Meet the team

Hi there,

I started at Kiwi North as a volunteer in 2016 and am now a member of the Visitor Services team.

This role combines my passion for New Zealand wildlife with my Veterinary Nursing skills and Retail experience.  I enjoy meeting and talking with our visitors, sharing stories and learning from them.

In my spare time I’m a bit of a Rockhound and enjoy photography and hiking.  I am also busy replanting the native bush on my lifestyle block.

Suzanne

Kia Ora. I’m Suzanne, the Educator at Kiwi North. I joined the team at Kiwi North as the Educator at the beginning of 2022.

Kiwi North currently has a contract with MOE to deliver ELC (Enriching Local Curriculum) programmes to kindergartens, primary and secondary schools – which replaced our longstanding contract to deliver LEOTC.

The Education Programmes we offer encompass a range of topics within the areas of environmental sciences, past technologies, and our history. The bespoke programmes are created on request and can be presented from our base here at Kiwi North, at schools, or other external sites around Northland that we work in partnership with.

Having taught in the classroom in New Zealand and England for many years, it’s exciting to be able to offer children immersive and inspiring learning experiences outside of the classroom environment here at Kiwi North.

I have lived in Whangarei with my family since I emigrated to New Zealand, from England, about 20 years ago. We continue to enjoy exploring this gorgeous country and are proud to now call it ‘home’.

Hei te wā tītoki

Sarah

MConBio, BSc

Kia Ora! I am Sarah, Team Lead for Animal Care or the living treasures of Kiwi North. I have been working with New Zealand species in captivity and the wild for over 10 years. I previously specialised in reptiles, invertebrates, fish and amphibians but I am enjoying the new challenge of working with Kiwi as well.

I have a passion for providing the best care and habitats for all our animals as well providing an interesting and captivating experience for visitors.

I would like every person to feel that they can make a difference for the environment and our unique species.

Laurel 

Kia ora I'm Laurel. I have the privilege of leading the team at Kiwi North, working with the Heritage Clubs, and overseeing all that makes Kiwi North such a unique and special place for the community and visitors. I moved to Whangarei four years ago and come with a strong skill set of Not for Profit leadership and management honed in multiple sectors, including community arts, social services, education, community development, council partnerships and facilities management. With a new Strategic Plan and big hairy audacious goals I am looking forward to helping Kiwi North reach its full potential to inspire curiosity about our evolving world and become a valued treasure for generations to come

Hi I’m Ben, I have been involved in conservation for a good 10 years. I’ve previously worked in Pukenui forest in Whangarei as a ranger. Conservation is an integral part of who I am and inspiring others to get involved is my goal. I am absolutely crazy about arachnids (spiders) and fungi.

Kia Ora, I am Denise, I am a Visitor Experience Officer and the Retail Purchase Officer at Kiwi North, Museum and Heritage Park.

I was born in Auckland but brought up on a farm in the Whangārei district. I love nature walks and animals. My position has allowed me to learn more about our native kiwi, gecko and all the fauna and flora of New Zealand.

Gabriel

Kia ora, I am of Ngāpuhi and Swiss ancestry and love meeting and experiencing all cultures.

My background has been in mental healthcare, engineering, gardening, film and television.

I feel blessed to be part of the team here at Kiwi North.

Hi, my name is Max. I am retired and have been volunteering at Kiwi North for the past 10 years. My favourite thing about volunteering here is the people and I love being able to give back to the community.

Hi my name's Bevan and I'm part of the Conservation and Native Species team here at Kiwi North. I grew up in Hokianga where I had the privilege of being exposed to many of NZ's amazing and unique native species which is where the love/passion began, and it's never stopped! 

I've worked in the conservation industry for more than a decade now, most recently as a ranger of Pukenui forest. There I had the pleasure of working closely (alongside Ben) with kiwi which were recently returned to the forest. I have a keen interest in all taxa but have a very real soft spot for amphibians, reptiles and a growing interest in native butterflies. 

I get a real buzz out of seeing people getting involved and excited about nature and hope to inspire more to get on board with conservation efforts. I feel Kiwi North is a great avenue to bring attention to NZ's native species, highlight many of the issues our species are facing and to provide information to those wanting to get involved.

I am the Public Experience Activator (PEA) at Kiwi North, providing activities that deepen connections between Kiwi North and its valued visitors of all ages. My expertise is in the clear articulation of language, in working with people to give voice, and providing platforms for their creative and intellectual work.

I have worked in Continuing Education, Marketing, and Community Engagement. I have also worked as a consultant within the Arts and I maintain an interest in creating creative activities to engage children and rangatahi.  Prior to my role at Kiwi North I worked as an outreach librarian for Whangarei District Libraries, building a community-talk series, and collaborating with various organisations to enhance knowledge through public outreach platforms.

Kia Ora, I’m Brittany, I am PA to the Director and Administrator for Kiwi North. In 2022 my husband and I, along with our 2 young children relocated from west Auckland to Maunu, Whangarei. I have a background in administration and event management. I love the potential that Kiwi North has, the grounds are vast and beautiful, there are incredible historical treasures here as well as our beloved Kiwi House. I feel lucky to be part of the team.

I grew up in my grandfather's museum so it's an absolute honour and delight for me to be in this role. I am Northlander born and bred with a passion for exploring our part of the world and always have - in fact, I have strong memories of a school trip to Heritage Park back in the 1990s where my class rolled down the iconic Museum hill in the Victorian dress ups before churning butter! I'm looking forward to curating meaningful change for our humble museum and creating a future of memories for the next generation of heritage explorers.