Committee

Chair

Mark Pennington, Pattle Delamore Partners, Tauranga

Mark is a Civil Engineer with some 16 years of post-graduate experience, mostly in flood related analyses and low flow assessments. Mark has served on the Rivers Group Committee for the past two years where his portfolio has been newsletter editor. Mark has also represented the Rivers Group in the WaterNZ Modelling Special Interest Group, and has been actively involved in having Rivers Group representation at the 2010, 2011 and the upcoming 2012 Stormwater Conferences.

Members

Steve Edwards, Opus Wellington

Steve is currently the Rivers and Coastal Work Group Manager for Opus’s Water Resources Group  based in Wellington.  Since working in Bangladesh 25 years ago, Steve has been interested in flooding issues.  He spent 10 years working for the UK Environment Agency, and 10 years as a Consultant.  His main interests are flood risk management strategy, flood alleviation schemes, and river engineering and enhancement.

Mohammed Hassan, Waikato Regional Council, Hamilton

Mohammed Hassan is a chartered professional engineer with 25 years experience in a wide range of water and environmental engineering. His experience includes both urban and rural catchment planning, flood control works, water quality improvements and water supply projects.  He is the Technical Services Programme Manager with the Waikato Regional Council and his team provides river and catchment management engineering services.

His passion is to see the development of a capable and high performing engineering team at WRC and to interface with both the internal and external customers and organisations to deliver high quality and cost effective management of rivers, flood control schemes and water resource outcomes for the community.

He is interested in sharing of knowledge and experience of the WRC River and Catchment Services Group with other similar organisation and interest groups.

John Philpott

I am a Civil Engineer and have been involved in the Management of rivers throughout New Zealand both from within Regional Councils and as a consultant specialising in river control and flood plain management. I have been on the rivers group committee since its inception in 2009 and have held the role as treasurer over that time and am keen to stand again for the Rivers Group Committee and continue to assist with the provision of services and information to its members.

Tom Bassett, Tonkin and Taylor, Auckland

Tom is a senior engineer in the Tonkin &Taylor Water Resources Group, with nearly 30 years experience in water resources engineering, starting from post-graduate studies to develop a computational model of the Manawatu River.  His experience includes project management, modelling, design and expert evidence for river control projects on the Tauranga-Taupo and Tongariro Rivers, Matata, the Sarawak River Regulation Scheme, and river engineering in the UK and Ghana.  The Rivers Group is an important initiative to provide specialist informed input to river management policy and implementation in New Zealand, and Tom is very keen to help provide leadership in this field.

Manea Sweeney, Tonkin and Taylor

Manea Sweeney is a senior planner at Tonkin & Taylor.  Her relevant experience includes specialist planning,  environmental and social reporting on river projects in the Pacific Islands and the South Island, and working with Iwi through treaty negotiations evaluating water resources in the central North Island.  Manea has a particular interest in how national and local planning frameworks influence river and water management, and is very keen to be part of the Rivers Group committee who provide a critical forum for industry engagement in this area. 

Tom Parsons, GHD, Christchurch

Tom is a Christchurch based hydraulic engineer with experience in hydraulic modelling, hydraulic design and analysis.  He has worked within the fields of stormwater, wastewater and waterways on projects from conceptual stages to detailed design of new infrastructure and construction management. He has sat on the Rivers Group Committee for the past two years.

Jan Van der Vliet, Greater Wellington, Wellington

Jan is a dedicated civil engineering professional with 32 years experience in the industry in Europe, Africa, Central Asia, South-East Asia, Pacific and New Zealand. He has held the positions of design engineer, senior engineer, vocational trainer, senior project manager, asset manager, team leader, discipline head and principal in; flood risk management (Coastal and Fluvial), drinking water supply, sanitation & hygiene, waste management, disaster preparedness and humanitarian aid (emergency and long term development programmes).

Originating and educated in the Netherlands my passion has always been in river and coastal engineering - so one could say that "it is in my blood and DNA". Before coming to New Zealand 5 years ago I worked for 9 years with the Environment Agency in the UK on coastal and fluvial flood risk management. Their latest policy and implementation on flood risk management, on which I contributed as a senior working group member, will support the development in this technical field and profession in New Zealand - professionally in my current role and through IPENZ.

Kyle Christensen, Pattle Delamore Partners, Wellington

Kyle is a Water Resources Engineer with Pattle Delamore Partners in Wellington. He has worked on a wide variety of river engineering projects ranging from construction of flood risk management works in NZ to the design of hydropower dams in Pakistan. Kyle is interested in applying his knowledge of hydraulics and geomorphology to mitigating the hazards presented by rivers as well as sustainably utilising their resources.

Lee Rauhina-August, Greater Wellington, Wellington

Lee is one of two Pouhono ā Iwi (Iwi Liaison Officers) employed by the Greater Wellington Regional Council based in Wellington with responsibility for managing the relationship with mana whenua primarily on the west coast and central city of the Wellington region. Lee thinks it's important for the wider community to work together, and to learn and share ideas about the best way to care for the environment. She would like to help the Rivers Group continue to develop their understanding of Māori concepts and practices and she has sat on the Rivers Group Committee for the past two years.