Our Board

Bennett has been volunteering for Coastguard Auckland for seven years and has held a range of different operational and governance positions at the unit, regional, and national levels. A current CNZ board member since 2020, Bennett was also a Coastguard Northern Region Board Member & Chair of the Governance Committee between 2016 and 2019. An active volunteer, Bennett has acted as a Lead Radio Operator, is a Master of Lion Foundation Rescue & Trillian Trust Rescue, and is also a Coastguard Instructor and Regional Instructor/Assessor.

Bennett is a professional director and advisor specialising in governance, strategy, transformation/innovation, and executive mentoring. Over a thirty-year career, he has worked with many organisations in the public, private, charitable, and volunteer sectors. As CNZ President, Bennett is passionate about continuing to build strong relationships throughout the organisation and sectors of society, understanding that units reflect local operating conditions and their volunteers mirror the people in their local community.

Carolyn has been a volunteer with Coastguard Canterbury since 2013 and during her time, she has held various positions at the Unit, regional, and national levels. With a background in Finance and Government, she brings great leadership and fundraising capabilities to her work. After the Christchurch earthquakes, she successfully sourced $2.5 million to replace the damaged Coastguard Canterbury building.

As a member of Coastguard's Māori and Pacific Advisory ropū, Te Pūhara Mana Iwi, Carolyn is committed to embracing and promoting cultural diversity and equity within the organisation. She works alongside board members, staff, and volunteers to incorporate cultural elements into both behaviours and the Coastguard brand. She is passionate about our Coastguard volunteers and staff and acknowledges that each Coastguard Unit is unique, reflecting the contrast in their geographics and the communities they serve. For the past 30 years, she has worked in the volunteer and charitable sectors both nationally and internationally.

Jerry has been a volunteer with Coastguard Kāpiti Coast for the past seven years, serving across numerous roles including President for three years, acting Treasurer, and Unit Safety Officer. He is currently working towards his Coastguard Instructor and Master qualifications. Across large organisations in both the UK and New Zealand, Jerry has strongly demonstrated experience in IT, organisational design, and organisational resilience.

Andrew has been a volunteer for six years, firstly with Coastguard Canterbury and now with Coastguard Nelson. Over this time, Andrew has served numerous roles both at the local Unit level (Unit Vice President. CRV Senior Crew & CI) as well as nationally as Director (Chair) of Coastguard Boating Education. Andrew is currently a director, chair, or trustee of several companies and trusts including Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Nutrient Rescue, Mountain Valley Honey, Coastguard Boating Education, and is a Commissioner for the Minister of Education.

Jacqui has been a volunteer in the radio team at Waihi Beach Volunteer Coastguard for more than six years. Also on the unit’s Board, Jacqui currently has the dual roles of Vice President and Financial Officer. 

As a Chartered Accountant with more than forty years’ experience in financial and managerial roles in industry, Jacqui brings this skill-set to the Board.

The sixty three Coastguard units across New Zealand reflect their local communities and are all unique, but work together with the national office to achieve Coastguard’s collective mission of saving lives on the water.

Pengbo is a seasoned senior executive and an experienced board member with a proven track record of leadership across both the public and private sectors. Known for his strategic vision and commitment to positive social impact, he has demonstrated a deep dedication to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion. His approach goes beyond mere advocacy; he actively seeks to implement initiatives that create lasting change within organisations and communities. In addition to his role on the Coastguard New Zealand Board, Pengbo holds several key governance positions on various other boards and serves as a sitting Tribunal Member.

TMX Transform Commercial Director, Roberto Brady has held prominent roles across various organisations, including Toll NZ, StraitNZ, IBM, and Kotahi. With extensive executive experience in transport, logistics, supply chain, infrastructure, transformation, leadership, and strategy he is excited about joining the Coastguard NZ board and being able to share his experience and leverage his skills to add to an organisation that plays such a critical role across Aotearoa. A keen boatie with three children who have grown up in and on the water, Rob feels very privileged about gaining the opportunity to contribute to Coastguard.

Liz is currently GM of a portfolio of growth products at Spark, having spent two prior years as the organisation’s GM Group Strategy. Liz has experience in a wide variety of organisations from new start-ups (Liz was the founder and owner of a premium honey business) through to leading strategy and significant transformational change in large organisations. Liz brings extensive experience in collaborating with Boards and other key stakeholders – particularly in relation to the development and implementation of strategic plans. Liz has a deep understanding of complex stakeholder relations having worked as an economic advisor and consultant to governments and other parties in New Zealand and internationally. Liz is mum to Conor (8) and lives in Auckland.

Susan is a seasoned director, executive, entrepreneur, and consultant with over 30 years of experience solving commercial business issues and managing people challenges in complex environments. Susan is a former Partner at EY, Director of Talent & Engagement at Fonterra, and most recently Head of Reward & Insights for Zespri.  Susan is deeply committed to improving outcomes for women and communities and has used her influence and skills to raise awareness of pay equity and diversity issues promoting positive change within Aotearoa, New Zealand. Susan’s governance portfolio includes Chair - Diversity Works New Zealand, Trustee - Coastguard New Zealand, Director - Caloda Ltd, and Trustee - Agri-Women’s Development Trust.