In 2020 my husband Alistair and I purchased our avocado orchard on Wharawhara Road, Katikati. Combining our separate strengths, Alistair brings previous experience from the agriculture/horticulture industries and I bring extensive commercial experience, we have invested considerable resources and effort in understanding what best practice avocado

orchard management looks like and have been implementing that on our orchard to transform it to consistently produces quality fruit and is economically sustainable.

Since moving to Katikati I have been actively involved in the industry. I was appointed to the

NZAGA Board in 2023 and have been Chair of the Audit and Risk Subcommittee for the duration of my tenure. I am a member of the Apata Grower Committee. Prior to this I was a Grower Director for Trevelyan Avocado Growers Limited.

Prior to becoming an orchardist, I was a senior business leader with my most recent experience across professional services firms. In these roles my focus was on coaching and enabling people to deliver business performance.

I offer commercial acumen, a practical and pragmatic approach, the ability to cut through complexity, a focus on delivering excellent customer service and looking for ways to improve

business performance. Culture and values are important to me and I strive to create a culture where people are trusted, valued, challenged and empowered.

How long have you been an avocado grower?

Since 2020

What is your involvement in the Avocado Industry?

I am currently on the NZAGA Board and am Chair of the Audit and Risk Subcommittee. I belong to an informal group of growers who meet on a regular basis.

I am currently a committee member of the Apata Growers Committee. I have been a Grower Director Trevelyan Avocado Growers Limited.

I am actively involved in the industry, regularly attend field days, exporter run information sessions, packhouse events and technical sessions.

Tell us about your role on the orchard as a grower:

Together Alistair and I manage the orchard strategically and we are both actively involved in the day-to-day management of the orchard. I participate in all aspects of the orchard activities, primarily fertiliser application, weed control, pruning, phytophthora control and harvest management. I manage the Global Gap audit process.

Your occupation outside growing avocados:

I am currently a Consultant working with a Chartered Accountant who has a practice based at Waihi Beach

Skill / qualification Please provide detail against each of the following areas of skill, qualification or experience.

Legal expertise, qualifications or regulatory experience relevant to governance, compliance or commercial operations

I do not have any legal qualifications or experience.   I have attended IOD courses relevant to my governance role with NZAGA to enable me to understand the regulatory and compliance environment we are operating in. These courses include: Governance Essentials, Finance Essentials, Audit and Risk Subcommittees and AI Governance for Boards.

Financial expertise, qualifications or experience in areas such as accounting, auditing, investment, risk management or business oversight

I have deep corporate experience in leadership roles in professional services firms, public sector and privately held businesses with significant revenue and workforce. This translates to critical skills in leadership, strategic planning, risk management and relationship management.   My commercial experience lets me approach challenges with a fresh perspective, champion for growers’ interests, and push for changes that prioritise growers’ economic sustainability.   I am a Chartered Accountant.

 

Scientific, technical or research expertise relevant to horticulture, biosecurity, quality systems, sustainability or industry innovation

I managed our participation in the 2026 Ballance Farm Environment Awards in which we were a Bay of Plenty finalist. Through this process we demonstrated our commitment to sustainable practices across our orchard.

Other professional skills, qualifications or specialist expertise relevant to the governance of NZAGA

ICC Accredited Coach BBS BBS, major in Accounting and Finance, Massey University DipBS, major in Accounting, Massey University

 

Business and commercial experience, including ownership, management, operational or strategic leadership roles

Senior leadership roles, most recently with BDO Auckland, The Serious Fraud Office and Grant Thornton Wellington.

Governance experience, current and previous including boards, committees, industry groups or community organisations

I am currently on the NZAGA Board and am Chair of the Audit and Risk Subcommittee. I am a committee member of the Apata Growers Committee. I have been a Grower Director Trevelyan Avocado Growers Limited.

 

Involvement across the avocado or wider horticulture supply chain, including grower, packer, exporter, marketer or related stakeholder roles

I belong to an informal, influential group of avocado growers who meet approx. every six weeks to share ideas on orchard best practice, challenges we are facing, opportunities we see at both an industry level and an orchard level, orchard management styles and philosophies.   I attend NZ Avocado run field days and packhouse events. We host field days on our own orchard. I attend technical sessions to assist me understand the complexity of avocado growing and marketing.   Our orchard supplies both the export and local markets and I am actively involved understanding opportunities in the local market subscription service along with opportunities for high end processing of avocados.

Please outline any specific experience or perspectives you believe would add value to the NZAGA Executive and support the future needs of the industry and share with members how you believe you can add value to growers as an NZAGA Executive:

My perspective of the industry is informed by deep commercial experience, a mindset of continuous improvement and a focus on performance to improve results.

As a grower I have an understanding of the wider industry through my active involvement and am looking to ensure orchard sustainability as well as the wider industry sustainability.

Please provide practical examples demonstrating how your experience or skills have contributed to improved governance, business performance, industry outcomes or organisational leadership:

As Chair of the Audit and Risk Subcommittee for the past three years, I have applied a risk-based approach to helping the Board meet its responsibilities in audit, financial reporting, risk management and regulatory compliance.

From the start of my tenure as ARC Chair the approach has been on ensuring accountability to growers for their levies. We have adopted best practice and streamlined processes to ensure the Association is efficient and fit for purpose. Significantly we reshaped the budgeting process to ensure grower levies are applied appropriately with robust business cases required for all non-operational expenditure – and clear linkages to enablement of the strategy required.

Any other comments to support your nomination:

The avocado industry is facing significant challenges and I offer the ability to advocate for grower interests leveraging my extensive commercial experience in navigating complexity and ambiguity.

I came into the Avocado industry as a grower 2021, buying a small established orchard Pukekohe district south of Auckland.

Having been in my business for some 35years it was time for a change. As a Shareholder, Director and Executive Director, I left behind me a very successful labour of a lifetime behind. Growing from 2p to over 200+p had its numerous successes and challenges. My direct experience includes property management, leases, business acquisitions – staff management and training – building business systems, processes and infrastructure – continual analysis of P&L and reporting – financial budgeting, stock and supply chain planning and budgets – HR – H&S. Board member attending monthly meetings over decades.

What a change it has been! The challenges of growing are abundantly clear.. systems, compliance, operating costs etc versus income. Having personally lost 50% of production, Cyclone Gabriels wet then destroyed half the orchard in my third year. I carry out all orchard operations personally and have reinvested in site works planting various Avocado varieties and trialling different layouts and techniques learned throughout my journey so far. I am a keen advocate of the chainsaw, pruners and plant nutrition and avoiding chemicals if possible. I still have passion for my own property.

Financially, I see the industry very tough and, in my opinion, somewhat fragmented and difficult.
I don’t see the industry being a very profitable one for many growers, [happy to be proven otherwise] but I do believe that my past experiences and passion for CI, can help add scrutiny and ‘some unbiased out of the box thinking’ on your behalf by my representation on the Board.

How long have you been an avocado grower?

5 years

 

What is your involvement in the Avocado Industry?

Grower / Contractor / Enthusiast

Tell us about your role on the orchard as a grower:

Pruning – Large old tree reformations – New tree form and shape – flower/ production control

Monitoring – started [not completed] monitoring course – adapting and using learned practises

Spraying – Using Atom sprayer practises for non-chemical approach to health / insect control

Nutrition – Using sprayer for targeted fertigation and ground application of nutrients etc

[above practises using the Mature Tree Health Decision Guide by AVOCO]

Harvest – All picking often using a pick and prune as you go technique

Post Harvest orchard maintenance – Direct Sales to market

Marketing – Attending Farmers Markets – regular direct customer relations

Orchard forming planting, upgrades, earthworks, and drainage.

Chainsaw aficionado

Espalier dabbler

Your occupation outside growing avocados:

Part Time Contracting

Skill / qualification Please provide detail against each of the following areas of skill, qualification or experience.
Legal expertise, qualifications or regulatory experience relevant to governance, compliance or commercial operations
No formal Qualification   Shareholding Director Role – required relationships directly with lawyer/s and company accountants, HR experts, Insurance Experts. Over many years such alliances and guidance in everyday business practices, to guide business growth, assist with guidance of regulatory requirements and compliance etc.   Executive Director Role – required relationships with all stakeholders around managing and growing the business. Includes operational budgeting, financial budgeting, oversight of marketing. CI of systems and reporting, company acquisitions/mergers and Property Management   Commercial Operations – Assisting internal accountant, Managing Managers [Training] and Product Managers [stock buying and distribution], associated Logistics and planning, oversight of marketing, senior company advocate, systems oversight and design,
Financial expertise, qualifications or experience in areas such as accounting, auditing, investment, risk management or business oversight
Partially covered above   No Qualifications in depth Experience.. Monthly Directors Meetings analysis of financial performance of the Group of companies. Assisting internal CA daily/weekly P&L monitoring and reporting Understanding/assisting in design of and provision of, including CI of Company computer systems with numerous stakeholders internally employed and external providers. Financial reporting – monitoring individual store front [Sales], Stock control, management, purchasing, and trends into P&L for that individual operation up to group level. Use Excel for Budgeting / comparison / cross analysis and auditing of system reports often in order to determine CI of systems

 

 

Scientific, technical or research expertise relevant to horticulture, biosecurity, quality systems, sustainability or industry innovation

Avogreen Monitoring Course – not completed

Other professional skills, qualifications or specialist expertise relevant to the governance of NZAGA

Site Safe Supervisor – Company Health and Safety Director Grow Safe Cert holder – expires 2026 – due for resit. I was part of a small team to write the new NZWRSA constitution for compliance with NZ Incorporated Societies Act 2022. The process took many months of part time work and continual working group meetings online. [relevance being my in-depth understanding of the requirements around incorporated societies]

 

 

Business and commercial experience, including ownership, management, operational or strategic leadership roles

Town Planning Inspector Retail Manager Product manager – Local and international purchaser and marketer Retail Store manager Band manager Shareholder [several companies over time] Director [several companies over time] Executive Director  WebbGroup Logistics – supply chain, manufacture, wholesale, retail, consumer, warranty and returns Budgets – P&L forecasting – short and long term financial planning – management tool Brands – stakeholder liaison – management – purchasing – marketing Staff – procurement – onboarding – management – training – mentoring Property – procurement – leasing – projects H&S – Compliance and Staff  LKN Group Contract Manager 2021

Governance experience, current and previous including boards, committees, industry groups or community organizations

Additional to above NZWSRA – New Zealand Water Ski Racing Association Multiple roles in management committees Technical Rules Committee Racing Committee National Coach Worlds Competition Committee

 

Involvement across the avocado or wider horticulture supply chain, including grower, packer, exporter, marketer or related stakeholder roles

Grower / Farmers Market Sales

Please outline any specific experience or perspectives you believe would add value to the NZAGA Executive and support the future needs of the industry and share with members how you believe you can add value to growers as an NZAGA Executive:

I sold my shareholding in my company post Covid. Having returned to the land I find the challenges growers have, being much the same as any business to manage. My background has led me to look critically at the industry. I have activated a few industry friends for further insight, attended open days, online training and the NZ Avocado World Conference. I have lost over 50% canopy production due to weather and latterly irretrievable damage of the orchard and have keenly started replanting. I am a relative newcomer yes.. but I realise poor OGRs and difficult P&Ls, and industry led assistance needs to improve. That with a better knowledge of the organisation the from inside and some outside the box fresh ideas I can contribute.

Please provide practical examples demonstrating how your experience or skills have contributed to improved governance, business performance, industry outcomes or organisational leadership:

I have a wide practical skill set born from my childhood and working my teen years on family orchards [Tauranga] and farm work just up the road. After a stint Town Planning in Tauranga and Manukau, that background of being able to pragmatically do almost anything lead me to 35 years of diverse business experiences.  Tackling growth, constant change, performance, compliance, the people and politics around and within it, the learning by mistakes produced successes and acquisitions. Our company of 2p at the outset in the 80s, grew to over 200p over 30+ years. Supply chain international and local, many property leases and ownerships, business process and performance analysis, systems changes, staff and compliance over years. I am only qualified by experience. I am practiced hands-on Leader, Director, Executive Director, and shareholder.

Any other comments to support your nomination:

I have no affiliations nor axes to grind. I simply wish to see the industry growers get better results.