Five minutes with Alice Andrew

FIVE MINUTES WITH...

Alice Andrew

NGĀTI KOATA

Te Amonuku, our associate director and manager programme, is an important part of our succession planning for the future of Wakatū. It is a two-year programme where participants gain experience in the governance and management of Wakatū. Associate directors spend the first year on one of the Whenua, Kono, Auora or Manaaki boards, and the second year on the Wakatū Board. Previous associate directors include current Wakatū board members Miriana Stephens, Johnny McGregor and Jeremy Banks, and Manaaki board member Te Pūoho Kātene, as well as Wakatū CEO Kerensa Johnston and Kono CEO Rachel Taulelei. We spent five minutes with Alice Andrew, our latest associate director, and asked her some quick-fire questions.

What’s your connection to Wakatū?

I connect to Wakatū through my mum, Laura Auld. Her maternal grandfather was Manunu Pene, son of Patara Pene (Ngāti Koata), and Herani Wineera. Mum was born at Takapūwāhia, Porirua, although she was moved away at an early age.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Gisborne in 1977. Mum moved from Wellington to be a maths teacher at Gisborne Boys’ High and Dad came from Auckland to play rugby for Poverty Bay. After I was born, we moved to London, and then travelled through Europe in a combi van. I have cool memories of being in England, France, Spain and Morocco. We initially returned to Gisborne and then went to Wellington.

Where do you live now and what do you do there?

I live with my husband, Aaron, and our 17-year-old daughter on the North Shore of Tāmaki Makaurau. Our son is in his third year at Victoria University of Wellington. I’m a director of 4Sight Consulting, a planning and environmental firm. Aaron and I founded the company in 2001 through our shared vision to work on projects that achieve better outcomes for people, land and water. We wanted to create a great place to work where we would be surrounded by people who make us happy to be there. Our company values are: believe in better, act with integrity, and thrive together. We now have eight regional offices and over 90 staff. It’s hard work sometimes but it’s worth it. Aaron and I met in a large multi-disciplinary engineering firm. We saw the impact of engineering-led infrastructure projects that didn’t consider environmental and cultural matters from the beginning and so ran into problems with consenting, causing huge costs and delays. This approach could also create bad relationships between developers, councils, iwi and communities. I have a Bachelor of Technology from Massey University with a major in environmental engineering, which I see bridges the gap between science and engineering. I try to help bridge the gap between mātauranga Māori and Western science. I find ways to help people recognise the importance of our spiritual connection with our natural resources, within the constraints of the regulatory environment.

What do you do in your spare time?

I love to get off the grid with my whānau on our land in Tairāwhiti. I’ve recently got into adventure racing. I’m just a beginner with two races so far. I love it but I need to brush up on my orienteering skills!

Photo: Virginia Woolf

I find ways to help people recognise the importance of our spiritual connection with our natural resources, within the constraints of the regulatory environment.

ALICE ANDREW

Why did you apply to be an associate director?

I am incredibly proud of our tūpuna, and their legacy. I’m at a time in my life where I’m ready for new challenges that align with my personal goals. I also wanted to reconnect with Wakatū. I want to use my skills and experience to contribute to the awesome mahi already underway. I’ve been involved with a bunch of projects that I am passionate about, such as Karioi, the indigenous crops project. I have enjoyed the energy of the organisation and have loved meeting people, many of them whānau. I feel I have a lot to give and a lot more to learn. There are some amazing people in this organisation that I can learn from. I am in awe of our women leaders – they inspire me.

Are there any whakataukī that you live by?

Toitū te marae a Tāne, Toitū te marae a Tangaroa, Toitū te Iwi. Such a simple concept but it sums up everything. I have shaped my life and career around it.

Who were you influenced by?

My mum, because she doesn’t fit the mould. She put herself through university, gaining a degree in mathematics and then became a teacher. She brought us up to have integrity and stand strong for what we believe in, and that nothing should hold us back from doing the stuff that boys get to do. Also, my dad and my uncles. They equipped me with the ability and confidence to deal with men, which comes in handy when you’re a woman in engineering.