Meet The Speakers & Panelists

Jezza Williams is the founder & director of the Makingtrax Foundation, the only independent organization dedicated to Inclusion in Tourism & Adventure Travel. A hard-core adventurer, he has had a lifetime in the adventure tourism industry. Following a life-changing canyon accident in 2010, he shifted his focus dedicating his work to developing Inclusive Tourism & Adaptive Adventure throughout Aotearoa. With over 30 years in the tourism industry, 12 of those dedicated to inclusive and accessible tourism Jezza is recognized globally as a adaptive advisor and inclusive adventure consultant.

Amanda Stevens is a renowned thought leader on the customer experience. She combines current consumer insights with fascinating research into buying behaviour, delivering organisations and business owners powerful strategies for connecting with their customers – never more important than in a post-COVID world. Amanda has a double degree in consumer psychology and marketing and is a hands-on marketer, having consulted across almost every industry in Australia and the United States. Recognised as one of the most entertaining and energetic speakers on the circuit, Amanda has presented at over 1200 conferences in 14 countries and today is regarded as one of the best virtual presenters in the country. She combines practical strategies with a mesmerizing storytelling style, leaving audiences with memorable messages and actionable insights.

Jehan Casinader is one of New Zealand’s top storytellers. He was named “Reporter of the Year” at the New Zealand Television Awards and “Best Political Columnist” at the Voyager Media Awards. In the aftermath of natural disasters, terror attacks, sporting triumphs and everything in between, Jehan has helped hundreds to share their inspiring, deeply personal stories. In 2020, Jehan created his own business, to teach Kiwis how to tell more powerful stories – helping us to live, work and perform better. Now, he’s one of NZ’s most-booked personal development speakers. Jehan works with a wide range of public and private organisations. He also MCs and facilitates epic conversations at live events, and coaches senior leaders. A survivor of depression and suicidal thoughts, Jehan is the author of This Is Not How It Ends: How rewriting your story can save your life (HarperCollins).

One of life’s great enthusiasts, Matt’s a man who has packed a fair bit into life. His CV includes everything from being an award-winning radio host and a presenter of the live Lotto draw on TV2 to being a Nelson City Councillor for three terms and the writer of The Little Things, an internationally published cartoon on the highs and lows of parenting. Matt has also been a professional film reviewer and newspaper columnist. These days he’s a regular contributor to Nelson Magazine and the coordinator of the ridiculously successful charity Bike Hub Nelson, which fixes up donated bikes and makes them available to the community on a donation basis. Last year alone, Bike Hub Nelson re-homed 1438 bikes. Prior to being lured to Nelson by a job offer he couldn’t refuse, Matt worked for Radio New Zealand, studied Journalism at Auckland University of Technology, spent eight months riding a bike across Southeast Asia, lived in Japan for three years, and did a Bachelor of Arts at Victoria University of Wellington. Matt says he is “chuffed” to be our MC and is looking forward to learning lots about the holiday parks industry.

Adam Lynch is the New Zealand Managing Director of Reliance Risk and a specialist in tourism safety, risk management, and business continuity. With over 20 years’ experience across New Zealand and the UK, Adam has held executive and operational leadership roles in major venues, visitor attractions, and events. He works closely with tourism operators, councils, and community organisations to enhance resilience through practical risk strategies, emergency planning, and systems development. Known for his hands-on approach and clear communication, Adam helps businesses—big and small—navigate uncertainty while keeping guests and teams safe.

Caitlin is the Operations Manager at Taupō TOP 10 Holiday Park, where she leads the day-to-day with a focus on great guest experiences, strong team culture, and smooth, efficient operations. With a background in hospitality and people leadership, she’s all about creating systems that work, and making work feel good for the people doing it. In 2024, Caitlin was proud to receive the Emerging Star Award from the Holiday Parks Association of New Zealand, recognising her contribution to the tourism sector and her fresh approach to leadership. In her spare time, she loves doing anything to do with puzzles, hunting and spending time with family and friends. She’s passionate about supporting local business, learning from others, and helping shape a strong future for the Taupō business community.

Cath Bellchambers is a highly regarded tourism industry professional with over 35 years of experience in developing, operating and mentoring within the resort and holiday park sector. She specialises in managing and supporting operators of pools, spas, water play areas, aquatic centres, holiday parks and wellness centres. Cath’s focus is on training, water management and sustainability to ensure her clients receive expert advice on best practices. Known for her ability to build strong, long-term relationships, Cath provides personalized guidance that helps her clients achieve operational excellence in water facilities while promoting sustainability. Cath is also a TAE – Registered Trainer / Aquatic Technical Operator.

Craig is an accomplished tourism advisor with 25 years’ experience in making plans and concepts a reality including producing many tourism sector strategies, feasibility studies and establishing collaborative activities for New Zealand regions and journeys through them by train, car and cycle. His goal is to help organisations achieve their full potential sooner by combining smart customer segmentation with bold positioning of remarkable products and experiences. A champion of experience quality including over a decade as a NZ Tourism Awards judge.

Danielle joined BDO Wellington in 2015 and has built a reputation as a leader for Women in Business and being a well-rounded Business Advisor. Her knowledge of business structures, leadership styles and financial transactions makes her a natural fit to guide her clients. She provides an advanced level of service for clients, covering not only regular financial management but delving into areas such as KPI development and monitoring, Budgets and cashflow management, Business growth plans, Process mapping and improvements, Financial policy development, Coaching and mentoring, Education for emerging leaders, and Financial literacy development. Danielle is passionate about increasing financial literacy and regularly coaches clients and teams so they can be part of the conversation.

As the owner and operator of five holiday parks, he understands the pressures that businesses currently face and future opportunities for them. Deryck’s governance experience includes current and former roles in education, health, forestry, wood processing, sports, community and disabilities. He has also mentored many people in governance and business. He is a keen supporter of sustainability as one of the founders of the Rotorua Sustainable Charter over 25 years ago and understands the importance of community in tourism through his role as a volunteer organiser of the Rotorua Walking Festival for over 30 years.

With over a decade of hands-on experience in the Australian and New Zealand caravan and holiday park industry - including managing a large tourism property - Erin Stevenson brings a wealth of real-world insight to every conversation. Now VP of Growth & Client Experience at Newbook, she leads the AU/NZ Sales and Customer Success teams, while also overseeing global teams across the business. A passionate advocate for innovation in the hospitality space, Erin is a familiar face on the speaker circuit, sharing her expertise at conferences around the world. She’s known for her practical, industry-first approach and deep understanding of what it takes to thrive in a rapidly evolving landscape. Whether she’s talking operational excellence, guest experience, or the power of technology, Erin brings energy, clarity, and a genuine commitment to helping operators succeed.

Fiona is the Auckland Partner of the Employment Law team and commenced her career with Lane Neave in 2007. Fiona and her team act for both employees and employers in matters involving employment relations, health and safety, human rights, privacy and ACC. Fiona advises on all aspects of termination including performance management, misconduct, serious misconduct, medical incapacity, restructurings and redundancies and negotiated exits. She also specialises in collective bargaining, human rights commission matters and independent external investigations. Fiona regularly represents parties in Mediations, Employment Relations Authority Investigation meetings and the Employment Court. Fiona was nominated for Young Lawyer of the Year at the 2016 Law Awards. In 2022 and 2023, she was recognised as an Elite Woman in NZ Lawyer’s annual rankings. Fiona has also been recognised in Doyle’s Guide, Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners as a leading employment and health and safety practitioner in New Zealand. Although Fiona is based in Auckland, she works with clients in all parts of the country.

A strategist, thinker, innovator and influencer across the public and private sectors with extensive governance experience. Currently supporting regional economic development with destination marketing, sustainability, aviation training, major events, tourism and business events as Regional Affairs Manager for Araraurangi Air New Zealand. A senior executive and management professional with over 25 years experience in governance, brand, marketing and communications within the public sector throughout New Zealand and five years commercial experience in the United Kingdom/Europe. Jason has a range of specialist skills in digital technologies, customer experience & transformation, crisis management & communications, marketing & communications, strategy & product development, relationship management, external engagement, people management & leadership. He also have extensive governance experience with commercial entities, charities and Not For Profits.

Jill Hooper is the Founder and Managing Director of Good to Book, a leading guest intelligence platform built specifically for short-term accommodation providers (STAPs). With more than two decades of experience in healthcare leadership and business development, Jill transitioned into the accommodation industry and quickly identified the urgent need for a better way to manage the risks posed by Rogue Guests. Drawing from firsthand experience as an operator of a Queensland-based aparthotel, Jill developed Good to Book as a practical, scalable solution that now supports providers across Australia and New Zealand. The platform integrates directly with Property Management Systems (PMS), or a standalone platform, empowering providers to make informed, risk-aware booking decisions that protect revenue, staff, and the guest experience. Jill is passionate about elevating industry standards and ensuring that accommodation providers have the tools they need to confidently welcome guests who are truly “Good to Book.”

Manoli Aerakis is a seasoned business development coach and entrepreneur with a diverse background spanning banking, accounting, valuation and strategic advisory. He currently serves as the CEO of Go Accounting, a firm formed in 2017 through the merger of Malloch McClean Tasman and Crux, offering comprehensive services in accounting, advisory, and business coaching . Manoli's career began in New Zealand's commercial and private banking sectors, where he developed a deep understanding of financial systems and client relations. He later transitioned to the UK, leading a high-growth business recognized among the top 100 fastest-growing companies in the country . Upon returning to New Zealand, he established the Nelson branch of Malloch McClean, scaling it to $2 million in revenue over five years. Also being awarded several national awards from the likes of Xero and The Gap. Since launching his consulting and accounting career, Manoli has assisted over 100 businesses in achieving their goals. He specializes in helping business owners maximize their potential by leveraging their talents and passions through fully systemized processes . His coaching approach includes strategic planning, business planning, and organizational reviews, aiming to align businesses with their vision and enhance their culture . In addition to his professional endeavours, Manoli is actively involved in the business community, serving on various boards and contributing to not-for-profit organizations . He is also a published author on business topics, sharing insights on cash flow management, customer engagement, and effective business practices .

Matthew has over 15 years of experience in the accommodation sector, spanning operations, revenue management, sales, and technology. As Commercial Director for RoomPriceGenie, he helps accommodation providers—big and small—unlock the power of dynamic pricing through automation. Matt’s all about making revenue management simple, effective, and accessible for all accommodation providers across the region.

Nadia Ellis is the founder of Curiosity, an AI consultancy helping tourism businesses across Aotearoa work smarter with artificial intelligence. With two decades in strategic marketing and leadership roles at places like RealNZ and Cardrona Alpine Resort, she helps operators move beyond the buzzwords and put AI to work. Streamlining operations, surfacing better insights, and creating systems that freeing up time to focus on what really matters.

Paul Wilson is a seasoned parks and recreation professional with over three decades of experience in strategic planning, asset management, and facility design across the public and private sectors. As Director of Xyst Limited, New Zealand’s largest dedicated parks and recreation planning practice, Paul has led numerous projects throughout New Zealand, helping local governments and tourism operators enhance the quality, sustainability, and visitor experience of their facilities. With a background in local government and a strong focus on evidence-based decision-making, Paul brings deep expertise in policy and planning, service delivery, and customer experience design. Paul’s insights into the intersection of tourism, recreation management make him a valuable voice in the conversation about the future of holiday parks.

Peter joined the holiday parks sector in 2013 when with his family, they purchased the lease to run their first park, Fitzroy Beach in New Plymouth. Formally trained and still active in the financial sector he claims to have had no idea he’d enjoy Parks so much. He now oversees the operation of three parks and a couple of other accommodation businesses. He is a strategic thinker but still hands on living on Belt Road Seaside Holiday Park. He balances his time between park management and raising a family of four kids, frequently making time to travel domestically in their (almost too small) single axel caravan. Outside of work Peter is a keen fisherman and occasional hunter. He’s well past his playing days but enjoys all sports and coaches a couple of his kids rugby teams. Peter was elected to the HAPNZ board in 2017 and has served as chair since 2022.

Sam assists clients with a wide range of commercial and specialist asset valuation assignments, including self-storage, short-term accommodation, childcare and general industrial and commercial assets. His experience and connections across several specialist asset classes has also resulted in Sam providing valuation advice to a number of privately owned national portfolios. Following completion of his degree, Sam commenced full time employment with TelferYoung (now CBRE) in 2013 and gained registration in May 2016. Since then he has undertaken a mix of residential and specialist asset valuation projects.

Inspired by their experience, they envisioned an app that would keep campers informed about events, amenities, and updates. Joe began coding, and App My Community was born. As they continued camping, they added features to address common guest frustrations, making the app more robust and user-friendly.

With over 25 years’ experience designing holiday parks and tourism facilities across New Zealand, architect Steven Chambers brings deep sector knowledge and a passion for inclusive, people-first design. Steven specialises in creating functional, welcoming spaces that cater to a diverse range of guests. At this year’s conference, he will share insights into designing for neurodiverse clients—including those with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, and related conditions—highlighting practical ways parks can enhance comfort, reduce sensory stress, and build loyal, returning visitors. His talk promises valuable, actionable ideas for creating more inclusive and future-ready holiday park environments.