Our Board

FOUNDER

Derek has been involved with the Nelson Environment Centre since 1976, as part of the founding group. He was the Chairperson for most of this time and now serves as a Board member. He has governance experience, being a part of many local and national environmental and sports organisations, including The Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust, along with 30 years as an elected member of Nelson City Council, Nelson Marlborough Regional Council, Nelson Catchment and Regional Water Board. Derek is a small business owner, operating his publishing business Nikau Press for the past 40 years. He is also currently a Board member of the Tasman Bays Heritage Trust.

CHAIR & TREASURER

Dominic is a Nelson local whose love of nature has made him a strong advocate of preserving it. To the Nelson Environment Centre, he brings his passion for the environment and financial acumen, as he is a charted accountant who has worked in chartered accounting firms in New Zealand and Australia. His current role is a management accountant for the Cawthron Institute.

SECRETARY

Richard has been involved with the organisation since 1985, first as a volunteer, then as an employee and now as a Board Member. His involvement has nurtured his passion as an activist concerned about native forest clearance, environmental protection and peace issues. Richard has a resource management and planning background and since 1998 has worked for Nelson City Council in a range of roles on a variety of environmental programs, notably air quality, heritage protection and biosecurity.

Carlo’s passion is to make a positive contribution to the environment. He has spent the last 15 years working in the field of conservation, project management and the wider field of environmental science. He has advanced customer service and management skills as he previously helped manage a building company in Nelson. He is currently a contractor to events organisers and councils for waste minimisation & management.

Born and raised in former East Germany, Marco initially studied management and pursued a career in business before discovering his passions for Aotearoa and philosophy. Now working in academia, he specialises in ethics, political and social philosophy, as well as environmental philosophy. While based in Auckland, Marco has a special fondness for the beauty of the South Island and its diverse environments. His involvement with Nelson Environment Centre reflects his commitment to connecting philosophy with real-world issues and safeguarding our natural treasures for future generations.

A new addition to the Board, Sarah has over 20 years in business-to-business marketing and communications roles. She was drawn to the Nelson Environment Centre after previous involvement in product stewardship through the RE:MOBILE phone recycling scheme, through which she developed a passion for circular economy and finding solutions to divert waste from landfill. She loves the Nelson-Tasman region and jumps at any opportunity to return.

Greg Slaughter brings 28 years of experience across a diverse range of industries, including local government, civil engineering, sustainability, and waste minimization. He is currently the Executive General Manager for Waste Management Ltd in the South Island. Greg holds a Master’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and is a member of the Institute of Directors Aotearoa. Although based in Christchurch, he regularly visits Nelson and is continually inspired by the outstanding work that NEC and its volunteers accomplish each day.

Greg’s career has been driven by a deep commitment to sustainability and fostering positive change through people, processes, and community collaboration. He believes that exceptional environmental outcomes are best achieved through the combined efforts of communities, businesses, and government. With a collaborative approach, Greg is dedicated to supporting NEC as it embraces both the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

Lucy grew up in both Nelson and Canterbury and is a passionate environmentalist and outdoors woman. Lucy has been working in strategic communication and digital marketing for many years, and is now pursuing her Master of Sustainable Business. As a student and Research Assistant at the University of Otago via distance, Lucy is interested in climate reporting, transparency and system change. She is currently working on her thesis on organisational sensemaking of a post-growth future through a systems thinking lens.

SPECIAL ADVISER

Matt is a skilled project manager known for his ability to build strong and lasting relationships. He brings extensive experience in managing projects from inception to completion, including planning, consultant engagement, design management, value engineering, programming, and financial oversight.

Matt’s love of nature inspires his work, and he is passionate about creating projects that deliver real value to both clients and communities. He has worked on significant capital projects across New Zealand and internationally.

When not working on projects, Matt enjoys mountain biking and fishing near his home in the forested hills of Nelson, where he lives with his wife and three daughters.