Strategic Science Advisory Group members

Lindsay Bulman, Scion

Lindsay is Science Leader, Forest Protection at Scion, specialising in surveillance, risk analysis and techniques available to mitigate losses from forest disease. He has undertaken research for more than 40 years and has experience managing diseases affecting radiata pine and researching other biosecurity issues in New Zealand. Lindsay is currently leading Scion’s Forest Protection team.

Lindsay is also a member of the Kauri Dieback Strategic Science Advisory Group (SSAG) and two Biological Heritage Science Challenge advisory groups.

Alison Fordyce, Ministry for Business, Innovation and Employment

Alison is a Senior Investment Manager in the Strategic Investments team at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. She oversees several long-term strategic science investments, including the New Zealand’s Biological Heritage National Science Challenge.

Alison has a PhD in biochemistry, and worked briefly at the former Dairy Research Institute (now Fonterra) before joining Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research in the mid-1990s, moving to MBIE in 2013.

Veronica Herrera, Ministry for Primary Industries

Veronica is the Director of Diagnostic and Surveillance Services at the Ministry for Primary Industries. Veronica has been with the Ministry for 22 years holding different biosecurity positions. Her specific focus is post border biosecurity, in particular incursion investigation, diagnostics and surveillance.

Ken Hughey (SSAG Chair), Department of Conservation

Ken is on a three-day per week secondment from Lincoln University to the Department of Conservation (DOC) as Chief Science Advisor, a position he’s held since 2014. In this role, Ken takes a broad overview of science issues relating to DOC’s responsibilities and advises the department’s Director-General about preferred ways forward.

Ken has broad ranging interests including science strategy. Particular areas of interest include water resources, environmental perceptions and sustainable tourism (including in relation to climate change). He has been advising DOC’s senior leadership team on science strategy improvements and has participated in MPI-facilitated work about strategic science.

Ken is also a member of the Kauri Dieback SSAG.

Peter Millard, Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research   

Pete is the General Manager of Science at Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, where he is responsible for strategic leadership across biodiversity, biosecurity and climate-change research.

Pete has a background in tree ecophysiology and worked as a researcher in the UK for 30 years (17 in senior leadership positions), before moving to New Zealand to join the executive team at Manaaki Whenua in 2011. He is a member of the Collaboration Council for the Better Border Biosecurity and chairs the Steering Group for the New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre. Pete has published over 160 research papers and is currently researching factors regulating soil carbon turnover.

Glenice Paine, Environment Court of New Zealand

Glenice has a background in the conservation and resource management fields and is a Deputy Commissioner of the Environment Court of New Zealand. She is currently a member of the Biosecurity 2025 Steering Group, Member of Governance Group for the Biological Heritage – National Science Challenge and a member of Te Tira Whakamātaki (Māori National Biosecurity Network). 

Naomi Parker, Ministry for Primary Industries

Naomi is the Manager, Science Policy at the Ministry for Primary Industries. She joined MPI in 2006 in a marine biosecurity technical leadership role. She gradually moved into broader science policy leadership and has worked at the science/policy interface for more than 15 years. A regular contributor to science strategy development and prioritisation, Naomi is currently Chair of the Sustainable Seas National Science Challenge Stakeholder Panel.

Naomi has a PhD in Phytoplankton Ecology from the University of Tasmania, Australia.

Geoff Pegg, Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries

Geoff is the Team Leader for the Forest Production and Protection group within the Queensland Department of Agriculture & Fisheries. He has almost 20 years’ experience as a forest pathologist working on a range of diseases impacting production and native forests. Prior to this, he spent four years as a Quarantine Inspector with the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service. More recently, Geoff has been involved in a range of myrtle rust research projects in Australia and internationally.

Philippa Stevens, Plant and Food Research

Philippa is Group General Manager Science Services for Plant and Food Research. In this role she is a member of the Senior Management Team, responsible for all the research Plant and Food carries out for customers. She is focused on how science creates a maximum value for customers.

Philippa has a long career in research dating back to 1989 when she joined the DSIR Entomology Division. Since that time she has moved from being an active researcher to her current role. She was previously General Manager, Bioprotection at Plant and Food Research. She is a former President of the NZ Plant Protection Society, is on the Collaboration Council for the Better Border Biosecurity and is a Board member for the Bio-Protection Research Centre.

Nick Waipara, Biological Heritage Science Challenge

Nick is a member of the Science Leadership Group within the Ngā Koiora Tuku Iho (Biological Heritage Science Challenge). As a Kaihautū in the Challenge, he provides advice and facilitates Vision Mātauranga principles and concepts, Māori research priorities and methodologies.

In 2017, Nick joined Plant and Food Research and was recently appointed team leader of the Epidemiology and Disease Management team based at Mt Albert and Te Puke sites.

Nick is also a member of the Kauri Dieback SSAG.