Community Services & Facilities Event

Kathy has been recognized throughout New Zealand for more than 18 years as leading asset management practice through her work with industry groups such as IPWEA and Taituarā developing best practice guidelines and delivering industry training. She worked closely with Treasury on implementing Asset Management as a business change process in Central Government. Kathy is a member of the NAMS Group board, NAMS Council Australasia, and the IPWEA training committee. Kathy is also the former CEO of the National Asset Management Support (NAMS) Group, was a member of the Ministry of Education Infrastructure Board for seven years, including Chair from 2014- 2017.

Kathy has 15 years’ experience as a Local Government Infrastructure Manager, with a strong background in Parks and Community Facilities. For the past 10 years Kathy has worked as an independent asset management advisor with a focus on the delivery of training, coaching and mentoring, the development and review of organisational performance management frameworks and undertaking asset management peer reviews.

Lee Corbett Barton has been employed at Kawerau District Council since October 2009. Having spent 10 years as a Youth Worker prior, he became Council’s first Event Co-ordinator. Since then Lee has witnessed the smallest mainland territory go from strength to strength and leverage off the districts surrounding natural resources. Initially operating in a silo in his early years, Lee is now the Events & Venues Manager, which includes youth and community activities in his portfolio. Lee describes his journey over the past 7 years at Council as a life changing occurrence with some astonishing successes along the way.

Julian has been a senior manager in the sport and recreation sector for over 25 years, with experience in facility management, planning and development. With experience in both the UK, and New Zealand, he has worked for not-for profits, commercial operators, and local government the most recent of which was for Wellington City Council.

His current role within the Community Sport team at Sport New Zealand has a national focus, providing advice and support across a range of planning and development initiatives for community sport and recreation facilities.

Leading the Giblin Group team, Jenni brings vast local and central government experience with a healthy dose of vitality to all projects. With expertise in capital raising and an innate understanding of relationship brokering, she has secured many business developments by bringing the right people together with the right questions. One of her strengths is making social capital relevant in a local context to add significant value to council initiatives.

Jenni has worked on a huge range of projects over the last 9 years. Highlights have included the Len Lye Centre building, the Sargent Gallery redevelopment and currently she is working on the Hastings Opera House earthquake strengthening project and the Wild For Taranaki biodiversity project.

She’s a woman of action and making things happen. As the saying goes, if you need to get a job done, ask a busy person. Jenni is a board member of Business Hawkes Bay and a Board member of the Wanganui Collegiate College Board. Jenni has a Bachelor of Arts in Social Policy and an Honours degree in Public Policy from Victoria University.

Jamie has been a senior manager in the public sector with extensive experience in sport and recreation facility planning, development, and service delivery for over forty years. Twenty-five years of this time was spent in various roles with the Wellington City Council.

In his current role as Sport New Zealand’s Community Sport, Spaces, and Places Lead, he has a national role providing advice and support for local, regional, and national organisations considering development of community sports and recreation facilities. Jamie is also an active participant and contributor to the sport and recreation industry with his services to the sector recently were recognised when he was awarded a Fellowship of the New Zealand Recreation Association.

As Director of Community Services I am accountable for the delivery of service from libraries, parks, sports grounds, beaches, swimming pools, recreation and fitness centres, cemeteries, community centres, houses and halls, art centres and public art, housing for older people, community development and events

Prior to this role I was responsible for the Parks Sports and Recreation Department at Auckland Council and before that I led the Community Services Division at Manukau City.

I am an economist and urban planner by training and have worked overseas with development banks. I am married with two daughters, and enjoy tramping and cycling as well as teaching local history.

Lance Vervoort is currently Deputy Chief Executive and General Manager, Community at Hamilton City Council where he has been for 6 years. He has had an extensive career in senior executive and operational management roles in local government and also has experience as a consultant. During this time Lance has had responsibility for a wide range of functions which provide facilities, public places and services for large numbers of the public and everything that comes with that – the good and the bad! He is passionate about developing high performing teams that can provide great spaces and places where memorable recreational experiences can be had by the communities that use them.

Steve Fabish is Hauraki District Council’s Group Manager - Community Services and Development. He has held this position since 2011 and is responsible for leading a team delivering Council’s Community Services, Community Development, Council Property, Democracy Services, Community Growth and Civil Defence.

Prior to 2011 Steve spent five years at Matamata Piako District Council as their Community Facilities Manager.

Is director of Hamilton Gardens and the key person behind the transformation of the old Hamilton dump site into an international award winning garden. Despite little initial Council funding he’s worked closely with the community to develop each garden area. While still under development, Hamilton Gardens attracts well over a million visits a year and has become a flagship for the local billion dollar visitor industry. Last year Hamilton Gardens won the Taituarā Supreme Award for the way they’d brought together: a vision, extensive fundraising, community partnerships and a continual drive for excellence.