Regional Field Advisors
Our regional field advisors are located across New Zealand. They investigate and negotiate new public outdoor access opportunities and help retain existing public access. They also explore and help resolve public access disputes. They welcome opportunities to meet local people and organisations and to speak about their work.
- Shaughan Anderson — Northland | Te Hiku-o-te-Ika
- Dot Dalziell — Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau
- Felicity Brough — Waikato and Taupō | Waikato me Taupō
- Lauren Schick — Hauraki, Thames Coromandel and Bay of Plenty | Hauraki, Te Tara-o-te-Ika-a-Māui me Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi
- Kevin Ross — Manawatū, Whanganui and Taranaki | Manawatū, Whanganui me Taranaki
- Vacant Position — Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay | Tūranga-Nui-a-Kiwa, Te Matau-a-Māui. For access enquiries, please email info@herengaanuku.govt.nz
- David Barnes — Wellington and Wairarapa | Te Whanganui-a-Tara me Wairarapa
- Ange van der Laan — Top of the South and Kaikōura | Te Tau Ihu me Kaikōura
- Inger Perkins — West Coast | Te Tai Poutini
- Geoff Holgate — Canterbury | Waitaha
- Amie Pont — Otago, Waitaki and the Catlins | Ōtākou, Waitaki me ngā Catlins
- Richard Ryall — Queenstown Lakes and Southland | Tāhuna me Te Taurapa o Te Waka.
- Chris Charles — Based within Auckland Council as programme manager securing better public access to walking, cycling and horse riding in communities between Pūhoi and Mangawhai.
Shaughan Anderson
Northland | Te Hiku-o-te-Ika
Shaughan spent his youth in Whangarei. He studied in Auckland where he had a short career as a teacher. He returned to Kororāreka Russell and later Whangārei, working for over 40 years as a public servant at the Department of Lands and Survey (now the Department of Conservation). He worked in a variety of roles, mostly in visitor services.
Shaughan has a strong interest in historic sites, such as Te Ruapekapeka in the mid north. He’s particularly keen to see New Zealanders and their visitors access and enjoy New Zealand’s diverse outdoors heritage.
Shaughan enjoys walks with his family and is a keen recreational cyclist. His cycling interest has progressed from competitive road cycling to meandering New Zealand’s many cycle trails.
shaughan.anderson@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Dot Dalziell
Auckland | Tāmaki Makaurau
Dot has had a scenic career, taking in bus driving, Anthropology study and early childhood education in Wellington and Dunedin, Māori language immersion in Kirikiriroa, museum collection management in Napier and Auckland, walking and cycling advocacy in Waitākere, and, recently, community environmental partnerships and strategy at Auckland Council. Her core interest is in sustainable development at local and regional scales. She has seen first-hand the positive impacts of public access on community connectivity, resilience and environmental stewardship in West Auckland. Dot is fascinated by landscape trails and cultural heritage, from seasonal migrations to heroic journeys. Coupled with her passion for cartography and digital mapping and her love of walking and cycle journeys, being an RFA is an ideal focus for Dot’s energy, enthusiasm and interests.
dot.dalziell@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Felicity Brough
Waikato and Taupō | Waikato me Taupō
MSc (Management Science), Manchester (UK)
Farming is an integral part of Felicity’s life. She grew up on a coastal Wairarapa farm and ran a sheep and beef farm in the King Country with her husband, Mark. She is also involved in a wide range of community organisations. Off-farm, she has worked for a range of corporates and not-for-profit organisations in various roles, including rural banking. Felicity enjoys tramping, mountain biking and gardening. Many of her family members are hunters and anglers with a keen interest in access to the outdoors.
felicity.brough@herengaanuku.govt.nz
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Lauren Schick
Hauraki, Thames Coromandel and Bay of Plenty | Hauraki, Te Tara-o-te-ika-a-Māui me Te Moana-a-Toitehuatahi
MSc, BSc, Cert Env Management
Lauren grew up on a dairy farm in south Waikato. She has lived in the Bay of Plenty for over 13 years and often spends time in the Coromandel Peninsula visiting family.
In her spare time, you’ll find Lauren exploring new places in the outdoors. She’s always planning the next family trip with her husband and three children, whether tramping, biking, or to the beach. Her previous professional experience is in environmental science and environmental and resource management, including for regional councils.
lauren.schick@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Kevin Ross
Manawatū, Whanganui and Taranaki | Manawatū, Whanganui me Taranaki
Kevin has an extensive background in local government, spanning over 30 years with the Whanganui District Council. Initially employed as a regional planner, he progressed through the organisation, ultimately serving as the chief executive for 7 years before retiring at the end of 2015. He has had considerable experience dealing with most community sectors in his various roles within the Council. In later years, he focused on developing genuine and committed partnerships with local iwi. Kevin currently chairs the Tararua District Council Audit and Risk Committee.
He is passionate about enjoying and exploring the outdoors, being a keen tramper/walker and being a local tramping club member. He is also a member of the Whanganui Bushy Park Sanctuary Board, the NZ Artificial Limb Center Board and the 2017 World Masters Games Company that brought 25,000 athletes to Auckland, participating in some 24 sports.
In his spare time, he continues to pursue several sporting opportunities, focusing mainly on badminton, a sport in which he represented New Zealand some decades ago.
kevin.ross@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Vacant position
Gisborne, Hawke’s Bay | Tūranga-Nui-a-Kiwa, Te Matau-a-Māui
For further enquiries, please email info@herengaanuku.govt.nz
David Barnes
Wellington and Wairarapa | Te Whanganui-a-Tara me Wairarapa
David has been a tramper since his teenage years. In the 1980s, when his tramping club successfully fought to have the Silver Peaks range, north of Dunedin, become a scenic reserve rather than an exotic forest, he realised that speaking up can make a difference. He’s been a passionate outdoor recreation and conservation advocate since then. This led to a long stint on the executive of Federated Mountain Clubs and membership of the Otago Conservation Board, New Zealand Conservation Authority and New Zealand Geographic Board.
A few years ago, he confounded people who thought he was permanently rooted in Otago by moving to Lower Hutt. Before moving north, he’d already started exploring the Tararua and Remutaka Forest Parks. He now spends as much time as possible extending his knowledge of them, our Regional Parks and other outdoor access opportunities.
david.barnes@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Ange van der Laan
Top of the South and Kaikōura | Te Tau Ihu me Kaikōura
B. Env Management & Planning
Born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau/Auckland, Ange started working as a horticultural apprentice but quickly switched to the arts. After 7 years of living in London, which included working for Friends of the Earth UK, she returned to New Zealand. A chance meeting led to working in theatre and a long stint in film and television. Itchy feet led to a move to the Queenstown Lakes District in 2000 to enjoy the fantastic outdoor opportunities. Years passed, and Ange decided to study, eventually completing a Bachelor of Environmental Planning and Management from Lincoln in 2013. Ange began working for Herenga ā Nuku as the Tāhuna me to Te Taurapa o Te Waka/Queenstown Lakes and Southland regional field advisor in 2015. After 20 years in the Wakatipu basin, the itchy feet kicked in again, and this time heralded a move to Whakatū/Nelson. Ange enjoys learning te reo Māori, crocheting (it’s true), the beach, biking, and dog walks, and she is a passionate gardener.
ange.vanderlaan@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Inger Perkins
West Coast | Te Tai Poutini
BSc (Jt Hons, Geography/Geology), Dip (Rec Management)
Inger has always been captivated by the landscape and great outdoors of New Zealand and left a career in recreation and golf management in the UK to explore most corners of NZ and to volunteer with DOC in three areas in 2003. This led to an offer of employment, and she has worked for DOC on the West Coast for 11 years. Her role encompassed permissions, consents, and community relations, including advocacy, awareness and occasional access issues. Inger is also the manager of the West Coast Penguin Trust, a community conservation trust working to conserve penguins, seabirds and the coastal environment in this region.
Through both roles, she has worked with the various Councils, iwi, landowners, managers and developers to advocate for and negotiate conservation outcomes across the Coast. Inger loves to be outdoors, whether gardening, walking, cycling or kayaking. She’s also a keen landscape and nature photographer.
inger.perkins@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Geoff Holgate
Canterbury | Waitaha
B.Ag.Sci, M.Ag.Sci (Ecology)
Geoff grew up on a sheep and beef farm in South Otago. After completing his study at Lincoln, he joined the Department of Lands and Survey to work in the South Island high country.
Currently Principal of his advisory partnership (dealing primarily with the management of natural resources), Geoff’s extensive career has been principally associated with land and resource management in the South Island high country. Geoff enjoys tramping and cycling with his wife, Mary-Ann.
geoff.holgate@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Amie Pont
Otago, Waitaki and the Catlins | Ōtākou, Waitaki me ngā Catlins
Amie moved to rural Māniatoto after gaining a degree in Marketing Management and Design at Otago and travelling the world for two years. Living in a sparse geographical area with a population of just 1200, she found her focus moving towards community development, communications and promotions. Amie is the chair of the local arts council.
Over the years, she has walked the Routeburn, Hollyford, Copland Track to Welcome Flat hut (twice), Rees Dart and parts of the Silverpeaks tracks and is looking forward to sharing these and many others with her children.
amie.pont@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Richard Ryall
Queenstown Lakes and Southland | Tāhuna me Te Taurapa o Te Waka
richard.ryall@herengaanuku.govt.nz
Chris Charles
Based within Auckland Council as programme manager, securing better public access to walking, cycling and horse riding in communities between Pūhoi and Pākiri.
Chris formerly spent six years with the Department of Conservation (DOC), managing community and inter-government partnerships.
He now works alongside iwi, the Rodney Local Board, Matakana Coast Trail Trust, DOC and community groups to create walkway and cycleway connections between communities in the region.