Navy officer. Recovery advocate. Entrepreneur. Chair.
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, where I learned early lessons in crisis management, discipline and looking after a team under pressure.
The 2010 and 2011 Canterbury earthquakes reshaped my career, as they reshaped this city. I founded the Rebuild Christchurch Foundation and later created and hosted Eyes East, a television series on the rebuild that gave a platform to community voices who weren't being heard through official channels.
That work led into elected office. I served one term on Christchurch City Council for the Central Ward from 2016 to 2019, then moved into business, founding Westgrow, a licensed medical cannabis venture grounded in kaitiakitanga, and Swiggs Consulting, which advises on strategy, governance and communications.
In 2022 I was elected to Environment Canterbury for Christchurch West/Ōpuna, and became Deputy Chair in October 2024. After the 2025 election the council unanimously supported me as Chair. Since November 2025 I have also chaired Te Uru Kahika, the collective of New Zealand's 16 regional and unitary councils.
Along the way I completed an MBA in Finance and a Doctor of Business Administration on disaster resilience in Canterbury's agricultural sector, and gained accreditation as an RMA hearings commissioner.
From the wardroom to the council table.
- Nov 2025 to now
Regional Sector Chair, Te Uru Kahika
Leading the collective voice of New Zealand's regional and unitary councils while resource management and regional government are reformed.
- Oct 2025 to now
Chair, Environment Canterbury
Unanimously supported as Chair at the inaugural council meeting on 29 October 2025.
- Oct 2024 to Oct 2025
Deputy Chair, Environment Canterbury
Deputy to Chair Craig Pauling for the second half of the 2022 to 2025 term.
- 2022 to now
Councillor, Environment Canterbury
Elected for the Christchurch West/Ōpuna constituency in 2022 and re-elected in 2025.
- Swiggs Consulting
Founder and Principal, Swiggs Consulting
Strategic advice on governance, communications and sustainable development for public, private and not-for-profit clients.
- Westgrow
Founder, Westgrow
A licensed medical cannabis venture built on kaitiakitanga and community benefit. An early lesson in regulated-industry business.
- 2016 to 2019
Christchurch City Councillor, Central Ward
One term on the city council, focused on recovery and central city rebuild decisions.
- 2015
Creator and host, Eyes East
Television series on CTV documenting the rebuild and amplifying community voices.
- 2010
Founder, Rebuild Christchurch Foundation
A non-profit backing grassroots, community-led earthquake recovery projects.
- 2005 to 2008
Royal New Zealand Navy
Foundational training in leadership under pressure.
What drives the decisions.
Kaitiakitanga
Guardianship of land and water, informed by mātauranga Māori and Te Tiriti obligations.
Evidence first
Data over dogma, and honesty about what the data doesn't yet tell us.
Unity
Bringing town and country, iwi and industry, to the same table.
Resilience
Preparing systems and communities for shocks before they arrive.
Study and accreditation.
- Doctor of Business AdministrationManipal GlobalNxt University, 2025. Thesis on the WEKA Framework
- MBA in Finance
- RMA hearings commissionerAccredited for resource consent and plan change hearings
Community recognition.
- Young New Zealander of the YearNominee, 2012
- Volunteering CanterburyRecognition for volunteer work, 2013
- Christchurch City Council Service Youth Award
Want the detail on the governance roles?
See the leadership record, or where Canterbury needs to go next.