Meet the Committee

Richard Measures, NIWA

Chair

Richard is an engineer/scientist in the Sediment Processes group at NIWA Christchurch. Richard enjoys trying to understand river behaviour and is easily distracted by the many interesting challenges affecting NZ rivers. His research and consultancy experience includes morphodynamic modelling of rivers, flood mapping and forecasting, river/coast interaction, artificial flushing flows and the impacts of flow regime change. Richard joined the Rivers Group committee in 2020.

Clare Wilkinson, Tonkin & Taylor

Vice Chair

Clare Wilkinson is a fluvial geomorphologist at NIWA. She has joined the Rivers Group committee as the Young Professionals Coordinator, with the aim of connecting industry practitioners and consultants with bright young minds at universities. Clare completed her PhD at the University of Canterbury. Her research involved braiding mātauranga Māori and fluvial geomorphology to better understand landscape response to major disturbances, such as earthquakes. Clare is excited to assist with building connections between university and industry leaders in the river management space.

Andy Brown, Greater Wellington Regional Council

Andy Brown is a flood risk management specialist with 17 years of experience. Currently working for Greater Wellington Regional Council this experience spans delivering projects for the Environment Agency in Wales, delivering development projects in Uganda, Costa Rica and Nepal before settling in Wellington. Having worked across all aspects of flood risk management projects from strategy, planning, delivery, and asset management he now leads greater Wellington’s Knowledge risk management & resilience work programmes including flood incident management, flood forecasting, & risk management planning. Andy has a keen interest in connecting river management with emergency management to better protect communities and championing the use of nature-based approaches and room for river concepts to improve resilience and the environment.

Alex Sims, Alluvium Consulting

Alex Sims is a fluvial geomorphologist for Alluvium Consulting based in Dunedin. Alex developed a passion for rivers and the landscapes they shape while studying geography at The University of Otago. After completing a MSc that focused on groundwater movement in the Southern Alps / Kā Tiritiri o te Moana, Alex completed a PhD in fluvial geomorphology at the University of Melbourne. Alex’s PhD research focused on understanding how pulses of sediment generated by floods and historic land use practices migrate through river networks, and how the impacts of that sediment can be managed. Alex has spent the past five years working in consulting as a fluvial geomorphologist, concentrating on mapping, modelling, and managing the impacts alluvial rivers have on society and the wider environment.

Damian Velluppillai, Tonkin + Taylor

Damian joined the Rivers Group committee in February 2024, on the back of supporting the conference organising committee with its 2023 conference in Nelson. He has many childhood memories of floating down the various rivers of the Manawatū, particularly the Rangitikei, Oroua and Pohangina Rivers. The Manawatū floods of 2004 were particularly memorable and formative. He has worked as a stormwater and flooding engineer for Tonkin + Taylor for the last 20+ years, most of these in Nelson in the fields of flood modelling, urban stormwater, levee/dams, and communicating flood risk to the public. He especially enjoys the engineering challenge of working in the nexus of people and place – finding ways to help humans and the environment coexist better than we’ve done in the past. Outside work, Damian spends a lot of time on the side of the hockey turf at his kids’ games, and enjoys mountain-biking, tennis and flying small planes.

Daniel Harrison, Taranaki Regional Council

In his role as Director – Operations at Taranaki Regional Council, Daniel is responsible for river and flood control, sustainable land management, biodiversity, biosecurity, and regional gardens. Prior to starting his current role in 2020, Daniel spent 12-years as a regional council river, drainage, and flood control practitioner in Canterbury and Taranaki. Daniel started his career in local government in 2006 as a consents planner. Daniel is an active member of the NZ regional council River Managers’ Special Interest Group (SIG), representing River Managers on the NZ Poplar and Willow Research Trust, which he Chairs; and is the convenor of the NZ regional council Biomanagers (biodiversity and biosecurity managers) SIG.

Ian Fuller, Massey University/Tonkin + Taylor

Ian’s time is shared between Massey University, where he is Professor in Physical Geography in Palmerston North, and Tonkin + Taylor, where since 2023 he’s also been working as a Principal Fluvial Geomorphologist and Technical Director. His work in fluvial geomorphology - in teaching, research and consulting - seeks an integrated understanding of river systems at multiple spatial and temporal scales. He is a Certified Environmental Practitioner in Geomorphology and has completed numerous projects for stakeholders in river management, working in catchments throughout New Zealand since arriving in 2003 to work at Massey. Prior to arriving in New Zealand, Ian completed his PhD at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth in 1996, followed by a lectureship at Northumbria University. He is passionate about educating students in NZ’s rivers and linking geomorphology with river management, and river management with geomorphology.

Jacqui McCord, University of Auckland

Jacqui is a geomorphologist working for Morphum Environmental in Auckland. She previously worked for 10 years in the engineering geology field before finding her passion for rivers. Jacqui specialises in geomorphic river assessment and river restoration, in combination with her geological background in soil and rock assessment, and slope stability analysis. Jacqui is currently studying towards a BSc (Hons) in Earth Science, focussing on geomorphology and earth processes. When not working or studying, Jacqui loves to go and explore the countries rivers, especially with a camera in hand.

Jon Bell, E2 environmental

Jon is a Chartered Professional Engineer with over 17 years' experience in River Engineering. He holds a Masters of Civil Engineering, with interest in Environmental and Open Channel Hydraulics, and is a practice area assessor for Engineering New Zealand. Jon's expertise is in flood risk management, hydraulic modelling, the design and management of river and drainage schemes and assets, as well as fluvial geomorphology. He is passionate about working with rivers to deliver sustainable solutions to meet the needs of society.

Kyle Christensen, Christensen Consulting Limited

Kyle is an Independent Consultant with over 15 years’ experience in River and Stormwater Engineering. He has a Bachelor of Natural Resources Engineering as well as a Masters of Engineering specialising in the interaction of river control works and morphological processes in river systems. Kyle is a Chartered Professional Engineer and a practice area assessor for Engineering New Zealand. Kyle is passionate about integrating geomorphology and engineering in the development of long term sustainable solutions for river management.

Markus Pahlow, University of Canterbury

Markus is a lecturer in the Department of Civil and Natural Resources Engineering at University of Canterbury. Before joining UC Markus has worked in the Netherlands, Germany, USA and Ireland, both in academia and the industry. His teaching covers hydrology, hydraulics, water resources engineering and integrated engineering design. His research aims at developing and maintaining resilient and sustainable water resources systems

Nicci Wood, Water New Zealand

A geomorphologist by training and a respected stormwater practitioner, Nicci has 25 years’ experience in providing technical advice to national, regional and local water infrastructure related planning, strategy and policy. A key member of the Technical Team at Water New Zealand, she advocates for water, catchments and their ecology, advising governance and decision-makers on developing legislation and regulation, and appearing at select committees. Experienced in civil defence and emergency management, she represents the three waters sector on National Lifelines Council and is the chair of NEMA’s water sector coordinating entity. Nicci is passionate about the environment and loves spending time out of doors, in nature.

Peter Blackwood, West Coast Regional Council

Peter is a highly accomplished Civil Engineer with 49 years of experience in Central and Local Government, specializing in Environmental Engineering. Since 1989, he has held senior roles—including Project, Principal, and Chief Engineer, as well as Design Manager—at Greater Wellington, Bay of Plenty, Horizons, and West Coast Regional Councils. An acknowledged expert in extreme value statistics, flood management planning, and coastal inundation assessment, he has contributed extensively to river engineering and flood protection scheme designs. His expertise was pivotal in solving the Lake Rotorua Level Control design, a challenge that had persisted for years. In recognition of his contributions to catchment and river engineering and hydrology, he was awarded the Arch Campbell Memorial by the NZ Rivers Group.

Rachael Armstrong, Hawke's Bay Regional Council

Rachel leads the quality people program for the Rivers Managers Special Interest Group, part of Te Ura Kahika. Rachel coordinates events and training to foster professional development and collaboration within the New Zealand rivers sector.

Rachel sits on the NZ Rivers group committee to provide a link between the New Zealand Rivers Group and River Manager Special Interest Group and to ensure training and development opportunities meet the needs of the wider river management industry.

If you have specific training needs or ideas then you can contact Rachael directly: rachael.armstrong@hbrc.govt.nz

Tom Kay, Forest and Bird

Tom is an environmental advocate and keen whitewater kayaker. He currently works as the freshwater advocate for Forest & Bird, based in Wellington. Tom has a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science and a Master of Science in Ecology from Massey University in Palmerston North – where his MSc research focused on measuring changes in river habitat over time. Tom has worked at Forest & Bird since 2017 (with a brief hiatus to work as a Policy Advisor at an environmental consultancy). He also has experience as a field team member in a predator control R&D organisation and as a raft guide. Tom’s current interest is figuring out how to get decision-makers and policy-writers to protect the natural character and habitat of rivers, and make ‘room for rivers’, rather than just focus on water quality, quantity, and flood protection engineering.

Verity Kirstein, Pattle Delmore Partners

Verity is a Senior River Engineer in the Rivers Section at Canterbury Regional Council based in Christchurch. As a geographer and civil engineer Verity’s 20 years’ experience encompasses flood and coastal risk management, asset management practices and construction project management in the rivers space in both England and New Zealand. Verity currently specialises in providing engineering solutions to flood and erosion problems, offering technical advice and guidance, and delivering integrated programmes of work for rivers throughout Canterbury. She has been a member of the Rivers Group for the last 7 years and joined the committee to volunteer time to a specialist interest group and share her passion for rivers.

Amy Bridges, Greater Wellington Regional Council

Amy is a Kaitohutohu Matua - Technical Officer for the Flood Operations team at Greater Wellington Regional Council. She has three years’ experience in water resources, specialising in flooding, river engineering and geomorphology and is well versed with the flood risks and river environments in the eastern regions of New Zealand through her master’s research. Amy is passionate about emergency management and worked extensively on the Cyclone Gabrielle response and recovery for the Hawke’s Bay Region. Her favourite river at the moment is the Te Hoiere – Pelorus River and when she is not working, Amy can be found doing one of the many crafty hobbies she has.