I lead programmes to tackle New Zealand's most pressing socio-environmental challenges. As an internal consultant, my assignments have included:- design and establishment of New Zealand's Climate Change Adaptation Programme- establishment of collaborative projects across central and local government to change New Zealand's environmental management system- design of collaborative governance arrangements between central and local government and tribal organisations.

I led a project to transform Aotearoa New Zealand's environmental system. Overseeing a project team of 12 specialists, I drove the roll-out of new environmental management legislation to a first tranche of regions.Skills developed:- agile project management- dependency management- providing neutral political advice.

I helped create an organisation capable of tackling climate change, biodiversity loss, and the many other strands of the metacrisis we face. Acting as an internal consultant, I led critical organisational changes. I also advised the Chief Operating Officer and other executive leaders on organisational strategy. This included establishment of an Enterprise Portfolio Management Office to ensure we allocated resources in line with our strategy, and to ensure our work actually produced the outcomes we wanted. Other assignments included contributing to operating model design, overseeing the organisations transformation programme, and leading design of our change management practice.Skills developed:- transformation programme management - enterprise portfolio management - internal consultancy- applying agile principles to project management.

I developed partnerships across the private, public and NGO sectors to accelerate the Ministry's impact on the ground. My contribution to this newly formed team included establishment of new approaches to partnership development, sponsorship and management, and establishment of a programme of innovation partnerships.

I led transformation of social work services provided across two regional offices, contributing to a 90% reduction in negative outcomes. By establishing a strong change narrative and equipping managers to coach their people through uncertainty, I successfully brought the workforce on side, and established a culture of continuous improvement. Our mission was to better protect children, and support them to maintain connections with their cultural identity (whānau, hapū and iwi). We did this by facilitating collaborative solution development between managers, frontline staff and whānau (Māori families), and by co-designing improved services which prioritise whānau needs. In doing so I gained practical skills in designing and implementing changes to complex systems in a unique cultural context.Skills developed:- Change readiness assessment, - Change impact assessment, - Change infrastructure planning,- Systemic design,- Systems change,- Change communications.

I led a team of public engagement experts to improve the way Auckland Council engaged communities in decision-making. We provided enhanced digital tools, partnered with community organisations, and developed a community of practice for engagement practitioners. In doing so, we succeeded in significantly increasing public trust and confidence in Auckland Council as part of the organisation's transformational change programme. Skills developed: - project management- change management - team coaching and mentoring- systemic design- financial planning and reporting- leading organisational culture change.Delivered: - process improvements for over 1000 staff- three digital solutions integrated into existing systems- a programme of learning and development opportunities- a programme of community partnerships.

I acted as primary subject matter expert in a project to improve Auckland Council's efforts to engage with their culturally diverse communities. I developed Auckland Council's performance management framework for engagement.Skills developed:- Monitoring and evaluation- Performance measurement- Workstream leadership- Innovation in participatory democracy.

Leading a cross-organisational workstream, I developed Auckland Council's approach to engagement on 'local board plans' - three-year strategic plans for the local electoral term. This included leading development of a strategy to engage Treaty partners (of the Treaty of Waitangi, one of New Zealand's founding documents) in the development of these plans. I also developed a strategy for supporting and evaluating public engagement with local boards throughout this period. This work formed part of Auckland Council's wider efforts to support participatory democracy in Auckland.Skills developed:- policy development- leadership- project management- project evaluation- logic modelling.

I advised local politicians on strategic priorities to enable more effective public engagement with Auckland Council. Working in a small team of advisors, I supported transparent and accountable governance by the Otara-Papatoetoe and Māngere-Otāhuhu local boards, and guided collaboration with stakeholders and Treaty partners (of the Treaty of Waitangi, one of New Zealand's founding documents). Skills developed- public engagement and consultation- project management- workshop facilitation- organisational change- political advice and report writing.

I assessed urban development activities to determine their compliance with resource consents (municipal government permits). This involved investigating complaints relating to resource consents, negotiating resolution of issues, and monitoring developments to ensure compliance. Skills developed: - Stakeholder management - Negotiation - Conflict resolution.

I coordinated a volunteer programme to support the coastal clean-up from the wreckage of the container ship Rena which ran aground in the Bay of Plenty. I also liaised between senior Maritime New Zealand staff and community organisations, and to establish an "adopt-a-beach" community beach-care programme.Skills developed:- Volunteer facilitation- Leadership- Logistical coordination.

I completed an 8-month assignment in a small village in the Solomon Islands working with a local conservation board to run community development projects in nearby villages. Skills developed:- Relationship building- Community empowerment- Social change facilitation- Resilience.

As part of research expeditions in the mountains of southern New Zealand I identified plant and animal species and recorded data to inform ecosystem modelling.