Agri-Women's Development Trust

Programme Directors

by | Nov 11, 2016

Programme Directors

Management Team

Our friendly and professional management team is based at our office in Northern Wairarapa. We also have a large group of expert advisors and programme facilitators based throughout New Zealand.

AWDT graduates feature strongly in our management and facilitation teams. Not only do they bring their own expertise, but having completed one or more AWDT programmes, they understand, first-hand, the power of standing shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded women to provide a rich learning experience for all.

Meet our Programme Directors

We’re here to help – read about each of our roles here. Because we all help each other out in our busy office, when you phone us (06 377 4560) any one of us may answer.



  • Loshni Manikam
  • Sara Heard

  • Loshni Manikam - Escalator

    Loshni is our Escalator Programme Director and also facilitates part of the Understanding Your Farming Business programme.

    Loshni’s fascination with human behaviour has seen her career progress from law to dairy farming to leadership coaching and training when she obtained her coach certification from the NeuroLeadership Group in 2012.

    A graduate of the Escalator programme, Loshni is also a director of a dairy-farming operation in Southland where she farms with her husband and 3 sometimes-lovely children.

    She specialises in working in the agri-sector as she firmly believes that people are the key component of the sector’s continued success – unlocking their potential has benefits for the individuals, their communities and the sector.
    loshni@awdt.org.nz

  • Sara Heard - First Steps

    Sara has been working with First Steps since graduating from the programme herself in 2012. She is an accredited International Coach Federation (ICF) coach.

    Sara combines coaching and communication skills with her natural empathy and warmth to bring out the best in others, to support their growth and development.

    A born and bred farmer, Sara experiences first-hand the multiple roles of a farming woman. She combines her AWDT role with working alongside her husband as an equity partner in a sheep, beef and cropping business.

    sara@awdt.org.nz

Strategic Partners

Programme Partners

Sponsors