What does your role involve?
Being an Assistant Development Manager is super varied and busy! Not only do I work very closely with our team on overall project delivery, I have the privilege of collaborating with our iwi, community-based teams, LEAD Alliance and build partners. It’s the best of all worlds – I meet amazing people and am constantly learning.

What do you enjoy most about your role? 
I really enjoy interacting with our communities, especially tamariki. It’s exciting to see them enjoy the new and improved spaces we have planned for their neighbourhood and I love seeing whānau enjoy their new, healthy homes. I’m very proud and immensely grateful for the opportunity to do the mahi we do for our communities, and to work with an amazing, hard-working and loyal team.

What do you love most about the Waikōwhai community? 
Resilience and manaakitanga. Waikōwhai, like many other areas in Puketāpapa, has been through a lot. It’s incredibly humbling to see how everyone takes care of this community, and I’m looking forward to getting to know the Waikōwhai locals better as we all work together for the neighbourhood.

What were you doing previously? 
I’ve worked in the Roskill Development Team for more than five years, starting as a team coordinator. Joining the team was a really interesting and challenging opportunity, which is nothing new as I’ve had a pretty colourful career! I have worked in the music industry, film and television and automotive, to name a few. Most of my roles were based on helping all sorts of people, managing offices, and entertainment and events. I even worked as a drama teacher for a while, which was really cool.

What do you like doing outside of the office? 
I love to travel and am often over the ditch visiting family in Australia. I also enjoy a good old-fashioned Kiwi road trip, exploring our beautiful whenua. I have lived under the gorgeous Waitakere Ranges all my life so I’m spoiled for choice close to home, too! I’m a very proud Mum and Nanny, so whānau is a big part of my life. My granddaughter is a 7-year-old ball of sassy energy, hilarity and kindness. We share a love of books, music, games, popcorn movie nights and generally being goofballs together. I have a fur-baby, Nixy, who is my best bud, and I’m a member of the Sing Creative Choir – we’ve entered into the World Choir games in Tāmaki Makaurau in 2024, so wish us luck!