About
Navy officer. Recovery advocate. Entrepreneur. Chair.
A career built on showing up in hard moments and staying long enough to fix things properly.
A career built on showing up in hard moments and staying long enough to fix things properly.
I grew up wanting to be useful. That took me first into the Royal New Zealand Navy as a GLX (Seaman Combat) Officer, where I learned early lessons in crisis management, discipline and looking after a team under pressure.
The 2010–2011 Canterbury earthquakes reshaped my career, as they reshaped this city. I founded the Rebuild Christchurch Foundation and created and hosted Eyes East, a television series documenting the rebuild and giving a platform to community voices who weren't being heard through official channels.
That work led into elected office — first on Christchurch City Council in 2016, at 26 one of the city's youngest-ever councillors — and later into entrepreneurship, founding Westgrow (a licensed medical cannabis venture grounded in kaitiakitanga) and Swiggs Consulting, advising on strategy, governance and communications.
Today I chair Environment Canterbury, sit on Christchurch City Council for the West Ward, and lead the regional council sector nationally through Te Uru Kahika. Along the way I completed an MBA in Finance, a Doctorate in Business Administration focused on food security and climate resilience, and gained RMA Commissioner accreditation.
Elected to lead the collective voice of New Zealand's regional and unitary councils nationally, at a pivotal moment for local government reorganisation and water reform.
Elected unopposed as Chair, after three years as Deputy Chair under Craig Pauling. Leading freshwater, biodiversity, climate and transport governance for Canterbury.
Elected to represent Christchurch West/Ōpāwaho constituency; served as Deputy Chair 2022–2025 before becoming Chair.
Returned to Council representing the West Ward, focused on infrastructure, sustainable development and community resilience.
Strategic advisory on governance, communications and sustainable development for public, private and not-for-profit clients.
Licensed medical cannabis venture built on kaitiakitanga principles and community benefit — an early lesson in regulated-industry entrepreneurship.
First elected at 26 — among the city's youngest-ever councillors — championing earthquake recovery and city-centre rebuild decisions.
Television series documenting Christchurch's post-earthquake rebuild and amplifying community voices during a critical period of decision-making.
Established a non-profit supporting grassroots, community-driven earthquake recovery projects.
Served in seaman combat, navigation and operations roles — foundational training in leadership under pressure.
Guardianship of land and water, informed by mātauranga Māori and Te Tiriti obligations.
Data over dogma — and honesty about what the data doesn't yet tell us.
Bringing town and country, iwi and industry, to the same table.
Preparing systems and communities for shocks before they arrive.
For community leadership through the post-earthquake recovery.
Multiple nominations for governance and community contribution.
Academic excellence through MBA and doctoral study.
Accredited for resource consent and plan change decision-making.
Formal roles don't tell the whole story. I stay involved with organisations working on regeneration, resilience and local democracy.
See the full leadership record, or jump straight to where I think Canterbury needs to go next.