Our People
Cycling New Zealand Board Members
Cycling New Zealand's strategic direction and governance is set by its Board of Directors who, together, bring a wide base of experience from public and private business, sporting and social and enterprise, and diverse interests across many aspects of cycling.

Michelle Henderson
Michelle is a full time independent director. She brings broad business understanding to the board room from her time in the Australasian heavy industry sector. In 2019 she...
Michelle is a full time independent director. She brings broad business understanding to the board room from her time in the Australasian heavy industry sector. In 2019 she was appointed to the board of Meridian Energy and serves on both the Audit & Risk Committee and Safety & Sustainability Committee. She holds various other trustee and board advisor roles in her community.
Through executive leadership roles across mining, manufacturing, and electricity sectors, Michelle brings a passion for culture, process innovation, sustainable business outcomes and safety. As a digital native, Michelle brings a thought provoking generational perspective to the boardroom.
Michelle is based in Invercargill and enjoys supporting her teenage son who is a keen cyclist. She volunteers at the velodrome with timing events and recording results for the commissaires.

Malcolm Thomas
Malcolm Thomas is an investment adviser based in Rotorua who has worked in the financial sector for nearly 30 years. His current involvement in cycling began on the tracks in...
Malcolm Thomas is an investment adviser based in Rotorua who has worked in the financial sector for nearly 30 years. His current involvement in cycling began on the tracks in the Whakarewarewa forest in the mid 1990’s and he is keen recreational cyclist. Malcolm is Treasurer of Rotorua Mountain Bike Club and a previous Secretary of Mountain Bike New Zealand. He is a director of the company delivering Crankworx Rotorua and has served as Chairman of the Rotorua Budget Advisory Service. He was re-elected for a further term of four years at the Cycling New Zealand AGM held in May 2019.

Robyn Clements
Robyn has over 20 years experience in governance including on a National Sporting Organisation board for 9 years (Basketball NZ). She was appointed to the Board of Cycling NZ...
Robyn has over 20 years experience in governance including on a National Sporting Organisation board for 9 years (Basketball NZ). She was appointed to the Board of Cycling NZ in May 2021 and is also on the Board of Drug Free Sport NZ and Chair of the Womens National Basketball League (NBL). Robyn has a personal active interest in recreational cycling, particularly road and mountain biking along with a variety of other sports including basketball and supporting family in endurance racing. Her previous governance board roles included the Primary sector and Not-For-Profits.
Robyn has been a member of the Institute of Directors since 2008 and a member of Global Women NZ since 2010. Her agri-business interests include sheep and beef farming with her husband near Te Awamutu.

Phil Holden (Chair)
Phil is an experienced business professional with Chief Executive leadership experience over 17 years with organisations including The Lion Foundation, New Zealand Rugby...
Phil is an experienced business professional with Chief Executive leadership experience over 17 years with organisations including The Lion Foundation, New Zealand Rugby League, Coffee Connection, and Greyhound Racing New Zealand. A member of the Institute of Directors, his governance and senior executive roles have been underpinned by his passion for values-based leadership. Phil is a professional director, running his own consultancy with a strong interest in sport, marketing, business strategy, culture and leadership development.

Ivan Aplin
With over 45 years involvement with banking, accounting and financial/ office manager roles, Ivan has been self-employed since 2004 and has built up a strong background in...
With over 45 years involvement with banking, accounting and financial/ office manager roles, Ivan has been self-employed since 2004 and has built up a strong background in financial management. Ivan’s time in cycling has been more as an administrator and event organiser than any great success on the bike but the love of cycling still holds and has influenced his current business interests. Ivan is currently self-employed as an event organiser and traffic management trainer. Having worked closely with the New Zealand Transport Association has led to the development of an event section in the Code of Practice Temporary Traffic Management and specific training courses. Ivan’s governance roles in cycling have been extensive including 11 years with Cycling New Zealand Road and Track Council including three years as President and three years so far with the Cycling New Zealand Board.

Cath Cheatley
Growing up in Whanganui Cath was introduced to the sport of Cycling by her Father when she was 12 years old. She fell in love with the sport, racing competitively on both the...
Growing up in Whanganui Cath was introduced to the sport of Cycling by her Father when she was 12 years old. She fell in love with the sport, racing competitively on both the road and track all over the world for many years. Cath is passionate about giving back to the sport that gave her so many opportunities through commissaring, coaching, event management and governance. She has a Bachelor of Education (Secondary), studied a Bachelor of Accountancy through the Prime Ministers Scholarship programme and is on the Cycling NZ Schools Executive.
She moved back ‘home’ to Whanganui in 2017 with her husband, Dayle her and two dogs to direct the family cycling business’. Cycling definitely runs through her blood!

Carla Muller (Board Advisor)
Carla joined the Cycling New Zealand board in May 2019 as a board advisor. She is an environmental economist as well as a professional director. Currently she holds...
Carla joined the Cycling New Zealand board in May 2019 as a board advisor. She is an environmental economist as well as a professional director. Currently she holds directorships with PrimaryITO, the NZ Institute of Primary Industry Management and is on the Waikato Branch committee for the Institute of Directors.
She was the 2018 recipient of the Waikato Institute of Director's Emerging Director Award and is a previous finalist in the Westpac Women of Influence Awards.
Carla's spare time is spent at the sheep and beef farm her partner manages, and she enjoys spending time with all of their many dogs and other animals.

Melanie Short
Melanie has been involved in the sport of BMX for over 10 years, as a volunteer on the Rotorua club committee as well as supported the new Rotorua BMX track project based at...
Melanie has been involved in the sport of BMX for over 10 years, as a volunteer on the Rotorua club committee as well as supported the new Rotorua BMX track project based at the Whakarewarewa Forest.
Melanie is the Communications and Operations Manager at Sport Bay of Plenty where she has worked for 10 years. As such she has a clear understanding of the sport and active recreation sector, along with a strong relationship with Sport NZ and other key stakeholders.
She is on the Rotorua Boys High School Board of Trustees, Chair of the Rotorua Outdoor Participation Trust, and also on the Crankworx event management team.
Along with her husband Simon and two children Sam (16) and Meg (14) she lives in Rotorua , and also owns Velocity Valley Adventure Park.
Melanie has an interest in being active outdoors as an eager mountain biker and hiker. Melanie appreciates the value of being active – for both physical and mental health, and realises the importance of every New Zealander having the opportunity to do so.

Jenny Gibbs
Jenny is an Auckland-based lawyer specialising in commercial and corporate law. Jenny previously headed up the legal team at Wellington Employers and Manufacturer's...
Jenny is an Auckland-based lawyer specialising in commercial and corporate law. Jenny previously headed up the legal team at Wellington Employers and Manufacturer's Association and then worked for Simpson Grierson before being employed as in-house Group Legal Counsel for The Skills Organisation, a not-for-profit vocational training organisation. Jenny acts as Board Secretariat for The Skills Organisation and its’ two wholly-owned subsidiaries, and sits as Advisor on the Board’s Audit & Risk Committee and Health & Safety Committee. She is also an executive committee member of the New Zealand Animal Law Association. Jenny loves recreational road cycling, and also tramping including many walks the most recent being Lake Waikaremoana, and plans to walk Stewart Island in the 2020 Xmas break.
Cycling New Zealand Employees
Cycling New Zealand is made up of a wonderful team of people across areas of Leadership, High Performance, Coaching, Athlete Development, Event and Member Services and Marketing and Sponsorship.
Operational Leadership, Finance & Administration

Dr Monica Robbers
Interim Chief Executive Officer
monica.robbers@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Julie Richards
Finance Manager
julie.richards@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Jo Blackwood
Accounts Assistant
jo.blackwood@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Carol Hamilton
Office Administrator
High Performance
Amy Taylor
Interim High Performance Director
amy.taylor@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Sarah Blake
International Campaign Manager
sarah.blake@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Gemma Hay
High Performance Systems Coordinator
gemma.hay@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Tim Baker
Campaign Logistics Coordinator
tim.baker@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Bryan Simmonds
Track Programme Manager
bryan.simmonds@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Craig Palmer
Men's Endurance Team Leader
craig.palmer@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Boris Clark
Sports Scientist - Men's Endurance
boris.clark@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Paul Manning
Lead Women's Endurance Coach
paul.manning@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Carl Bradford
Sport Scientist - Women's Endurance
Carl.Bradford@cyclingnewzealand.nz

Nick Flyger
Lead Sprint Coach
nick.flyger@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Fionn Cullinane
Assisant Sprint Coach
fionn.cullinane@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Jamie Douglas
Sport Scientist - Sprint Team
jamie.douglas@hpsnz.org.nz
Ross Machejefski
Lead Development Coach
ross.machejefski@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Ben Rowell
Lead Team Mechanic
ben.rowell@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Dale Hollows
Team Mechanic
dale.hollows@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Kirk Hamilton
Team Mechanic
kirk.hamilton@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Athlete Development
Graeme Hunn
High Performance Athlete Development Lead
graeme.hunn@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Events and Member Services
Charlotte Pearson
Event Manager
charlotte.pearson@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Steff Jordaan
Event Coordinator
Steff.Jordaan@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Rebekah Cullinane
Member Services Coordinator
rebekah.cullinane@cyclingnewzealand.nz
Media and Communications

Ian Hepenstall
Media Manager