to growing rangatahi’s agency over their life and creating opportunities to achieve this.

What can I help you with? If you know of a young person (12-24 years) who wants to get involved in youth activities and opportunities across the district, get in touch. If you are yourself interested in supporting youth programme development in your community, let’s connect. If you work with young people and have ideas on collaboration, let’s network! 😊

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 1800 4655

Who am I? Kia ora koutou. I am a Southland lad who moved to Amberley in April 2010 to take on a combined Rural Fire / CDEM (Civil Defence Emergency Management) role. A lot of emergency events have occurred over the last decade…. Not my fault… honest… In 2018, I was seconded to the National Emergency Management Agency as a regional advisor to West Coast, Nelson/Tasman and Marlborough. I returned from this secondment in mid-October 2020 to a role that has dropped the Rural Fire portfolio as FENZ now manage this. My new role is purely focused on Emergency Management and Community Engagement. I have been involved in Civil Defence for 30 years as both a volunteer and professionally. I am currently an operational firefighter with the Amberley Volunteer Fire Brigade and a member of the NZ Emergency Management Assistance Team. Rebecca, my lovely wife, is a tower of strength in supporting me to do what I do. My 3 adult children are respectively; a missionary, an engineer and a youth pastor.

Why am I here? The safety and wellbeing of our communities is my prime consideration. We live in a dynamic environment, where the land itself is still being shaped. The forces doing the shaping, earthquakes, landslides, tsunami, major storms etc. are also the things that threaten us. There are individual and collective things we can do, before, during and after disasters that can reduce our exposure and increase our resilience. My role is to connect with individuals, communities and organisations to enable and empower them to reduce their risk, be ready to respond to and recover from disasters and significant emergency events.

What can I help you with? Provide or facilitate local training (CDEM concepts & skills, scenarios and inter-agency coordination), emergency preparedness and planning advice for schools, businesses and individuals to increase their resilience.

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 586 1733

Who am I? An impulsive purchase in the name of a dream church restoration project brought us to the Hurunui three years ago. We love the wide open spaces and kindness of the locals. I’ve worked with children and young people throughout my working life here in NZ and abroad and currently work in community development at- the Hurunui council.

Why am I here? I love community and working with community to create the best possible outcomes.

What I can help you with? As the facilitator of the Together Hurunui Network let me know if you see any gaps in our community.

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 1800 2773

Who am I? Kia ora Koutou. Born in Christchurch, my partner and I and our two young children have lived in Amberley the past eight years. I am passionate about the education and helping others having worked in the tertiary education sector most of my working life.

Why am I here? To support and make a difference in the community I call home.
To make our roads safer for all!

What can I help you with? As your Safer Roads Facilitator, I co-ordinate road safety campaigns, courses, and activities. The campaigns target identified local road safety issues and the courses and activities aim to increase knowledge and skills of all that use the Hurunui’s roads including drivers, motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 808 4563
My normal work days are: Monday, Wednesday & Friday, 9am - 5pm

Who am I? I'm a Hurunui girl at heart, having grown up in Amberley. I've worked at the council in a variety of roles for a number of years including administration and as part of the Hurunui Tourism team.

Why am I here? It's hard to get the Hurunui out of your system as it has a way of drawing you in. I love being able to travel around the district meeting residents, seeing community projects get off the ground and helping to host council events such as our popular summer pool parties. The scenery is an added bonus!

What can I help you with? Get in touch if you need some guidance on submitting a successful funding application, want to chat about age friendly (older persons) space or if you're interested in attending one of our community workshops. I also available to assist with community led development projects - how to get them off the ground, and who to speak with at council.

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 500 2562

Who am I? I have lived in the Hurunui my whole life spending most of my career thus far as a Qualified Early Childhood Teacher. I am now lucky enough to be a Youth Worker in the Hurunui area, where I once was a young person myself.

Why am I here? I am passionate about ensuring that rangatahi are empowered to strive and be the best version of themselves they can be. I want to make a positive impact on young people in the Hurunui and provide opportunities to grow and connect with others.

What can I help you with? If you know of a young person (12-24) in the Hurunui District, that wants to get involved in activities, events, or opportunities, please reach out. We can connect the dots!

How to contact me:
Phone: 021 1800 2929

Who Am I? I live on a rural block in North Canterbury. I have travelled extensively and worked over many sectors including the airlines, real estate, HR/recruitment and emergency services.

I was a business owner for many years and enjoyed employing and supporting staff.

I studied business and psychology at Massey and then did a Masters in educational psychology/counselling at UC. I love gardening, cooking and am a keen off road runner.

Why Am I Here? I love recruiting and see the MTFJ programme as an excellent way to use my skills to benefit both businesses and youth. It is very satisfying helping someone recognise their potential and creating pathways.

What Can I Help With? I work with employers in the Hurunui identifying opportunities for youth. If you have a vacant position within your business for a 16-24 year old, I can help.

How to contact me:

Phone: 022 016 5417
Working days Tuesday-Friday

Who Am I? I spent the first 17 years of my life in Amberley and after spreading my wings far and wide I have been drawn back - working in the region I love!

I have two beautiful teenagers and am lucky enough to have daily strolls on the beach with my gorgeous pooch.

Throughout my working life I have been involved in many industries, horticulture, education, sales with the majority being in hospitality management.

Why Am I Here? From being a teenager and having teenagers, I understand the tricky road that needs to be navigated during this time - it takes many hands of support!

I am lucky to be given the opportunity to help discover the skills and motivators in a young persons life and turn these attributes to guide and step into their career path.

What Can I Help With? MTFJ is an amazing nationwide programme that works towards the vision of all young people to be engaged in employment, training, or other positive community activities.

My role is to help young people navigate the steps needed to gain employment from creating a work readiness plan; Advise with curriculum vitae (CV) and cover letter, applying for employment, interview support and ongoing support during the first 3 months of their employment.

If you know of anyone that could benefit from our programme, I would love you to get in touch.

How to contact me:
Phone: 022 016 3828
Working days: Wed-Fri 8.30am to 4.30pm

Who Am I? I reside in Leithfield, where my family and I have made our home for more than 5 years. We deeply value the strong community spirit that defines Hurunui.

Within the Leithfield school community, I actively participate on the Board of trustees and I am committed to preserving and enhancing the current community ethos for the benefit of future generations. With experience working at the local medical center, I recognise the importance of building relationships and being a good listener. Additionally, during my time at the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority, I supported individuals affected by the Christchurch Earthquakes, understanding the vital role of effective communication, trust, and meaningful connections in overall well-being.

What Can I Help With? As the main contact for various community events organised by the Council, such as our Summer Pool Parties, Toot for Tucker, and the Council's Community Hub, I am enthusiastic about engaging with you to foster collaboration between the Hurunui District Council and your community.

How to contact me:
Phone: 022 025 0209
Working days: Tuesday - Friday 9-3.30

Who Am I? I grew up on a sheep and beef farm in Southland and have lived and worked in the Hurunui District for the past twenty years. I take pleasure in connecting with individuals of all ages and backgrounds across our region. My heart is in the district, our community, and its residents. Presently, I live in the Waipara area, where my husband, three children, and I run a small vineyard and accommodation.
In addition to tending to the vineyard and our guests, I am deeply involved in our local community. Whether it's organising or attending events, supporting local schools or cheering on my children on the sidelines at sport. I am committed to fostering a strong, vibrant community. The Hurunui District is more than just a place to live; it's a place to thrive, and I am proud to be a part of its ongoing story.

What Can I Help With? I am responsible for organising and facilitating engagement between our community and the Hurunui District Council. Feel free to reach out to me if you have a community project or event where you would like council involvement.

How to contact me:
Phone: 027 808 7006
Working days: Monday to Wednesday 8.30-3.30pm