I'm a people-focused creative leader, writer and relentless problem solver with a passion for creativity as a key driver in business and society. I take a strategic approach to creating bold human-led ideas that influence and generate change.
I have been recognised over 100 times at international and local award shows for the creativity and effectiveness of my work and was named one of Campaign Asia's 40 Women to Watch 2021. Throughout my career, I have crafted campaigns and platforms for some of New Zealand's most iconic brands. Over the past five years in my roles at YoungShand and Dentsu Creative, I have had the opportunity to transform and build creative businesses to better serve clients' brands, driving growth, creative performance and reputation.
I led the YoungShand Creative Department for almost four years, helping transform the business from Digital Marketing Agency to a full-service, Integrated Creative Agency, championing a bold new direction for the work. Accolades included a D&AD Wood Pencil and a Gold Caples for 'Quit For Your Pets', 3rd and 4th in Campaign Brief's The Work 2020 and 2021, and a coveted For Good Award at the 2022 Axis Awards and Gold and Silver Effies for 'Unseen Emergencies'.
Throughout my career, I have mentored countless creative people, an insight that helps me build highly effective creative teams, simultaneously growing the agency brand alongside the careers of the creatives I am privileged to lead. I believe in creative inclusiveness across agency practices and strive to evolve the ways of working to bring different skill sets and experiences to the creative process.
I have worked across almost every major network in New Zealand, including BBDO, Saatchi and Saatchi and Ogilvy. During my first six years at Colenso BBDO, I secured global recognition for my campaigns, including a Yellow Pencil for Yellow Treehouse and multiple Gold Lions for the New Zealand Book Council's Going West campaign.
A transfer to Clemenger BBDO Wellington saw me pick up the Radio Ad of the Decade in the long-running Orca Awards for NZTA. Stints at Saatchi and Saatchi and Ogilvy followed before taking a two-year sabbatical to welcome a tiny human into the world - hands down, my most demanding and rewarding job to date.
