Management Committee

Heinz Fellerhoff

C0- Chairperson

Heinz Fellerhoff is of Dutch and Māori decent, Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kahungunu, and was raised in the Wairarapa and Manawatū. He completed his studies at Massey University where he also currently works as an Advisor and Management Accountant.

He has a strong interest in the community sector and has been involved in environmental, social , and maritime sectors in the past. His interests in the environmental sector are primarily around natural environments and biodiversity, but also has a strong interest in sustainability and waste reduction initiatives.

Heinz currently resides in Palmerston North with Simone, his wife, and Kenna, his young daughter. In his spare time, you will be able to find him caring for Kenna or helping when he can at local working bees at the various parks and reserves in Palmerston North.

 

Rebecca Bell

C0- Chairperson

Rebecca grew up in the rural outskirts of Nelson on a mixed organic farm, has lived all over the North Island as an adult, and has been living in Palmy since 2018.  She has three almost-grown daughters, two of whom were born in Palmy during an earlier stint here.  Rebecca’s parents are American, so she has also spent time as an adult living in the States getting to know her extended family.

She likes to keep active and is currently working towards a goal to run a marathon some time in 2023.

Rebecca’s background is in local government, specifically strategic planning and policy, and over the years has been involved in a range of community projects and initiatives.  She is currently a self-employed consultant in strategic planning and project management.

 

Philip McConkey

Philip is a Palmy boy, having deep family roots here, and although born in the Waikato spent his childhood days here.  Originally a land surveyor by occupation he switched careers in his twenties and entered social work.  Combined with counselling and family therapy he worked for government agencies, NGO’s and private practice until his retirement five years ago.   Philip says that social justice and service are the dominant themes of his life.  As Director of Methodist Social Services in the 80’s, he initiated the city’s first Foodbank and also helped establish Parentline and Men Against Violence.

Philip’s ‘Green’ credentials stem from early membership of Greenpeace, of Sea Shepherd, and Forest & Bird.  Then in 2005 he joined the Green Party and quickly engaged in Party organisation in Whanganui.  He became more involved in active protests, and eventually this led to joining Extinction Rebellion.  He now sees climate change as the biggest social justice issue in history, with humankind not only threatening its own extinction, but those of thousands of other species.

Philip’s wife, Janet, shares his green interests with her commitment to permaculture; she is a writer and illustrator of children’s books on environmental themes.

 

Richard Ram

Richard has been involved with ENM for the last couple of years and brings 20 years plus of digital and marketing experience. He’s worked at a range of big corporates locally and overseas and more recently focuses on helping local businesses navigate the new digital landscape.

He sees huge opportunities to use new and emerging digital channels to educate and motivate people to be more aware of what’s going on globally and locally and encourage people to get involved in environmental challenges in different ways. Richard is a member of the Manawatū Chamber of Commerce and is interested in the synergies between business, volunteer groups and local government.

Richard is quite good at growing vegetables and weeds. You’ll often find Richard out and about walking his dog.

 

Kendall Palmer-Frecklington

Kendall is a Palmy local who has studied and worked in the area her whole life. She has a background in auditing and achieved her Chartered Accountancy by the age of 25. She is now working in a local accounting firm helping small and medium sized businesses, as well as individuals, to achieve their goals and maximise their outputs. She is an avid animal lover and has an interest in living a sustainable life and minimising her carbon footprint.

When she is not working you will find her either curled up with a book or out and about with her soon to be one year old son at the park.

 

Ellieda Komene

Ellieda has a background in education, community and social services, health and local and central government sectors. In her spare time, she enjoys tramping, taking part in community activities, reading, spending time in the garden and enjoying Aotearoa.  She is passionate about social and environmental issues, helping people and working with communities.

Staff

Madz BatachEl

Coordinator

Madz has been on the staff of ENM for a number of years in a variety of roles. In October 2019 she accepted the role of Coordinator, and is enjoying the challenge of keeping up with all the action in the network. She is the founder of Community Fruit Harvest Manawatu, and was instrumental in helping to establish the Manawatu Urban Foraging online community.  On her days off from ENM she helps to home educate 3 of her 5 children.

 

Kerry Jaques

Finance and Administration

Kerry is an experienced accountant/administrator with a public sector background in large organisations. His career has included significant experience in the electricity and tertiary sectors; initially at the Ministry of Energy (13 years), followed by Massey University (22 years) and the Universal College of Learning (just over 5 years).

He has considerable experience in office management and administration, with technical expertise in financial management and strategic planning to a senior level. Kerry is enjoying utilising his experience and knowledge in his role at Environment Network Manawatū.

Outside of work, Kerry and his wife have three adult children all of whom are working professionally. Apart from family, his passions are the outdoors and sport. Currently he is Chairman of Old Boys Cricket Club  in Palmerston North and manages the Premier team. 

 

Helen King

Communications and Events Lead

Helen has worked in the local community sector for over 15 years in a plethora of different roles focused on education, communications, fundraising and donations. Helen is well-known for her role as a local grants advisor and educator and enjoys training and supporting organisations in their funding endeavours. An Ashhurst resident, Helen is actively involved in here local community, is an avid permaculturalist with a passion for earth care, people care, fair share and for planting more fruit trees than her section can probably handle. Helen has two children, and many other living creatures furry, feathered and winged that make her life colourful.

 

Sumeet Kaushal

Workflows and Systems Development

Sumeet is a passionate and focused business analyst with strong analytical and technical skills supporting business needs and process mapping for improving existing and introducing new processes. He is also competent at identifying, validating, and documenting business requirements and transforming them into successful technical solutions. Sumeet has had previous expereince working  with Mid District Health Board and Sime Darby Commercial NZ Limited as a Business Analyst.

 

Daniel Morrimire (Morri)

Coordinator, Manawatū Food Action Network

Morri has a diverse background, previously having worked as an avionics technician in the Royal New Zealand Air Force for 7 years before he took up study at Massey University. He has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Zoology and Ecology as well as a Diploma of Teaching. Morri is a fully registered teacher and spent the last 4 years teaching at a local Montessori early childhood centre. Morri has links with Kura Kaupapa Māori o Manawatū and has a conversational level of fluency in Te Reo Māori thanks to his involvement there as well as having completed two courses through Te Wananga o Aotearoa. He has dreams of one day being self-sufficient, with a developing fruit forest, a small orchard and an expanding series of raised gardens. He lives rurally with his wife and 4 tamariki.

 

Leana Hamlin

Community Kai Champion, Manawatū Food Action Network

Leana was born and raised in Palmerston North but whakapapa’s back to Mahia, Ngati Kahungunu me Rongomaiwahine. Leana’s focus is helping to insyall gardens for whanau in our community and she loves supporting people on their journey to food security. She is a keen hunter, gatherer and grower and enjoys taking out her children and other tamariki/rangatahi on her outdoor adventures.

 

Friederike Lugt

Waste Minimisation Project Lead.

Friederike has a strong background in commerical recycling, waste minimisation and research and is a passionate environmental advocate. She has a particular interest in problem plastics which translates well into her role at ENM. Originally from the Netherlands she has lived, studied and worked in the Manawatū since 1989.  Improving biodiversity and reducing her environmental footprint is at the heart of what she does in all aspects of her life and decision making. She enjoys being physically active, horse trekking in her spare time.

 

Sally Pearce

Future Living Skills Facilitator.

Sally has been involved with ENM for the last 16 years, including 12 years as ENM Coordinator until 2019. Sally came to the Coordinator role having organised a community bush restoration project on family land, something she is passionate about and continues to enjoy.  Sally has a strong interest and involvement in most things environmental, especially protecting our native biodiversity, reducing waste, supporting composting, and sustainable transport. She enjoys riding her push bike to get around the city and in her spare time loves to work in the garden and bush, and to explore some of the amazing natural places we have in this region and beyond. 

 

Ian Rasmussen

Coordinator, Ruahine Kiwi Project

Ian lives in Pohangina and is passionate about and actively involved in predator control within his role through ENM but also within the Ashhurst and Pohangina area where he is involved in the RECAP predator control project.

 

Cat McNabb

Trainee Project Activator, Ruahine Kiwi Project

Cat is deeply passionate about conservation and working towards a predator free NZ. She has a Bachelor of Science with a major in Zoology, that she moved to Palmerston North to complete from Wellington. Cat lives locally with her 3 children, many animals and her husband. In her spare time enjoys camping, tramping and  bushwalks with her family, exploring the region and walking her two dogs.

 

Jackson Rice

Trapper, Ruahine Kiwi Project

Jackson has a true affinity for Aotearoa’s unique environment having qualified in outdoor recreation from Wintec in Hamilton. Before working for ENM he was employed as a cave guide at the Legendary Black Water Rafting Company in Waitomo for four and half years, where he grew his passion for biodiversity and pest control. This translates perfectly into his role as trapper for Ruahine Kiwi. In his spare time he share his love for the outdoors with his son Cliff.