The Core Team

Annie Perkins, BSc, MSc, Managing Director and Facilitator

Annie has worked in agriculture and natural resource management in New Zealand for over 12 years. She currently works primarily as a business and project manager and has over 15 years experience as a professional facilitator. Annie’s passion is supporting learning about sustainable farming and has led six years of extension work for the New Zealand Farm Environment Award Trust. Annie has been an extension researcher (AgResearch), sustainable agriculture education coordinator (Environment Waikato), soil conservator (in the US), and catchment planner (in Australia). She has a BSc in Dairy Science (Virginia, USA) and a MSc in Ecological Economics (Edinburgh, Scotland).

Amanda Beatson, BA Hons (English), Marketing and Communications Consultant

Amanda has worked in marketing, event management and communications roles for over 15 years. She has experience in both the public and private sectors dealing with a diverse range of disciplines including education, health and engineering. Part of the Groundwork team since 2002, Amanda played a key communications role in the NZFEA Trust’s ‘Learning from Leaders’ initiative. Groundwork’s performance in this area led to a contract with MAF to train others in effective communication for SFF projects. Amanda enjoys finding the “right voice for a project’s needs” - one which sits comfortably with the client and works well for the intended audience. Whether creating a report or newsletter, web page or e-zine, advertisement, brochure, media release, strategy or policy document, Amanda’s goal is to write clear, concise, engaging copy.

Louise Hanlon, BAgSci MBA, Research Analyst

Louise Hanlon has been with the Groundwork team since mid 2008 and specialises in project management, technical writing, marketing and communications. She has a background in the agricultural and IT industries, having been involved in all aspects of the product cycle of agricultural software including: concept generation, testing, technical support, generation of support documentation and marketing. Most recently she has been involved in the project management of large scale broadband network installations. Additionally, she has provided writing, research and documentation expertise to a variety of large agricultural companies. Since gaining her degree in Agricultural Science and MBA (marketing major) from Massey she has enjoyed being a part of the vibrant New Zealand agricultural industry.

Janine Lowe, BMS Hons (Strategic Management and Marketing), Marketing and Communications Assistant

Part of the Groundwork team since March 2009, Janine is a recent graduate with strong communications, writing and social research skills. She has worked mostly in sales, complementing her marketing and client liaison skills. Janine led the information and data management process for the Grow Organic Dairy Project and helped with logistics, event support and coordination of audio visual services. She is passionate about sustainability and agriculture and enjoys uncovering the “good oil” in social research.

Oriana Brine, Research Assistant and Administration Support

Oriana joined our team in January 2009 while completing her BSC (Biological Sciences/Chemistry) at Waikato University.  Now studying for a biology masters at Auckland University she continues to work with us part time applying her research and communication skills to our projects.

Phillipa Crequer, Rural Event Design and Administration

Phillipa is an expert at planning and running rural events and has strong rural networks, a result of her long involvement with the Waikato Farm Environment Awards Trust and subsequently the NZ Farm Environment Awards Trust.  Annie and Phillipa have 10 years experience working together and Phillipa joined our team on a part time basis in 2009.

Judith Roberts – All in One Accounting

Judith has been an integral part of Groundwork’s operation since 2008, providing accounting, financial management and performance reporting services for our business and our projects.  A star with MYOB and excel and her exceptional analytical skills bring rigour and robust analysis to our project work.