Drew joined Tasman District Council in 2017 as a Transport Planning Advisor. Prior to this Drew has had broad experience across several roles including, Naval Architecture, Project Management, Strategic Planning and Asset Management. At Tasman District Council, Drew is responsible for all transportation planning activities as a territorial authority and a regional council (unitary authority). Since starting at Tasman District Council, Drew has worked hard to address key issues of population growth and climate change.

Robert Swears is a Technical Principal (Road Safety and Traffic Engineering) with WSP in Hamilton and a Fellow of Engineering NZ. His varied highway engineering experience ranges from investigation and planning for projects through to maintenance management. Robert is closely involved with the road safety aspects of state highway network management for various networks; this work includes preparing and reviewing fatal crash reports (typically around 50 per annum). With support from the WSP H&S team, Robert has promoted providing WSP road safety staff with knowledge and tools to help them manage the often confronting aspects of their road safety work.

Cameron is a strategic transport planner with over 23 years’ experience in land use and transport planning across the public and private sectors in Aotearoa, Australia, the UK and SE Asia. Cameron has provided leading services on multi-disciplinary teams for a broad range of metropolitan, regional, and international projects. Cameron returned to New Zealand in 2021 to lead Boffa Miskell’s transport advisory services after running his own specialist transport planning consultancy in Melbourne and undertaking senior roles in the private sector and Australian State Government planning and transport departments. He has a strong understanding of the complex public-sector project planning and delivery environment and has provided strategic project planning and implementation support for a range of metropolitan Councils. Cameron’s ability to combine technical knowledge with strong written and verbal communication skills enables him to work collaboratively with stakeholders and across disciplines to understand project context, drivers, and objectives; and apply integrated transport planning initiatives to prepare for and adapt to change.

Olivia Johnstone is an Urban Designer from Boffa Miskell with 7 years' experience. She is passionate about improving people’s lives through shaping the urban environment. Olivia has worked on a wide range of urban design and landscape architecture projects both in the public and private sector. She lives an urbanist lifestyle in Ōtautahi, and is in the process of establishing a little urban farm within biking distance of all she needs on a daily basis.

Laura Goodman believes great cities are vibrant places where people want to live, visit often and stay longer. In her role as a Transport Engineer, she focuses on developing business cases for clients to help them tell their ‘why story’, and providing structured investment decision making that delivers positive outcomes and community value. In knowing that public places shape our everyday lives and our happiness, health, and well-being, Laura asks you to ponder that, instead of measuring the success of public spaces by the services we need to live in them, isn't it time we considered the value in what makes us fall in love with them?

Brent is a Senior Project Manager in the transport team for Tauranga City Council. He is currently involved in the delivery of both business case and physical works contracts. Brent's background has been focused in project management on the contracting side.