Our people

Our Senior Leadership Team

Amanda Wheeler

Executive Director

a.wheeler@competenz.org.nz

"I love the ‘learn while you earn’ concept. It’s hugely valuable for our learners, employers, and New Zealand."

Diane Lithgow

General Manager - Strategic Engagement

d.lithgow@competenz.org.nz

“Looking up and looking forward is our focus for 2025. Underscoring everything we do is delivering training that improves productivity for every business, ensuring our employers are ready for the future of work and that our learners are living a life with purpose,”

Pip Walsh

General Manager - Learning Design & Innovation

p.walsh@competenz.org.nz

"People who have grit and tenacity inspire me. They are people who remind us of what is possible, that we all can do more than we think we can, that we can do hard things, and that we can all make a difference for someone."

Toni Christie

General Manager - Employer and Learner Services

t.christie@competenz.org.nz

"I am inspired by the difference we make. While you can get caught up with the daily grind, seeing an individual progressing or completing their qualification makes it all worthwhile. This is why I do what I do."

Murray Newman

General Manager - Corporate Services

m.newman@competenz.org.nz

"Competenz is full of people passionate about our learners’ outcomes. I am excited to transition into the work-based learning industry, building relationships across the organisation and supporting Kiwis as they work toward their trades."

National and regional managers

Our team is responsible for looking after industry, employers and apprentices in our training programmes.
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Greg Stuart

National Manager, Apprenticeships

027 550 1425 g.stuart@competenz.org.nz

Christine Ewart

National Manager, Forestry

027 700 7471 c.ewart@competenz.org.nz

Fiona Horne

Regional Apprentice Manager, Northern

027 211 6650 f.horne@competenz.org.nz

Amit Kumra

Regional Apprentice Manager, Waikato and Bay of Plenty

027 449 9107 a.kumra@competenz.org.nz

Steve Brooks

Regional Apprentice Manager, Southern

027 281 9828 s.brooks@competenz.org.nz

Cliff Stoddart

Regional Manager, Forestry

c.stoddart@competenz.org.nz

Kevin Withell

Specialty Trades Manager

k.withell@competenz.org.nz

Eric Kneepkens

Regional Manager, Apprenticeships, Central

0220158756 e.kneepkens@competenz.org.nz

Traineeships

Paula Langford

Acting National Manager

027 555 4363 p.langford@competenz.org.nz

Debs Wand

Account Manager, Upper North Island

021 745 584 d.wand@competenz.org.nz

Nick Sach

Account Manager, Lower North Island

027 5717 802 n.sach@competenz.org.nz

Denise Burton

Account Manager, South Island

022 012 8646 d.burton@competenz.org.nz

Anne White

Key Account Administrator

027 704 8498 a.white@competenz.org.nz

Quality support

Our team is responsible for ensuring our learners and the users of our unit standards are achieving consistent and quality outcomes.

Karl Mullan

National Moderation Manager, Forestry

027 242 7759 k.mullan@competenz.org.nz

Ian Braithwaite

Quality Support Administration Specialist – Forklift

i.braithwaite@competenz.org.nz

Careers/Schools

Reach out to our careers development team to discuss students interested in entering the trades. Our team are committed to connecting young Kiwis with on-the-job learning opportunities.

Lisa Reid

National Manager, Career Development

l.reid@competenz.org.nz

Amy Nicol

Schools Advisor

0220136154 a.nicol@competenz.org.nz

Reg Currin

Trades Careers Advisor

027 474 4665 r.currin@competenz.org.nz