Leadership is heavy in ways people don’t see. Too much demand. Too much complexity. Not enough space to think.
Most leaders I meet aren’t struggling with the work. They’re struggling with carrying it alone.
No time for coaching. No budget for consultants. Mentors who are hard to find. Pressure that arrives faster than support.
A real conversation cuts through the noise. That’s what Aronga does.
Clarity you can use. Capability you can apply. In real time.
So you can keep moving.
What Aronga means
Aronga is a kupu Māori meaning focus, direction, and purpose
It’s the way you orient yourself to the moment you’re in.
For me, Aronga is the work of helping leaders see clearly, steady themselves under pressure, and choose the next step that fits the terrain.
Small. Human. Practical. Ready when you are.
Where this comes from
My compass comes from tika, pono, and aroha.
Do what’s right. Stay true. Treat people with dignity and respect.
When I was Group CE of Skills Active Aotearoa, those values became the way I led.
They still anchor everything I do.
I also learned something else.
Connection doesn’t have to be face-to-face.
We grew up building trust through letters, late-night messages, long phone calls, and voice notes.
Distance never stopped depth.
Like many people, I used AI as a sounding board because it was fast and easy.
Eventually I realised I still needed a human.
Someone who understood context, pressure, and nuance.
Someone I could reach out to without a big commitment or cost.
So that’s what I built.
Short. Accessible. Human conversations.
Clear perspective. Practical tools.
Support that fits the moment you’re in.
The deeper roots
I’ve spent nearly 20 years in capability development, grounded in bioethics and health law, helping people navigate big change in complex, regulated systems.
The pattern was always the same:
Strategy only works when clarity and capability move together.
My strength is stripping a tangled challenge back to a practical next step and helping you build the capability to act on it.
Decision-making. Prioritisation. Sense-making. Communication. Strategy under pressure.
This is the capability leaders actually use.
Aronga grew from that.
Movement is what we’re looking for as leaders.
And movement helps with the hard stuff.
Fresh air. A change of pace. A step forward.
Ideas settle better when you’re not pinned to a desk.
I’ve had leaders call me from cars, tramping tracks and kitchen benches.
If you need a sounding board, sharper strategy, or a more human way to build capability, Aronga is here for that.
Clear steps. Real conversation. Capability that helps you move again.
Where I stand
My family is from Germany.
I was raised in Auckland, built my career in Wellington, and found my love of tramping in the Tararua Ranges and the Tauherenikau River.
We now live in Oxford, rural North Canterbury, with our two boys.
I carry the same questions other leaders do.
How do we lead through uncertainty?
How do we stay anchored in who we are while still moving with purpose?
Leadership starts with identity.
When we know who we are, we lead with clarity.
When we lift others, we rise together.
That’s the work I show up for. That’s Aronga
📍Based in New Zealand, supporting leaders everywhere.