Our Welcoming Communities Advisory Groups

Our Welcoming Communities Advisory groups are made up of a diverse mix of passionate people living across the Queenstown Lakes District community. They meet once a month on a voluntary basis and provide leadership and advice on the development of the Welcoming Plan 2023-2026 and the delivery of our programme of activities.

Quick links

Upper Clutha Advisory Group

Whakatipu Advisory Group

Welcoming Communities Advisory Group – Upper Clutha

Molly Hope

About me

I am from United States and moved to Wānaka in November 2019 on a working holiday visa. One of the driving forces behind my decision to relocate to New Zealand was to align myself with like-minded individuals and a government that shared the same values and principles that I do while also pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and embracing a new culture.

I’m grateful for the warm Wānaka welcome that I received, but I know that is not everyone’s experience. I feel passionately about making sure newcomers to the region have support integrating into our community. As a visitor turned resident, I can empathise with the highs and lows that come with moving to a new community and not knowing anyone, can bring.

I am currently the Destination Development Lead for Lake Wānaka Tourism – my role sits across trade, member capability, and visitors; primarily from the lens of supporting our industry to adopt the ethos of regeneration and thrive under the new destination management framework.

What I can contribute

I have a diverse background across a myriad of industries including finance, risk management, sustainability, and community engagement.

While I settled in quite seamlessly to Wānaka (thanks to one mutual friend I had), I did have challenges navigating the transient nature of the Queenstown Lakes District. While I felt welcomed, I still didn’t know where to look for credible information on how to navigate moving to a new country/town (i.e., setting up a bank account, finding housing, and once settled, how to best get involved in the community on a deeper level such as community engagement and volunteer opportunities). For me, the library and new-found friends were my two places where I looked for information.

I think it would be amazing to help ensure that Lake Wānaka Tourism is doing our part to make all feel welcomed (locals, newcomers, and visitors) and help utilise our resources and/or network to create spaces and information touchpoints to ensure all are welcomed into our beautiful community.

At the heart of who I am, I’m a connector—of people, ideas, opportunities, and action—and a storyteller.

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Niamh Shaw - Chairperson

About me

I am Irish and, since 2019, a NZ Citizen. I met my Kiwi husband in Dubai and we immigrated to NZ in early 2008. We have lived in Auckland, Blenheim, Oamaru and - for the last five years - Wānaka. My experience in Wānaka has perhaps been atypical: I was elected to council before I had the opportunity to establish a social network. Many people seem to hold elected members at arm’s length, and in that respect the experience was quite isolating.

I am currently a board member of both the Wānaka Primary School and Mt Aspiring College Board of Trustees; and the Chair of the Wānaka Alcohol Group, which works with various agencies (including QLDC, Community Networks and the Police) to support family in helping young people deal with adult-sized problems.

What I can contribute

I’ve had fascinating experiences in the different NZ communities within which I’ve lived! My husband and I chose to live in fairly remote places, but relocated to Oamaru when I was pregnant due to family proximity and to be a part of a community. I volunteered for many child-focussed organisations, but found that community quite challenging to integrate into.

Here, during my term as Councillor – and working closely with Community Networks/ LINK, the Police, Kahu Youth and two of our local schools – I’ve heard consistently from new residents (often mums) that they find it challenging making friends in this place. I believe this is particularly of issue here, because people often relocate without family support in the area. Without that built-in support network, your friends are your family; and without this, the experience for many immigrants can be less than ideal.

Most residents in the Queenstown Lakes District are immigrants - few of us were born here. However, the human condition – to want to connect with and support others – is universal.

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Magali Domingo

About me

I was born in Argentina and grew up in a farming family. After school, I did my degree in Agriculture Engineering, and after working for different companies, I decided that it was time to travel and open my horizons. I started my journey in Australia in 2017. I met my husband who is a New Zealander in Australia, and in 2019 we decided to move to Wānaka. I'm passionate about sustainable practices and Agriculture. I'm working as Farm Lead in WAI Wānaka, working very close with the community on different projects.

Wānaka welcomed me with open arms, and I found a community formed with a mix of locals and people from around the world, that helped me to feel comfortable and valued from the beginning. It’s the perfect place to work and settle.

What I can contribute

The global pandemic and border closure in the last couple of years marked my personal life deeply. I married and had a child while away from my family, and the uncertainty about the future made life very hard. The lack of community support through that time made me realise and understand the needs and gaps we need to help immigrants.

I want to be part of this initiative to support young immigrant families and individuals. To help them access better job opportunities, understand their legal rights, and get accurate and reliable information. I want them to feel comfortable, supported, and safe and to find Wānaka as I did, welcoming. I want the Latino American community to have a voice to create a positive and endurable change through time.

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Matthew Fanselow

About me

I grew up in Hokitika and have lived in Wellington and Christchurch. I moved to Wānaka in 2021.

I have a strong sense of community and a passion for volunteering. In 2010 I was one of the founding members of the Student Volunteer Army. In more recent years I have volunteered with several organisations, including Ronald McDonald Children's House, and Women's Refuge. I am currently a Trustee of the Wānaka Community Hub (the Hub). I am a Senior Consultant with MartinJenkins Consulting, specialising in research and evaluation.

What I can contribute

Welcoming Communities is personal for me. In my role as an evaluation consultant, I conducted the evaluation of the Welcoming Communities pilot programme for MBIE in 2019, spending time at each of the five pilot locations and meeting with newcomers to understand the impact Welcoming Communities had on them settling into their new home. I have a real love for the programme.

I am familiar with the unique challenges that come with trying to acclimate to the Queenstown Lakes District and would relish the opportunity to help others to settle. As a key community resource, the Hub is well-placed to provide support to newcomers, and I would like to help facilitate the relationship between Welcoming Communities, the Hub, and the Wānaka area.

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Naomi Lindsay

About me

I am originally from Leicester, England and have lived in the Southern Lakes for nearly 20 years. As a mid-20 something backpacker, with no plans except to travel New Zealand, I felt blessed when I arrived in Queenstown with nothing but a backpack and decided to make this region my home. This is the lure of this region. I believe for some newcomers the journey to making our region home is not as plain sailing and when I moved from Queenstown to Wānaka 10 years ago, I once again faced the challenge of being in a new place and meeting new people. It was hard.

I grew up in a multicultural school and city in the United Kingdom and previously (20+ years ago) worked as a community journalist working with and writing about multicultural societies and how they can thrive. I was the past General Manager of Ignite Wānaka, and now owner of Forage & Feast and Well Bean Café.

What I can contribute

I am passionate about ensuring people feel welcome in Wānaka and as past General Manager of Ignite Wānaka, I regularly met new people in our region who brought skills, experience, energy and often family to our town, connecting them with other like-minded people. In this role I noticed how hard it can be for spouses to settle here unless properly integrated into the community. I also met with employers who saw struggles with their employees settling here whether due to housing challenges, finances or just generally being so far away from home. Our business owners have a huge emotional responsibility – many of whom are not equipped - to their employees and families. I can offer valuable community engagement and communications insight and skills, general management and governance experience, good community connections and passion for this role.

Recently working in the café at the health centre I have been exposed to a whole new part of our community including new mums, those suffering from injury, tourists and the elderly. While I have been living in the Southern Lakes community for close to 20 years, I still understand how hard it can be to move here, whether alone or as a family unit, and would love to be a part of making the district a truly welcoming community for all.

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Aspen Bruce

About me

I am a New Zealand Pakeha and grew up in Papatoetoe in South Auckland until I was 13 years old, before my family shifted to Red Beach in the Hibiscus Coast to be near extended family.

Since then, I have lived in Switzerland, India, then moved to Nelson and settled in Wānaka in 2021. I first moved into the area to be a ski instructor at Cardrona in 2019, before heading north to live in Nelson over the summer, then Covid hit. I returned to Auckland for 2020, and while there I found myself longing to come back to Wānaka - there was something about this place that felt like home away home. In June 2021, I moved back down and returned to instructing for the winter season. Since my return to Wānaka I started to make some good quality friends.

What I can contribute

I recently joined the team at Scope Media (based in Wānaka), after working as a reporter for the Otago Daily Times, The News and Wānaka Sun. These roles have really made me appreciate what an epic community we have here in Wānaka - a real melting pot of so many people and stories. Despite growing up in New Zealand, it’s really only been in recent months where I've felt settled here. It can be a challenging place to call home (with its unique challenges like affordable housing, cost of living and physical distance from family), through a myriad of different conversations I have noticed this isn't an isolated feeling, but one shared within our wider community. Feeling more settled here, I wanted to join Welcoming Communities to give back and help others feel welcomed in - just like I have been in this community - so they feel safe and seen, to call this place home too.

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Petra Trousilová

About me

I am from the Czech Republic and arrived in New Zealand in 2016 where I have been living intermittently between Blenheim and other countries. I moved to Wānaka in March 2021 for work reasons and my partner followed me two months later. The first year of living in Wānaka was very hard for me to connect with people or get to know someone out of the circle of my colleagues and the Czech community. I felt that there was no interaction between different groups of people in Wānaka – between different nationalities or even between different occupations.

When I joined the Wānaka Squash Club it was the first time I felt part of the local community as the club connects people from different backgrounds and is led by people who care about the newcomers and community members.

What I can contribute

I truly understand the immigrant journey in New Zealand being an immigrant myself and having gone through the immigration process from a working holiday visa, working in different fields other than my original occupation and obtaining multiple work visas until I gained the opportunity to work in architecture (my field of study) and later became a resident of New Zealand.

I am a very social person, with a hard-working attitude, organisational skills and passion for learning and obtaining information. Thanks to my lived experience, I often find myself helping my friends navigate the systems, be part of the community and giving advice and help regarding organisational issues. I have experience in campaigning for large groups of people using multiple social media platforms and other digital media as well as working with journalists. As an architectural graduate currently working for Jerram Tocker Barron Architects, I have a passion for urban design and design of public realm which I feel I can contribute making our public spaces more welcoming, friendly and safe.

I would love to help people from different fields to fulfil their passions and become valued members of our local community.

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Jo Knight

About me

I moved to Luggate with my family, from Christchurch six years ago and experienced integrating ourselves into a new community, school, workplaces and sporting activities. Our move was made easier by having tamariki in school, which opened opportunities to meet people and gave us access to resources. Sport was our other integrator - meeting parents on the sidelines, coaching teams and carpooling to weekend sporting activities. If you move to our region as an adult, with no connection to a school, place of worship, or cultural group, I imagine it would be very challenging.

I am the Sport and Active Recreation Advisor for Sport Central. I have a background in sports coaching and in Social Anthropology. My mahi for Sport Central covers both Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes areas; working across high schools, youth trusts, sports clubs and Council.

What I can contribute

One of my goals is to engage with newcomers to the area and see how I can encourage them to be more active. This might be introducing them to a sports league or club, council-run activity or active recreation provider that might inspire them to be active. Sport is a fantastic way to increase social interaction and bring people together through fun, teamwork and having a shared goal (sometimes competition!).

In my role at Sport Central, I have worked with harvest workers in the Central Otago area, providing recreation, sporting and social opportunities for them over the summer months. Sporting opportunities are plentiful in our region, however different communities have varying access to, and knowledge about these activities. My role is to create awareness and educate people about their options, so everyone can be active, participating in something they enjoy.

I see plenty of scope for working with these growing migrant communities in the sporting sphere and I believe we can assist with their integration into our local communities. In turn they can teach us about their sporting and active recreation pursuits from their countries and perhaps we can offer new sporting options in the Queenstown Lakes and Upper Clutha areas.

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Cody Tucker

About me

I moved to Wānaka when I was 10 years old having grown up in Glenbrook Beach south of Auckland. This district has always been a melting pot of different cultures with a shared love for adventure and the environment. I am currently in my first mandate as Councillor to the Wānaka-Upper Clutha Ward.

What I can contribute

I have been working a lot lately in my community utilising my Industrial Design skills to help create a vision for the future through masterplans and signage design to represent the identity of Lake Hāwea.

It’s been a fascinating challenge to help pull together the elements of this place to celebrate in form.

I am passionate about unifying our community over commonality not tribalism and know it’s such a crucial time to create a sense of place and belonging with every walk of life living in our district.

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Autumn Servatkova

About Me

I am a Relationship Manager at Immigration New Zealand and have spent my career working in immigration matters. I was born in the United States and am a Native North American from the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Living two hours north of the US/Mexico border fostered a deeply entrenched passion for immigration work and community engagement. I have worked as an immigration lawyer for a global immigration professional services firm, delivered critical legal services to those in the community with unmet legal need at a Community Law Centre and volunteered at Refugee and Immigration Law Centres around the world. I have called Aotearoa home for over a decade and am committed to the success of our communities in the Queenstown Lakes District.

What I can contribute

I am acutely aware of barriers that migrants face when trying to settle in a new place. I understand and empathise with those who have left their country to work, join family or pursue their dreams. The process of settling into a new place be a challenging process but a sense of community, easy access to settlement resources and a point of contact can make a world of difference. I have access to cross government, regional and national resources to ensure we can effectively deliver our programme. I work hand-in-hand with communities to help address the challenges. Risk management, problem solving, consensus building are all qualities that I bring to the table.

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Katie Church - QLDC representative

People & Capability Director

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Silvia Dancose – QLDC representative

Welcoming Communities Coordinator at Queenstown Lakes District Council

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Marie Day – QLDC representative

Community Partnerships Manager at Queenstown Lakes District Council.

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Lina Lastra – Community and Partnerships Advisor, Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

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Welcoming Communities Advisory Group – Whakatipu

Denise Ng

About me

I am a recent returnee to New Zealand. I came back to New Zealand in 2019 to live in Queenstown after spending 35 years overseas with my Malaysian husband and family. I have lived in Singapore, Hong Kong, Pakistan, England, United States, and have spent significant time in Malaysia, China, Brunei and the Philippines. I was born in Dunedin and am a 4th generation Chinese New Zealander. My forebears have been in Otago and Southland since the 1890s.

Growing up, like many Dunedinites, I spent holidays at my parents’ crib in Queenstown and continued to visit over the years. I thought it would be easy to settle back in Queenstown with its population of people with international perspectives. However, a lot was unfamiliar. I no longer knew how things worked here: the health system, the education system, Te Reo, politics, sport, what was important to Kiwis, where to go for services or what was available. Though a New Zealander, I didn’t feel “Kiwi”.

What I can contribute

My time overseas has given me exposure to a myriad of cultures, races, ethnicities and religions, as well as the experience and understanding of the struggles of being a newcomer. Having moved internationally and within a country many times, I have insight into what is needed to quickly find facilities and support to adjust and settle into a place. Moreover, as I am from a minority ethnic community in New Zealand, I see the real issues of people from different cultures here and can advocate with my resources as a New Zealander.

In my work as an image consultant, I advise on cultural communication, etiquette and style. Within the community, I am involved in heritage projects. Currently, I am Chair of the Lawrence Chinese Camp Charitable Trust, Vice-chair of the New Zealand Chinese Heritage Research Charitable Trust and a member of the Otago-Southland Chinese Association.

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Anna Dorsey

About me

I am an English born migrant of Italian/Welsh heritage. My NZ journey started in 2001, when I visited NZ on a working holiday visa, and immediately felt at home in this new country. After emigrating here in 2003 and working in Wellington initially, I moved to Queenstown with my partner in 2009. I wascharmed by the landscape and the promise of a community that valued being active, being in nature and that attracted people from all corners of the world who chose to be here. I recall it took me about a year and a half to really build friendships and noticed that people were often hesitant to put effort into welcoming new people in case they left in a few months of arriving.

What I can contribute

As a public health professional, I have co- founded health professional networking groups (Wakatipu Public Health Group) and community trusts supporting mental health post COVID (the Southern Wellbeing Trust) and been Vice President and Secretary of the Wakatipu Plunket Committee. Since June 2022, I am a trustee and Chief Executive of the Head Light Trust, an organisation that is helping to empower communities to better support their own mental wellbeing.

Over the past 12 years I have been an active supporter and advocate of the Queenstown Lakes District community and I’m keen to bring my strategic planning skills, knowledge of this community and public health and prevention background to support the continued strengthening of our community and growing its potential to welcome, nurture and retain newcomers.

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Olivia Plimmer-Jones

About me

I moved to Queenstown from Auckland with my family when I was 11 years old.. I remember finding it difficult to change schools and fit in, even though I lived in the same country. Queenstown has been my home ever since. I am in the final year of studying a Law and Psychology degree at the University of Otago via distance learning. I have begun my graduate position at Anderson Lloyd in Queenstown. I was selected by Mayor Jim Boult to be the Queenstown Lakes District Council Rangatahi Māori representative which means I am the youth representative and the voice for young Māori in Queenstown Lakes. This opportunity has been incredible and allowed me to connect with different cultures within our community and attend wānanga across the country.

What I can contribute

Equitable access and inclusive leadership are important to ensure that newcomers feel welcome in the place they call home. Growing up in Queenstown, I know just how much this place has to offer. I contribute a youth perspective and believe that increasing the presence and community feel of young professional in Queenstown Lakes may help migrant workers feel more included and have better access to participate in the region’s activities. My leadership position as the Māori representative is a key driver of wanting to be a part of the advisory group. The youth of our district are passionate, vibrant and diverse, they just need their voice to be heard!

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Esther Whitehead

About me

I am an immigrant (I don't use the term ex-pat) from the UK, moving here in 1999. I have degrees in specialist teaching, ecology and leadership and have worked in the Education sector as a national lead in diversity, equity, and inclusion for over a decade. I now work for Thrivable Consultancy. Thrivable supports organisations with Strategy, Training and Mentoring, helping clients in designing inclusive, holistic leadership and policy frameworks so they and their organisation can be more adaptive to the new economic and environmental reality we face today. A reality which requires inclusive and equitable pathways for all.

What I can contribute

I have set up a number of Impact Initiatives including KiwiHarvest Queenstown, Sustainable Queenstown Community Trust and am actively involved in bringing people together to resolve issues. I am a non-voting member of the Advisory Group and I am thrilled to be part of listening to our diverse community and shaping the thinking for a more welcoming and inclusive community here in the Lakes District.

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Lucia Hao

About me

I am Chinese and moved to Queenstown in 2015 after graduating from Auckland University of Technology. I have been a temporary visa holder from 2014 to 2017 going from a student visa, open visa to work visa.

Obtaining my residence visa meant that I was a local, although it took some effort to develop a sense of belonging. Getting involved helped me. I joined the business sector in 2019 and now I am the co-founder of the Remarkable Gifts store in Queenstown.

What I can contribute

As a migrant business owner of small, medium enterprises (SMEs) I understand how vital it is to access information. During the pandemic, I joined local groups, met domestic customers, and obtained a lot of support from local kids and families. I have over 10 years of tourism management experience and good advocacy skills and intend to use my experience to help others flourish in our district.

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Maznah Abu Hassan

About me

I am a Malaysian married to a French man and we have three daughters. Our whole family moved to New Zealand at the end of 2016. As a practicing Muslim woman wearing the hijab, I have on certain occasions experienced islamophobia, which has convinced me of the need to do my part in correcting several misconceptions about my faith among the non-Muslims.

What I can contribute

I am passionate about educating non-Muslims about Islam. After months of searching, my husband and I werefinally able to open the Maz Islamic Education Centre, a non-profit organisation where I can reach out to the public, showcase and provide a correct understanding of my faith. This is done through seminars, Open Day events and introductory classes for non-Muslims. I also offer pre- and post-marital counselling services to mixed-faith couples. As the mother of three daughters living here, I am also keen to share the solutions Islam offers to combat the social illnesses (drugs, intoxication, domestic violence, mental health) that contribute to the breakdown of our society.

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Autumn Servatkova

About Me

I am a Relationship Manager at Immigration New Zealand and have spent my career working in immigration matters. I was born in the United States and am a Native North American from the Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians. Living two hours north of the US/Mexico border fostered a deeply entrenched passion for immigration work and community engagement. I have worked as an immigration lawyer for a global immigration professional services firm, delivered critical legal services to those in the community with unmet legal need at a Community Law Centre and volunteered at Refugee and Immigration Law Centres around the world. I have called Aotearoa home for over a decade and am committed to the success of our communities in the Queenstown Lakes District.

What I can contribute

I am acutely aware of barriers that migrants face when trying to settle in a new place. I understand and empathise with those who have left their country to work, join family or pursue their dreams. The process of settling into a new place be a challenging process but a sense of community, easy access to settlement resources and a point of contact can make a world of difference. I have access to cross government, regional and national resources to ensure we can effectively deliver our programme. I work hand-in-hand with communities to help address the challenges. Risk management, problem solving, consensus building are all qualities that I bring to the table.

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Philippe Saint-Pere

About me

I am a French national. I lived for 30 years in Malaysia where I met my Malaysian wife, created a family (three daughters) and became a Muslim. Since the end of 2016, our family relocated to New Zealand, and we have been living in Queenstown since April 2018. Since moving here, I have been exposed to the life and challenges of the diverse community of the district. Arriving with my family, we discovered first-hand the lack of amenities and services faced by the local Muslim community and for visiting Muslims to turn to regarding faith needs.

What I can contribute

My wife and I established the Maz Islamic Education Centre (MIEC), to support the local Muslim community and young people to learn about their faith. Supported by the Lakes District Muslim Community registered charity trust, MIEC’s aim is to be a focal point where the public can come and learn about Islam, as well as provide travellers with a place to pray right in the heart of Queenstown. Our goal is to share the needs and concerns of the Muslim community, raise awareness and demystify misconceptions among the non-Muslims about the true values of Islam through seminars and workshops.

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Mel Wright

About me

My partner and I made Queenstown our home in 2015, almost seven years ago. I grew up in Warkworth, north of Auckland. I am Ngāti Whātua on my father’s side, and on my mother’s side I am English, with our family settling here in the South Island in the 1800s. I have spent many years in leadership roles, as well as owning our own business, and now, I work as Mel Wright Consulting, across multiple contracts. I am the Tāhuna, Wānaka and Central Otago Co-ordinator for KUMA – Te Kupeka Umaka Māori ki Āraiteuru, Southern Māori Business Network and I enjoy supporting others to collaborate and be successful, however that may look to them.

What I can contribute

I am actively involved in our community, holding space for and creating connections with many. I apply my facilitation skills to a wide range of community workshops from health and wellbeing to financial literacy. I am passionate about supporting people in our district and sharing our vibrant community, and I believe that everyone’s voice should be heard.

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Nick Fifield

About me

I am a UK Citizen who moved to Arrowtown in 2018. When I first arrived, I heard that due the transient nature of the district, it would take at least two years to settle in and make friends because people were not initially interested in investing time and energy in a friendship until they knew one was going to stay. I though this sounded a silly generalisation but two years later, I understood. I finally started to feel connected, that I belonged and that I had a place here. I became involved with community groups through work, my daughter and general sense of wanting to “contribute”, before finally I began to feel acknowledgement, then recognition and finally friendships grew outside of the context of those groups and activities.

What I can contribute

I am currently the Campus Manager for Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) Queenstown, the Deputy Chair for the Arrowtown Village Association and Arrowtown Promotion and Business Association, and the Queenstown Branch President of Human Resources New Zealand. In my role as Campus Manager, I am ultimately responsible for the wellbeing of our student body, including international students taking the first step to study and ultimately settle in our district. We are a district very much in need of new arrivals, a district that has post-covid been reminded of the value of those who come here to make a fresh start, build a new life and contribute to our community.

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Daniela Mercado

About me

I am from Mexico, and I arrived in Queenstown in 2018. I graduated in 2015 with a law degree from Mexico City. I have worked in civil, commercial, administrative law, and antitrust law firms. I am also part of the Disaster Support Welfare Team for New Zealand Red Cross (NZRC). I have supported temporary visa holders in 2020 as a volunteer for the NZRC Visitor Care Manaaki Manuhiri Programme and since March 2021, as a Migrant Connector for The Kiwi Kit Community Trust.

What I can contribute

I have always been interested in the study and the quest for human rights and the participation of minorities in any given community. Through my experiences helping people, I feel more connected with the local community. I have diversity, equality and inclusion at heart. Although the Queenstown Lakes District is very multicultural, more representation of ethnic diversity is needed in the workforce other than just in the hospitality industry. I believe that developing more inclusive policies and projects that create a sense of belonging will encourage newcomers to get more involved in our district.

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Hari Sapkota

About me

I am from Nepal, a country known for the birthplace of Lord Buddha and the world’s highest peak Mount Everest. I arrived Auckland in 2014 to study a Diploma in Business Entrepreneurship. Initially I came to Queenstown to visit after finishing my studies, but I ended up staying here for six years after falling in love with this beautiful town. After graduating in Travel and Tourism Management from Tribhuvan University of Nepal, I worked more than a decade in the tourism industry in Nepal. Besides tourism, I have worked in administration, diplomatic bodies, hospitality and cleaning industries. I have visited 15 countries on my travels and decided to make New Zealand my second home. I am actively involved in community and social work and currently act as President of Queenstown Nepalese Society Inc.

What I can contribute

As a founding president of Queenstown Nepalese Society Inc, a group of 150-200 Nepalese migrant community members residing in this beautiful Lakes District, I am aware of the obstacles that immigrant communities face. I genuinely understand those who come from another country to study and work. To ensure a bright future I know they may face one of the most challenging stages in their life for a certain period. My six years in Lakes District community have taught me that we need local community leadership to support newcomers and make them feel welcome in this beautiful town they’d like to call home. We play an integral part of the district’s growth and success, in the expansion of its economy as well as contributing significantly to diversity and instilling values of multiculturalism and acceptance. We have played a disproportionate role in the development of the multiculture, traditions, artistic, culinary and athletics in the communities. I aim to help develop plans and strategies to encourage newcomers to get more involved and create a sense of belonging in Queenstown Lakes District.

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Louise Baines

About me

I arrived in New Zealand in 2018, and like most in their late 20’s, I campervanned my way around New Zealand looking for where I wanted to live. When I arrived in the Whakatipu Basin I knew this was where I wanted to be. Four years later, I am now a permanent resident, building my very own home in the Gibbston Valley. I have experienced being a newcomer to the Queenstown Lakes area, not knowing anyone, and how hard it can be to find ‘your people’. I have also experienced that once you do manage to find ‘your people’ how much easier life becomes here and what an amazing place it is to call home.

What can I contribute

I am the People & Culture Manager at Millbrook Resort, one of Queenstown’s largest employers. I understand and appreciate the importance of newcomers for businesses in the district, and I am passionate about helping newcomers feel connected to their workplace and their district. I regularly support our team members to source accommodation, schools, general practitioners, immigration advisors and really anything that can help them feel settled and part of our community.

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Darren Rewi – Chairperson

About me

My wife Debbie and I moved to Queenstown over 30 years ago and raised our now six adult children here. Originally from Invercargill I am Ngai Tahu, Ngati Mamoe and Waitaha on my mother’s side, and Ngati Kahungungu and Rongowhaakata on my father’s side. Like many others I have moved here but proudly my youngest two were born here. For 22 years I was employed as a senior manager for Air New Zealand before going into business with my wife in Occupational Health and Safety. In our time here I have contributed to many of Queenstown Lakes District’s community organisations.

What I can contribute

Welcoming Communities is our opportunity to ensure a legacy of manaaki/ welcome to all those from around the country and the world who choose to make Queenstown their home. Over twenty years as a senior manager and over 15 years in governance have equipped me to add value to my role as Chair of the Welcoming Communities Advisory Group. My experience also includes governance roles representing Ngai Tahu and the wider Māori community. I will work hard to ensure we welcome all newcomers to this town.

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Silvia Dancose – QLDC representative

Welcoming Communities Coordinator at Queenstown Lakes District Council

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Marie Day – QLDC representative

Community Partnerships Manager at Queenstown Lakes District Council.

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Katie Church - QLDC representative

People & Capability Director

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Lina Lastra – Community and Partnerships Advisor, Ministry for Ethnic Communities.

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