Programme Directors
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
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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.
Challenging assumptions, championing the industry, and driving success are all in a day’s work for Nicky Berger, #EscalatorAlumni, farmer and Co-Founder of Grassfed in the City.
In this interview with Beef and Lamb New Zealand, Nicky speaks about her experiences with humour and inspiration. As #EscalatorAlumni, Nicky says the programme ‘turned my brain upside down and left me a much better person – a better listener, and a better thinker’. We love following your leadership journey Nicky!
Read the full article here.
www.beeflambnz.co.nz/news/2021/3/5/international-womens-day-nicky-berger-farmer
International Women’s Day: Nicky Berger, Farmer #ChoosetoChallenge — BEEF + LAMB NEW ZEALAND
www.beeflambnz.co.nz
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2021 we spoke to three women working in different areas of the supply chain – a farmer, butcher , and project manager. Challenging assumptions, championing the industry, and driving success are all in a days work for these women. This interview features far...Good write up
A challenged world is an alert world and from challenge comes change. So let's all #ChooseToChallenge
This year's International Women's Day theme feels connected to our vision of women as vital partners in world-leading New Zealand primary industries. Women are an integral part of the sector's progress and change, and as an organisation we feel privileged to be supporting you to understand your value, find your voice and create positive change in your life.
Let’s use today to celebrate our collective achievement as women (and as those supporting women) and keep working towards a more inclusive world which not only accepts, but also embraces our differences.
Thanks to our partners for recognising the importance of women in the primary sector by investing in their development - ANZ New Zealand, Beef and Lamb New Zealand, AGMARDT, Red Meat NZ, Ravensdown, Ministry for Primary Industries, FMG, Farm Focus, formerly CRS Software, Farmers Weekly NZ and KPMG
Image - AWDT Patron Mavis Mullins, Chair Linda Cooper, GM Lisa Sims & Founder Lindy Nelson.
#ChooseToChallenge #IWD2021 #creatingpositivechange
Is change really more significant for farming now than ever before, or does it just feel that way?
#EscalatorAlumni Julia Jones of NZX speaks with
Beef + Lamb New Zealand about alternative proteins, threats and opportunities for NZ agriculture.
Listen to the podcast to understand what can (and should) be done about it. bit.ly/3sCwVwe
“We are all judged on how well the land is when we pass it on to the next generation. Although people come and go, the land remains.”
This Māori proverb is guiding our Patron Mavis Mullins in her project working with 50 dairy farms to make a better world for her mokopuna and protect our environment.
Fonterra and Nestle have joined a project led by our partner DairyNZ in which a blend of herb plantain is being sown in pastures with the aim of both reducing nitrate run-off into waterways and lowering on-farm greenhouse gas emissions.
Read the full article here bit.ly/3e2518R
Are you a farmer, producer, innovator, researcher, educator, student, government or finance worker looking at how to grow Aotearoa’s agriculture industry?
E Tipu: The Boma NZ Agri Summit is designed to bring together people who work across New Zealand's entire food and fibre sector, from the start of the supply chain to the finished products. With a shared purpose of accelerating progress and change in the primary sector and rural communities, AWDT is proud to be a channel partner and have our Founder Lindy Nelson, speaking at E Tipu.
For an inspiring two days of discussion, debate and discovery, join E Tipu on 11 - 12 May, 2021 in Christchurch etipu.boma.global
#creatingpositivechange
