About Me

Current

For six years I’ve been your local city councillor.

I’m strong but pragmatic. I’m independent and know the value of working together with local communities.

Community involvement is important to me so that;

  • your voice is heard
  • we work together
  • we build connected neighbourhoods and there’s housing for all

I’m committed to working with others so that our city continues to prosper and is able to readily adapt to future change.

I have the local government skills, and strategic experience to work with a new Council to shape a reset of Council’s priorities. I am fully committed to Wellington becoming the world’s most liveable “Big-Small” city for everyone now and into the future.

I’m strong but pragmatic. I’m independent and know the value of working with local communities.

Alongside my communities, I have saved a much loved heritage pool, strongly advocated for and secured additional arts funding, built stronger relationship with business communities and continue to champion for community and infrastructure improvements (especially water and roading) across the city.

Over the past three years, I have delivered for you :

  • Engagement – provided a voice to champion genuine engagement practices with our communities of place and interests
  • Planning – supported plans that provide a city centre and neighbourhoods that accommodate choice, cohesiveness and vibrancy plus pushing for key infrastructure improvements in Karori
  • Investment – helped secure further investment for improving Karori’s town centre,  revitalising Khandallah Summer Pool and getting a new footpath and steps into Rangiora Ave
  • Advocacy – helped address local issues such as parking, buses, safety, resilience and water services. I have advocated for you also on the proposed District Plan changes, encroachment license increases, significant natural areas (SNAs) designations and ensuring that proposed intensification is manageable and fair across the city.

About Me

I was born in Liverpool, England and as a young child emigrated with my family to Christchurch.

In 1994, I moved to Wellington with my two young daughters to take on a senior role within what was then the Department of Justice. I loved Wellington from the start, the friendliness of the people, the compactness of the city centre and the vibrancy of the city even way back then.

For five years I first lived in the wonderful community of Owhiro Bay and then Mornington. In late 1999 my daughters and I moved to Khandallah with my new extended family – husband Jeff Owens and his two daughters. We love the character of Khandallah and the real community spirit. Our four daughters went to local schools, are now grown (with one granddaughter and a new grandson adding to our family) and we are fortunate that they all still live and work in the wider Wellington area – Johnsonville, Central city, Berhampore and Kingston.

Experience

I have over 25 years of experience working in large government and private enterprises in operational and strategic leadership from Project Manager through to General Manager roles – (strategic planning, business operations, HR, Health and safety, IT, stakeholder engagement, customer delivery, process management, financial transactions management, membership management, Insolvency management etc). A large part of my experience has been in the public sector (Justice, State Services Commission, Immigration, WorkSafe) including working at Wellington City Council managing their Financial Transactions Bureau (2002-2005).

 

 

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“By working collaboratively together we will bring more progress for our city”