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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Steve Stannard

Until recently (2019) Steve was a Professor in Exercise Physiology at Massey University, conducting research and teaching at the interface of exercise science and human...
Until recently (2019) Steve was a Professor in Exercise Physiology at Massey University, conducting research and teaching at the interface of exercise science and human nutrition. In that academic role he was engaged by a number of tertiary academic institutions and Crown Entities in NZ for consultancy and moderations duties, and served on the Massey University Academic Board for almost ten years.

In his younger years Steve represented NSW and Australia as a road-racing cyclist on a number of occasions. He is still an enthusiastic club-level competitor when time permits, and keenly follows two of his children as they race in the professional road peloton in Europe.

Steve has held a voluntary position of a National Road Cycling Development Coach, and has personally coached road-racing cyclists to a number of National titles and World Road Cycling Championship participations.

In terms of previous cycling governance and administration, Steve has been the Chair of the Board of Bike Manawatu, the President of the West Coast North Island Cycling Centre, and the Chair of the Greasy Chain Charitable Trust.
He is also the founder, organiser, and Race Director of the UCI 1.2 Gravel and Tar, races for elite/professional male and female cyclists.

Presently Steve owns and manages a small café in Palmerston North whilst writing a regular newspaper column for Stuff.co.nz. He is a local cycling advocate and “walks the talk” by riding to and from work each day on his cargo bike.

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.

Kereyn Smith

Kereyn Smith MNZM, is a Director and Consultant, who recently completed a successful 11 year tenure as CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).

Kereyn has joined...
Kereyn Smith MNZM, is a Director and Consultant, who recently completed a successful 11 year tenure as CEO of the New Zealand Olympic Committee (NZOC).

Kereyn has joined CNZ as a Transition Director for 12 months , to support the implementation of the 2022 Heron Inquiry Recommendations into High Performance Sport NZ and Cycling NZ, as well as the overall sustainability of the organisation , and in particular its high performance programme.

Bringing a strong focus on integrity, athlete wellbeing and governance Kereyn provided strong and stable leadership and oversight for NZ Team campaigns spanning three Olympiads. This included Summer Games (London 2012, Rio 2016, Tokyo 2020), Winter Games (Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022) and two Commonwealth Games (Glasgow 2014, Gold Coast 2018). Most recent campaigns achieved unprecedented success in a complex, covid world.
Prior to this she was CEO of the NZ Academy of Sport (South Island), having earlier served as General Manager of the Hillary Commission (now Sport NZ).

In a governance capacity, Kereyn is a Vice President of the Commonwealth Games Federation where she plays a significant role in shaping and planning the direction and operation of the Commonwealth Games. She serves on the IOC Sport and Active Society Commission and was member of the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2024 Olympic Host City.

Kereyn completed a six-year stint as Vice President of International Netball following her work as Chair of Netball New Zealand.
She has also served as a Trustee of the Forsyth Barr Stadium, Council Member of the University of Otago, Director of the Highlanders Rugby Franchise amongst other roles.
Kereyn was awarded the 2022 ISPS Handa Sport NZ Leadership Award, and in 2015, was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sports governance.
She has also received international acclaim for advocacy work to increase the participation of women in sport across all roles and functions.

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.