STAFF PROFILES
I'm a runner with over 20+ years of working in the community sport sector. Without volunteers we wouldnt have community sport and my job is to make their job easier. I currently work with golf clubs and I can help in areas like funding, recruitment, operations and administration. If you have an issue call me. Oh and yes I play golf as well but not very well!
I'm a Health Coach and Community Support Worker, based at Musselburgh Medical Centre.
My background is in nutrition, and I'm passionate about supporting people with their health and well-being. My approach is holistic and focused on your unique situation (not a one-size-fits-all!).
If you're a patient as Musselburgh and would like to chat about anything well-being related, get in touch. There's no requirement to see a GP first, and it's free of charge.
I'm originally from the mighty Tapanui! In my spare time, I love to head to the beach or do some yoga.
Kia ora! I spend half my time in the mighty Mosgiel and the other half being a city slicker in Dunedin. My main role at Sport Otago is ensuring people's happiness and wellbeing is looked after, I do this through plenty of licks and tail wags. When I am not in the office I love getting active by going for a walk, chasing birds and catching my frisbee.
Kia ora. I am Briar. I grew up in Central Otago giving most outdoor activities a go, mainly focussing on netball, rugby and swimming.
At Sport Otago I assist our excellent team with the coordination of the Tū Manawa Active Aotearoa Fund, and the Water Skills For Life programme. I am passionate about all tamariki having the opportunities I was lucky to have to be active growing up.
In my role I work with anyone experiencing issues that impact on their Health and Wellbeing. I help people to build motivation and capability to better understand and self-manage their physical and emotional wellbeing needs. I love hearing people's stories and I'm passionate about supporting them through change.
I'm Caroline, the newest member of the Healthy Lifestyles team. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to get out into the Otepoti community and help families to navigate their unique pathway to a healthier lifestyle.
I have a background in nutrition and am passionate about helping people overcome the many different, and often overwhelming barriers that get in the way of them achieving good short term and long-term health.
I’m originally from sunny Nelson, so naturally have a love of being outdoors, whether at the beach or walking and running local bush tracks.
Please contact me for any inquiries regarding the Active Families program, whether just to chat or to join the program, I would love to hear from you!
My role at Sport Clutha is to help with anything sport-related in the Clutha District, from organising events to funding - whatever I can do to help people to be active. When I'm not at work I can usually be found playing sport, training or watching sport.
Kia ora! I am thrilled to be a member of the Sport Otago team, striving to inspire individuals and the community to make the best decisions for a healthy and happy life. With a background in human nutrition and psychology, I strongly believe in taking a holistic approach to wellness and enjoy working closely with individuals to help them achieve their goals.
Growing up in Auckland, I heavily involved myself in any sports I could. Since then, I have fallen in love with the Dunedin southern life. These days, you can often find me getting into social team sports, enjoying runs with the dog, and making the most of the beach or ski slopes on the weekends if the weather allows.
Hi, I am excited to be the Health Coach working alongside the awesome team at East Otago Health! Providing a FREE service to help others reach their full potential with their own health and wellbeing, I will be keeping a warm and friendly space to support you with what ever it is I can.
When I am not working, you will find me outside working on our lifestyle block, trying to play golf, or just out and about on an adventure with my family.
If you are with East Otago Health and interested in any health/wellbeing support - please get in touch!
Kia Ora, I’m Georgia, a local Dunedin girl. After studying PE at University of Otago, I am excited to work for Sport Otago in the Play Lead position. Creating a positive and fun relationship with physical activity for our Tamariki is important in the play space. Out of work I play hockey and do CrossFit, as well as enjoying a brunch out and having fun with family and friends.
Kia ora, I’m Georgia, the Digital Media Coordinator. I grew up in rural southland which allowed me to immerse myself into the sporting community. This cultivated a passion for the active recreation sector, with my main sporting interests being in touch, rugby and athletics. Alongside completing my final year of university, where I’m studying Psychology and Management, I am thrilled to be apart of the Sport Otago team.
In my role as the Digital Media Coordinator, I am excited to share the passion, stories and messages that connect the Dunedin community through the world of activity and events. I look forward to getting to know you all and the impact we create together! Please feel free to flick me a message if there is something you want to share via our social media platforms!
Living in the beautiful Catlins it was inevitable I'd love both surfing and hunting, and depending on the weather you can probably find me doing one of those. As a busy mum I'm kept on my toes so I'm used to balancing a lot of spinning plates, which is ironic because my party trick is plate spinning! I'm keen to help the schools in Clutha provide a quality experience to keep all students leading healthy, active lives.
I have a background in education, and most weekends I am at sport or looking after my horses. The Otago sporting community is hard working, talented, humble and ambitious. I am here to provide a balanced approach to coach development across our province. Coaching, sideline behaviour (Good Sports), balance is better are my hot topics.
During my upbringing I participated in numerous physical activities, such as rugby, basketball, and athletics. I was a boarder attending Fielding High School, where I discovered a passion for sports. However, in recent times I have experienced many active recreation activities such as rock climbing, scuba diving and mountain biking.
Now, becoming a part of the Sport Otago Whānau, I can contribute and give back to my community. I am driven to utilise both sport and active recreation resources to increase physical activity, knowledge, and wellbeing for youth in Otago. I intend to remove participation barriers and create equal active recreation opportunities for secondary students, with hopes of developing healthy and active habits.
My why: I am passionate about the benefits that sport, recreation and activity can bring to an individual and also to a community. Sport has helped me see the world, build some life long friends, have fun with my family and keep me healthy. I now get to work for Sport Otago and our wonderful staff and Board to help support our community make the most of our awesome environment to get out there and be active.
I have come from leadership positions across technology and professional services businesses in Dunedin. I am actively involved in coaching a school hockey 1st XI and am also a current selector for the Men's Blacksticks hockey team. My family consists of my wife Sophie, a Year 9 son Max and a Year 7 daughter Anabelle. The kids are all very active so between Sophie and I we spend a lot of time at the Edgar centre, the oval and on various sports fields around Dunedin. We also love to get out on our mountain bikes.
I’m Jo Knight- Community Sport and Active Recreation Advisor for Sport Central. I work across Central Otago and Southern Lakes- the main towns being Alexandra, Cromwell, Wanaka and Queenstown and all the rural areas in between! As Community Sport and Active Rec Advisor, I assist with club sport, work with two Councils on sharing facilities and collaborating on initiatives, Active Recreation for Rangatahi and I have a passion for adaptive Sport.
Working and living in paradise, I enjoy hiking with my dog Alfie, mountain biking, paddle boarding, cross-country and alpine skiing - anything that involves being out in our stunning natural environment. I have recently taken up Pickleball and Disc Golf, with varying levels of success! It’s refreshing to learn something new.
I grew up playing traditional sports (netball, basketball, tennis), then got introduced to running, and that turned into trail running, adventure racing and multi-sport. When I entered semi-retirement, I took up coaching to stay involved in the sports that I loved, and also use my Phys Ed degree. I still coach a few endurance athletes and enjoy coaching at a community level for our local Aspiring Athletes Club.
Kia ora, I’m Katie, I’ve spent the last 15 years teaching in schools around Otago. Having been raised in Dunedin with a love of sport and outdoor recreation, it’s exciting to be joining the Sport Otago team and taking on the role of Healthy Active Learning Advisor. When not at work I enjoy spending time with family and friends mountain biking, walking and snowboarding in our beautiful region.
I completed my Physical Education degree a few years back and since then have worked at Sport Otago in a handful of different roles. Now I am excited to be leading the Active Communities team! I love seeing individuals develop and flourish in any given environment and I am looking forward to supporting our team and communities to be active. When I am not at work, you can find me out exploring our amazing trails, playing netball, having a coffee or two and hanging out with my family!
I was born and breed in Clinton, South Otago, where I farmed for 32 years. Rugby, athletics and tennis were my thing before moving into coaching. I followed my passion into sport and started the Sport Clutha regional office in South Otago before moving into the secondary school space in Dunedin. I am lucky enough to find myself working for Sport Central now, I love the spirit of the people in this vast and beautiful land. Club capability and coach development are two key areas I focus on in the QLDC area. With such large population growth our enthusiastic Sport Central team are challenged with resourcing our hard working, play, active recreation and sports volunteers.
PE and Play Advisor | Freeride Ski Coach | Sports Enthusiast
Hey there, I'm Luke Juergensen, and I hail from the beautiful city of Dunedin, New Zealand. Growing up surrounded by nature's wonders, I developed a deep appreciation for sports and the great outdoors from an early age. Before I started my role as a PE and Play Advisor at Sport Central, I was a competitive freestyle ski coach and dabbled in some mountain bike coaching. Guiding and mentoring aspiring athletes in the mountains is a true joy, and it allows me to share my expertise while nurturing their talents and promoting active lifestyles. Beyond the snowy peaks, I can often be found at the local trails on my mountain bike or catching waves while surfing. My enthusiasm for an active lifestyle knows no bounds, and I genuinely believe in the transformative power of sports and recreation. With a bachelor’s degree in Sports Science and Sport Development and Management under my belt, I bring a diverse skill set in sports administration and event coordination to the table. Joining the Sport Central team as a PE and Play Advisor feels like a natural fit for me. I am devoted to promoting active living and fostering a culture of play within our community. Let's come together and make a difference through sports and physical activity excellence in the Otago region!
Kia ora, I am fortunate to be supporting our team in Green Prescription, Active Families, and Tōko Oranga. Having been a healthy lifestyle advisor for two years, I have a great appreciation for the awesome support our team is able to provide for the people of Otago. I am a Dunedin boy through and through and it’s great to give back to the community.
I am passionate about improving individuals and local communities overall health and wellbeing. In my role of work a can assist anyone that needs support with their Health and Wellbeing.
Previously I studied a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physical activity, Health and Wellbeing). Followed by working in a rural hospital, my role being in physical rehabilitation.
When I am not working you will find me running, biking, hiking somewhere in the mountains or down at the local social sport grounds with friends and family.
I am a ski bum, adventure seeker, deep thinker, organic gardener, culinary whizz and mother to 2 amazing boys. In 2021 I completed my Diploma in Health Sciences. Here I discovered health success is all interconnected including our emotional, mental, physical and spiritual wellbeing. I am fascinated by everything health related and have a passion for helping others and promoting wellbeing. My role as a Health Coach is to help guide others on a more long lasting mental and physical health journey. You can find me at Queenstown Medical or chasing my boys in the mountains.
I am responsible for the development and delivery of Sport Otago’s Insights and Evaluation work programme. This involves coordinating the collection, analysis, and dissemination of data to aid decision making for both Sport Otago and external stakeholders across the physical activity sector. I also help our enthusiastic team to effectively evaluate the impact of our programmes and initiatives across Otago communities. Coming from a background as an analyst in the banking industry it’s exciting to have joined the awesome Sport Otago team as I have been heavily involved in community sport throughout my life. In my spare time I love spending time with my young family, and in winter you’ll probably find me on the football field.
Hey team, I'm Owen, or known as Boothy to some. I started at Sport O back in 2006 after finishing up at the University of Otago with a Post Grad Diploma in Physical Education. I have been lucky to have had multiple roles here over the years, working across education, health, and sport. I have been in my current role as GM-Programmes since 2012. The role has oversight of our programme delivery, HR management, regional leadership and stakeholder relationship components, and coordination of our accountability and reporting.
Outside of work, I am married to Shannon and have four children - Tiahli, Ashton, Coby, and Niko. I have been a member of the Dunedin Rugby Club (the Sharks) as a player, coach, and administrator since 2000. I play social Touch (also for the Sharks), like good coffee, not a tea fan, prefer beaches over lakes, and enjoy cooking but not baking (I am the reigning Sport Otago 'Come Dine with Me' champ).
I was born in Auckland but have been based in Dunedin for 23 years now, and am very happy to call this awesome little city my home.
Kia Ora, I’m Sara and I grew up in Kurow. From a young age I have loved being involved with sports and being active. Currently my favorite activities are playing netball and going for a walk with friends. This led me to studying Physical Education, Activity and Health at Otago University.
As the Sport Lead, I am responsible for leading our sports capability work with RSO’s and their clubs, specifically the coordination of the Otago Regional Sports Alliance (ORSA). I am an ex-professional cricketer who has played for both the Auckland Aces and the Otago Volts. My hobbies include CrossFit, golf and spending time with mates. Sports have been such a major part of my life and I feel grateful to be working at Sports Otago. On a serious note, what do you call a dear with no eyes… no eyed dear!
Being amongst the Sport Otago crew for a number or years within the Kelly Sports space, I’m now excited for my new role as the Events Lead. Being physically active is something I am passionate about, and enjoy helping others to do the same. I am looking forward to delivering the wide range of events Sport Otago offer for our community, and working alongside some awesome people. When not at work you’ll most likely find me on a running trail up in the hills of Dunedin, playing social sport, or walking my dog Douglas. I’m also not opposed to a coffee and brunch out in the weekend! Feel free to reach out and connect with me – [email protected]
I am a proud mother of two children and lived in Dunedin ever since I married to my lovely husband 15 years ago. Originally, I am from South Korea, but I found my home in Dunedin.
As a finance assistant, I support day-to day finance responsibilities including expenses and payroll in Sport Otago. Previously, I have worked in the corporate organization like Mercedes Benz and PWC. Now at Sport Otago, I am happy to help community and people around me.
Originally from Taranaki, I moved to Dunedin from Auckland in 2017 before becoming Mum to one very active tamariki who keeps me on my toes. If I'm not at the reception desk, you might find me taking a stroll around the block or sweating it up the steps to the Northern Cemetery and back.
Growing up on the Taieri Plains I found that there are many ways for us to get active in our beautiful region. From playing netball or social basketball to walking my dog Baxter on the beach there are endless opportunities. My goal at Sport Otago is to encourage rangatahi, and those that work with them, to find a physical activty that they enjoy.
CONTACT SPORT OTAGO
Sargood Centre, 40 Logan Park Drive,
Dunedin 9016
[email protected]
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