With a background in global corporate consulting, community development, and government involvement, Kathy brings a unique combination of experience to the Sport Otago Board. She worked for KPMG and Mercer Consulting Group in strategic planning, organisational development, and leadership communication in the US and UK, before moving to Wānaka in 2002. Since then, she’s held a variety of management roles, most recently at Community Link Upper Clutha, the region’s one-stop community support and connection centre.

Current governance positions include Deputy Chair of the Central Lakes Trust and member of Kāpuia, the ministerial advisory group providing guidance to the government on its response to the Christchurch mosque attacks. Previous roles include the Wānaka Chamber of Commerce Board, Parenting4Life, Mainly Music, Alpine Community Development Trust, Wānaka Area Youth Trust, Wānaka Alcohol Group, two local schools, and Shaping Our Future. She is a Leadership New Zealand Fellow and a member of the Institute of Directors. Involved in music and theatre, Kathy keeps active in the beautiful lakes and mountains of the region, along with her husband and three rangatahi.

Dougal was appointed as the CEO of Football South (now Southern Football), having previously been the Economic Development Project Manager at the Dunedin City Council and CEO at the Otago Chamber of Commerce. Dougal comes from a strong background in leadership, management, and governance. Dougal began his academic pathway at the University of Otago with degrees in Physical Education and Science before graduating to the Dunedin College of Education to complete his Diploma of Teaching. His love of learning and drive to model continued education to those he was teaching while at John McGlashan College saw him continue his academic pursuits by obtaining a Diploma and Masters in Educational Leadership through the University of Tasmania.

After numerous roles, including Assistant Principal at John McGlashan College, a promotion to the role of Deputy Rector at Otago Boys High School in 2010 allowed for further growth and learning. Dougal was recognised with a Furnware Leadership in Boys Education award in 2012. He has been actively involved in school governance and self-review since 2012.

In 2004, Dougal became the lower South Island representative for New Zealand Secondary School Football, leading to roles on the International Committee, Management, and Tour Leader for New Zealand Secondary Schools U17 and U15. In 2013 he took the position of Chairperson. During this time, Dougal was also appointed to the Board of Football South where he has held the positions of Chair and Deputy Chair on a rotational basis since 2008. He was Football South’s President before taking on his current CEO role. In 2010, Dougal was elected as the South Island delegate on the Board of New Zealand Football.

Dougal has a strong commitment to education, learning, and community. He has participated and currently sits on numerous Community and Educational Boards or Advisory Groups.

Andrew is a business consultant and Chartered Accountant with 20+ years experience providing advice to organisations to help them achieve their goals. His governance roles include as the current Chair of the Audit & Risk Committee at Environment Southland, Co-Chair at Otago Regional Council, and NZ Councillor of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand. Andrew has a passion for ensuring people are active in their lives. He has played football at high competitive levels, currently coaches, and is the past president of Dunedin Technical Football Club. Hiking and multi-sport events currently keep him active.

Ben brings a unique combination of leadership in sports technology, innovation, and local investment to the Sport Otago Board. He grew up in Dunedin, where his father founded Animation Research Ltd (ARL), and today Ben oversees ARL’s sports division. He leads a team delivering world-class broadcast graphics for major events, having worked with global companies like Paramount, Discovery, Disney, and PGA TOUR. 

Ben’s experience includes negotiating high-level commercial contracts and managing large-scale production teams. He spent years traveling to over 30 countries, immersing himself in TV production and innovation, which informs his current role. He also has a deep passion for Dunedin’s future and contributes to initiatives that promote the city's growth. 

In addition to his professional commitments, Ben is a proud Dunedin resident who enjoys the city’s active lifestyle with his wife Samantha and their three children. 

Catherine lives in Kaitangata, South Otago, where she is a self employed dairy farmer with her husband and two young boys. She is community minded and passionate about sport and recreation, having come from a sports management background prior to moving to NZ from Australia in 2014. With professional experience in high performance, state government, and state sporting associations, Catherine finds fulfilment in contributing to her local rural community by volunteering in a variety of roles from facilities, her local primary school, sports clubs, and farming advocacy bodies, while running their farming business. She has recently retired from a 10 year stint on the Committee of the Cross Recreation Centre, where she was Chair for five years. 

Clare brings leadership experience across the sport, events, sustainability, and governance sectors. Her professional background includes GM of Sales and Marketing at Sky Stadium, along with key positions in digital marketing and communications at major global events such as the Cricket World Cup 2015, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, and the Rugby World Cup 2011. 

In recent years, Clare has pivoted towards governance and leadership, spearheading strategic projects for the Institute of Directors. She led the establishment and growth of Chapter Zero NZ, part of the global Climate Governance Initiative, delivering a climate leadership hub for the governance community.  

Her governance experience includes serving as a Trustee on the board of Nuku Ora (Sport Wellington) for seven years, where she contributed to substantial strategic growth and change within the community sport sector. She also served as Deputy Chair during the establishment phase of the Upper Clutha Sports Services Hub.  

Clare holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) from Victoria University, which provided a broad foundation across diverse business disciplines. 

Clare lives in Wānaka with her husband and two young boys and the whānau enjoy the outdoor lifestyle of Central Otago, including hiking, running, mountain biking, and skiing.  

Gianna (Ngāi Takoto, Ngāti Kuri, Te Aupōuri) is a Senior Advisor at Te Reo Irirangi o Te Hiku o te Ika, working on the Papa Reo, a multilingual language platform grounded in Indigenous knowledge and ways of thinking and powered by cutting-edge data science. Prior to this, Gianna was a Lecturer at the University of Otago where she taught te reo Māori and Indigenous research theory. 

She has been the Chairperson of South Pacific Rugby League Club (SPRLSC) since 2009, a whānau-oriented sports club based in Dunedin. Gianna's primary goals have been removing barriers for the community to participate in sport whilst increasing the use of te reo me ngā tikanga Māori. 

With extensive leadership experience in stakeholder management, strategic planning, and community engagement, Natasha brings a focused, results-driven approach to fostering positive outcomes. She managed the South Island team for Connexis and served as National Industry Relationship Manager with Waihanga Ara Rau, where she developed sector-specific initiatives, managed high-level partnerships, and championed workforce development. Her tenure as the owner of a personal training business for over a decade reflects a longstanding passion for movement and wellness. She is committed to contributing to the mission of Sport Otago, supporting active, healthy lifestyles across the communities of Otago.

Nicola has a background in Health Psychology. She is an Associate Professor, and currently teaches and researches in Pain Management and Recovery from Injury. Nicola has over 70 peer-reviewed academic publications. She also serves on a wide range of boards and committees, including The Human Rights Tribunal, The Health and Disability Ethics Committee, ADL (a mental health provider), The Medical Sciences Council, and The Medical Sciences Secretariat. In her down time Nicola enjoys skiing and paddle boarding, and lives in Arrowtown with her husband and the youngest of her four children.