I walk the talk, committing my time, talents and treasure towards supporting the community and enabling community organisations to be stronger and healthier. I have 25 years’ experience in the not-for-profit sector at a volunteer, management and governance level across a range of organisations including housing, sport, arts, environment, older persons, health and social services.
As well as being on a number of boards and committees, I am a tireless volunteer for groups and organisations across the region, providing advice and guidance. For six years I organised an annual (free) Funding Expo with stalls, speakers and workshops attended by over 200 people each year.
I have helped organise a number of community events from establishing Top Team competitions in conjunction with Sport Tasman, to fundraising art auctions for Nelson College for Girls, to the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand national conference at the Rutherford Hotel, to organising the annual Thomas Cawthron Memorial Lecture for 12 years.
I’m also involved in and volunteer at a range of arts events and venues including Nelson Heritage Festival, Nelson Fringe Festival, Ghost Light Theatre and Nelson Summer Shakespeare.
I run a fortnightly 30-minute radio show on Fresh FM, Community Conversations, that aims to highlight key topics of interest to the community from climate change to mental health, euthanasia, social media, arts and domestic violence. Previously I worked as a reporter for a community newspaper reporting on stories across the region and raising awareness of matters of local, regional and national importance.
I’ve run a community development consultancy for 15 years involving developing and delivering operational, governance, fundraising and communication strategies and reviews, feasibility studies and philanthropic market analyses, and event management.
I have Chaired and been a member of several funding bodies including COGS, Creative Communities, the Nelson Tasman Regional Funding Forum and Tasman District Council’s Grants and Facilities subcommittee.