Our people

Deborah Hart currently chairs the Retirement Villages’ Residents’ Council, is on the founding board of the Grocery Action Group and chairs the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand. She sits on the Human Rights Review Tribunal and has served as a lay member of the High Court. She advises on government relations and mentors executives.

A solicitor by training, Deborah was the chair of the independent review of Aoteoroa New Zealand’s electoral laws and undertook the independent review of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme. She is the past executive director at the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of New Zealand and a former member of the New Zealand Government’s Small Business Advisory Group.

Norman has a solid understanding of the electricity sector from both his early role as a linesman, as an infrastructure designer, and from developing one of the first electronic power meters. He also worked in management for Downer and Telecom.

He has held roles at both the operational and governance level for more than 25 years, including on the boards of various companies including an electricity lines company, a forestry company and utilities construction and asset holding companies.

Before assuming the chairperson’s role at the Advertising Standards Authority Appeal Board, Nanette spent twenty years in the electricity sector, specifically for Utilities Disputes Ltd, formerly known as the Office of the Electricity and Gas Complaints Commissioner (EGCC). She was Commissioner and Chief Executive between 2016 and 2020.

She is also currently a member of the Security and Reliability Council, which is part of the Electricity Authority, providing independent advice on the performance of the electricity system and the reliability of supply.

Jessica brings more than 20 years’ experience in research, in the energy, environment and consumer sectors.

Before starting her current role at Victoria University of Wellington, Jessica was the head of research at Consumer NZ, where she led the investigative research programme, of which electricity services are a key focus area.

Ron has worked in the electricity industry for over 50 years. Ron brings extensive knowledge of electricity industry operations, regulatory requirements and electricity industry standards. He has had significant experience across the electricity industry, including design, manufacture, construction, operational management, and the electricity market (distribution, retail, generation, metering, settlement systems, and Regulation).

Over the last 16 years, Ron has specialised in regulation and complex technical issues, market operations, physical and financial settlements and industry training. 

Emma looks after the communications and research streams for the Consumer Advocacy Council. She is excited to be part of a team focused on bringing change to the lives of New Zealanders, and loves the challenge of learning about the complexities of the electricity industry.

Emma's skillset is focused on communications, stakeholder engagement and writing. Previous work includes senior roles with business.govt.nz, the building regulatory team at MBIE, and as editor of BoardRoom magazine with the Institute of Directors. From these roles Emma brings experience working with a wide range of people to understand problems facing New Zealanders, and helping to find and develop solutions. 

Raviena is responsible for providing secretariat and administrative support for the new Consumer Advocacy Council. Raviena graduated from Victoria University of Wellington – Te Herenga Waka in 2019, with a BA(Hons) in Cultural Anthropology and Religious Studies and has since been in the public sector service. Raviena has a keen interest on contributing to the betterment of the New Zealand public and prior to this, worked at Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children with the Partnering for Outcomes function.