Sarah-Jane is Deputy Chair of Rātā Foundation.
She was previously a partner at Anderson Lloyd and is now a consultant. Passionate about the Nelson community and the lifestyle choices offered by the region, alongside her role as a Trustee for Rātā Foundation, she is a director of Nelmac limited, a Nelson City Council organisation, and Network Tasman Limited, an electricity lines company.
What have been some of the highlights of your role as Trustee of Rātā Foundation?
A highlight for me has been meeting all those wonderful people out there making a difference in our community. Many, many people give their time voluntarily in different areas of our community, and there are so many unsung heroes. Hearing what others give is sometimes humbling, and always inspiring.
What motivated you to be involved with Rātā Foundation?
I'm a big believer in the power of philanthropy. I've been involved in a number of different organisations over the years. I'm pleased to bring my governance skills to the board of an organisation which really makes a difference to the lives of so many across our four funding regions.
What are you most passionate about in supporting the community?
I am passionate about supporting the projects and people which will lead to tomorrow's community being a better place to be than yesterday’s. I can't pick one sector we support as being more important- young people, arts, social services, sport/ recreation- and so on- they all fulfill different but equally important roles.
What, to you, is one of Rātā Foundation’s greatest achievements and or projects?
There are so many, but one which particularly resonates with me has been our involvement in the funding of the Nelson Tasman Cycle Trail Trust. Not only does the trail promote cycling as a healthy recreational activity, easily accessible to families and older people, but it is actively working to develop the Nelson region into New Zealand’s leading cycle tourism destination.