Management
Mark Bruce-Miller
General Manager
Time at WIO: Since July 2013
Relevant Experience: I have been working in secondary and tertiary education roles as a teacher, tutor and manager for 20 years. The roles have been varied and include teaching PE and IT at a secondary school, lecturing HR at University, tutoring Adventure Tourism at polytech, developing an online Diploma in Tourism Management, managing a hospitality, beauty and hairdressing school (!!) and now… best of all GM of Whenua Iti Outdoors.
Favourite Pursuit: Fishing – with my 4 young boys!
Favourite place for adventures: Victoria Falls on the Zambia/Zimbabwe border.
Favourite piece of equipment: My passport!
Liana Crofskey
Education Partnerships Manager
Time at WIO: Since July 2013.
Relevant Experience: I have been working in the New Zealand education sector since 2004, with a focus on secondary tertiary partnerships. My background is in project, business and operations management. I can pretty much organise my way around anything!
Favourite Pursuit: Caravan camping with family and friends.
Favourite place for adventures: With my family it has to be Cable Bay campsite (so far), but my heart belongs to Punakaiki, West Coast.
Favourite piece of equipment: Glass of red wine.
Ross Morton
Safety & Programme Manager
Time at WIO: Since August 2015
Relevant Experience: 28 years (eek!) working in the outdoors.
Favourite Pursuit: At the moment, road biking and hunting (but not at the same time!!!).
Favourite place for adventures: Top of the South Island NZ, West Coast of Scotland, the Australian Outback and the Pyrennees (I couldn’t make my mind up!).
Favourite piece of equipment: My frying pan (I’m Scottish after all).
Instructors
Johnny Johnson
Senior Instructor
Time at WIO: Since 2003
Time working in the outdoors: 25 years
Favourite Pursuit: Kayaking, rockclimbing, mountain biking, photography (lots of the great images on our website are Johnny’s)
Favourite place for adventures: New Zealand!
Favourite piece of equipment: My bike and my camera
Charlie Martin
Senior Instructor
Time at WIO: Since January 2001
Time working in the outdoors: 22 years
Favourite Pursuit: Mountain biking. Lots of great riding in the Kaiteriteri and Nelson areas.
Favourite place for adventures: Love the Tasman and Golden Bay area. Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks are great venues for the family especially the Owen, Arthur, Cobb areas.
Favourite piece of equipment: Enjoying trying different mountain bikes. Converted to soft tails – there’s no going back!
Pip Rees
Instructor
Time at WIO: Since January 2015. When not working at WIO, I volunteer with Tides of Rites of Passage for young women, and on the board of Leave No Trace NZ as the Training Co-ordinator.
Time working in the outdoors: Since 2010 after a previous life as an Environmental Engineer. My favourite thing about outdoor education is imparting a strong sense of place, seeing students work together in a team to achieve more than they thought they could and having adventures underground!
Favourite Pursuit: Caving! but I also love spending time in the bush, permaculture, cooking and more caving.
Favourite place for adventures: The northern side of Mt Owen, Kahurangi National Park.
Favourite piece of equipment: My gumboots! I also love my climbing trad rack.
Ben Fenselau
Instructor
Time at WIO: Since January 2016
Time working in the outdoors: Since 2005
Favourite Pursuit: Telmark skiing – free the heel, free the mind.
Favourite place for adventures: Rock of Ages Biv, Kitchener Cirque, Mt Aspiring National Park, its a magical place.
Favourite piece of equipment: My cozy creek chair – its compact, amazingly comfortable, doubles as a half length sleeping mat and can be made into a splint if somebody breaks an arm or a leg.
Christopher Gilbertson (Gilby)
Instructor
Time at WIO: Originally in 2012 and then back in September 2016
Time working in the outdoors: 20+ years
Favourite Pursuit: Staying in as many Mountain Huts as possible, Brevet long distance cycling and listening to as much U2 as possible.
Favourite place for adventures: The Mountains.
Favourite piece of equipment: Coffee plunger and light sabre.
Joni Tomsett
Instructor
Time at WIO: 6 weeks volunteering in 2015 and now working from January 2018
Relevant Experience: 2 years sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman and 1.5 years working in Australia instructing.
Favourite Pursuit: Either sea kayaking or off track hiking paired with awesome company and delicious food.
Favourite place for adventures: Has to be Marlborough Sounds! Love the isolation, sometimes harsh weather and the stunning views.
Favourite piece of equipment: Rain gear, a compass and a full flask of coffee.
Staff
Ruth Barnett
Finance and Team Coordinator
Time at WIO: Since January 2016
Relevant Experience: Have worked in administration since 2000.
Favourite Pursuit: Spending time with my family – swimming in the river, bike rides and going to the beach.
Favourite place for adventures: Too many to choose!
Favourite piece of equipment: Hammock and book.
Nettie Stow
Communications & Grants Coordinator
Time at WIO: Since July 2016
Relevant Experience: I have worked in education and administration in both the UK and New Zealand for more years than I care to remember. Other organisations I’ve been lucky enough to be part of include a wildlife charity, field study centre, schools and a scientific institute.
Favourite Pursuit: Having adventures with our kids
Favourite place for adventures: South Island of New Zealand – next on my list is Stewart Island
Favourite piece of equipment: A good old fashioned map
Amy Dalton
Education Partnerships Coordinator
Time at WIO: Since January 2018
Relevant Experience: Priviously worked as a Science/Maths teacher at Motueka High School.
Favourite Pursuit: Hanging at the beach with the kids and dog.
Favourite place for adventures: Anywhere over in Golden Bay or exploring Cable Bay.
Favourite piece of equipment: Coffee!
Kelvin Martin
Caretaker
Time at WIO: Started late 2015
Relevant Experience: 25 years as a qualified mechanic and 8 years as a lifestyle block owner.
Favourite Pursuit: Waterskiing, fishing and diving
Favourite place for adventures: New Zealand!
Favourite piece of equipment: My Boat
Carolyn Neal
Cleaner
Time at WIO: Since 2008
Relevant Experience: Have been doing this forever!
Favourite Pursuit: Anything outside, particularly gardening.
Favourite place for adventures: Brown Acre.
Favourite piece of equipment: My car.
Helen Webster
Food Coordinator
Time at WIO: Worked at WIO from 1997 – 1999 on Explorers and Adventure Leadership. And have started again April 2018
Relevant Experience: Have worked at Outward Bound, Whenua Iti Outdoors and NMIT.
Favourite Pursuit: Mountain Biking, Horse Riding and Vege Gardening.
Favourite place for adventures: Kahurangi National Park, Lake Sylvester Tops and Mount Owen.
Favourite piece of equipment: Bike and Horse!
Board Members
Pip Lynch, Chair
Rod Markham, Trustee
Claire Webster, Trustee
Phil Sharpin, Trustee
Jeannette Bent, Trustee
David Ross, Trustee
Lisa Dunn, Trustee
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