Dear Members,
Join us for a Special General Meeting to confirm the NZGS Management Committee for 2026/27.
Date: Tuesday, 13 January 2026
Time: 5pm
Location: Online
Register here: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Background
The affairs of the NZ Geotechnical Society are managed by the Management Committee on behalf of the Members. We aim for representation on the Committee that is as broad as possible both geographically and between engineers and geoscientists to ensure that all views are well represented.
The terms of six elected members of the 2023/25 Management Committee came to an end. An election for the 2026/27 Management Committee was held via online ballot as we received nine nominations.
Normally, the incoming committee would have been confirmed as part of the AGM. However, due to financial reporting requirements, the AGM was moved to March 2026. Therefore, a Special Management Meeting has been called to confirm the 2026/27 Management Committee, allowing them to begin their duties.
2026/2027 NZGS Management Committee
The election process to fill these vacant positions was held in October 2025.
The 2025/2026 NZGS National Management Committee is listed below.
The positions of Chair and Treasurer were uncontested. The Committee received two nominations for the Vice Chair position, and after conducting a secret ballot, Jesse Beetham was elected as the new Vice Chair.
Elected NZGS Management Committee:
| Name | Primary NZGS Committee Role(s) | Employer | Hometown |
| Emilia Stocks | Chair | Tonkin + Taylor | Wellington |
| Jesse Beetham | Vice chair | Tonkin + Taylor | Tauranga |
| Christoph Kraus | Treasurer | Beca | Wellington |
| Martin Larisch | Training, Workshops and Webinars Coordinator | Independent Consultant and Expert Witness | Waikanae |
| Rhiannon Robinson | Training, Workshops and Webinars Coordinator | Beca | Tauranga |
| Heather Lyons | Branched and Invited Speakers Coordinator | ENGEO | Auckland |
| Gabriele Chiaro | Climate Change and Sustainability & NZGS Awards | University of Canterbury | Christchurch |
Ex-officio management committee members (including International Society Liaisons):
| Name | Primary NZGS Committee Role(s) | Employer | Hometown |
| Philip Robins | Immediate Past Chair | Beca | Palmerston North |
| Eleni Gkeli | ISRM NZ Representative | Stantec | Welington |
| Ross Roberts | IAEG NZ Representative | Auckland Council | Auckland |
| Rolando Orense | ISSMGE NZ Representative | University of Auckland | Auckland |
Co-opted NZGS Management Committee Members:
| Name | Primary NZGS Committee Role(s) | Employer | Hometown |
| Camilla Gibbons | Geomechanics News Editor (joined role) | Aurecon | Christchurch |
| Robert Kamuhangire | Geomechanics News Editor (joined role) | KGA Geotechnical Group | Christchurch |
| Liam Wotherspoon | Technical Working Group Liaison (joined role) | University of Auckland | Auckland |
| Luke Storie | Technical Working Group Liaison (joined role) | NZTA | Auckland |
| TBC | Young Geotechnical Professionals Liaison | ||
| TBC | Website Coordinator |
Appointed Roles
| Name | Primary NZGS Committee Role(s) | Employer | Hometown |
| Teresa Roetman | Secretary | Self-employed | Auckland |
| Simon Woodward | Projects Coordinator | Self-employed | |
| Sally Fullam | NZ Geomechanics News designer | Self employed | Auckland |
| James Robinson | Website administrator | Self employed | Australia |
Proposals
- It is proposed that the 2026/27 Management Committee is confirmed as part of this Special General Meeting, allowing them to begin their duties.