Penny Nelson Appointed as Guardian

Co-chairs Vicky Robertson and Volker Kuntzch are thrilled to announce that Penny Nelson, the Director-General of the Department of Conservation, has been appointed as a Guardian for The Aotearoa Circle.

Penny has been DOC’s Director General since November 2021 and has also worked for MPI as Deputy Director-General Policy and Trade, where she led work shaping the future of the primary sector – enhancing the sector’s sustainability and growth.

Prior to this, Penny was Deputy Secretary at Ministry for the Environment where she was responsible for climate change, the marine environment, environmental reporting, and the science system.  She has also worked within the private and science sectors including roles at DairyNZ, the Sustainable Business Council, and Landcare Research.