Louise Baker is a Technical Principal in the Transport Planning and Advisory team at WSP. She is a transport planner specialising in travel behaviour change, and she also enjoys the challenge of considering how technology can help New Zealand to achieve policy goals and change transport systems in ways that improve the liveability of our cities and towns. The projects that Louise finds the most rewarding are those that open up choice so that more people can access active and shared transport for journeys to work or around their neighbourhoods. Louise has lived in Auckland and worked for WSP (formerly Opus) for 16 years; before moving to New Zealand, she worked in the UK at Orange, in the Environment team, and Royal Bank of Scotland Group as their Transportation Manager.

Dave Hilson is a Senior Service Network Planner with Auckland Transport. Dave has been at Auckland Transport (and predecessor organisations) for over 24 years in a variety of roles, joining the planning team around seven years ago. Prior to this Dave started his career in public transport as a bus driver in Auckland. Between 2016 and 2019, Auckland has rolled out a New Network for public transport in Auckland, Dave has been heavily involved in this network, including leading the planning for two of these areas.

Doug is Stantec’s ANZ Public Transport Practice Lead, and a transport planner and policy analyst with specialisation in public transport policy, planning, and business case development. His experience, which spans nearly 30 years, includes public sector roles in central and local government and private sector roles in consulting and business. It encompasses a wide range of New Zealand and international projects, covering the breadth of public transport modes and planning environments. His recent rail-related projects include business cases for public investment in the Capital Connection service between Palmerston North and Wellington, rolling stock replacement and service improvements for the Wellington region’s long-distance services, the recently introduced Te Huia service between Hamilton and Auckland (Papakura), and the new Wellington Regional Rail Plan.

Barry is Greater Wellington Regional Council’s Rail Asset Lead. He has more than 20 year’s experience in the rail industry – largely in relation to rolling stock, rail station infrastructure, and more recently passenger operation and network infrastructure. Activities within this industry have been diverse ranging from detailed design, asset management, project and contract management and strategic planning.

Srishti is a Service Network Planner at Auckland Transport, contributing to the forward planning and design of integrated public transport network. She was an active mobility researched in Singapore. She holds a Master of Science degree in Transportation Systems & Management.

Madie is currently a public transport planner for Auckland Transport working on improving the public transport across the region. She previously worked as a public transport scheduler and network optimisation specialist. Coming from a regional planning and urban design background, she developed a passion for public transport over the years. She practiced as an urban planner and urban designer overseas and in New Zealand.