Councillors

Stephen Woodhead - Chairman
Telephone (03) 417 4733

Stephen Woodhead is Chairman of the Otago Regional Council. He is a sheep and beef farmer from Lovells Flat in South Otago. He is past Chairman of the Otago Regional Animal Health Committee and the Clutha Agricultural Development Board.

He was a Kelloggs Rural Scholar in 2001.

David Shepherd - Deputy Chairman
Telephone (03) 489 6086

David Shepherd is Deputy Chairman of the Otago Regional Council. He has a career spanning rural banking, farming, and agricultural politics at a regional and national level. Now living on the Taieri after 26 years farming in the Maniototo, he has B.Agri.Sc. (Lincoln) and Valuers Professional (Rural) qualifications.

A Nuffield Farming Scholar in 1988, he also served 8 years as a Trustee of the Community Trust of Otago.

Louise Croot
Telephone (03) 464 0778 

Louise Croot is a geographer, teacher and mentor in public health and health promotion. In 2002 she received the Public Health Champion of New Zealand Award from the NZ Public Health Association. In January 2008 Louise was awarded a New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health and the community. She was an elected member of the University of Otago Council and the Otago Hospital Board, and is a past President of the Otago branch of the Federation of Graduate Women.

Locally Louise is a member of NZFGW Otago, Rural Women NZ, and a Trustee of the Southern Heritage Trust and the Community Trust of Otago. Internationally she is President of the International Federation of University Women.

Michael Deaker is a communications and education consultant.

He has been a secondary school principal and inspector of schools, a manager in the Ministry of Education, an Invercargill City Councillor and Deputy Mayor, and a journalist and broadcaster.

Trevor Kempton is a qualified engineer with 35 years experience in civil and environmental engineering, project management, construction and business. He is the retired managing director of Naylor Love Construction. Trevor’s interests include tramping, kayaking, and motorcycling. He is active in performing arts administration and governance at a regional and national level, and is a director of the Rotary Club of Dunedin.

Sam Neill
Telephone (03) 478 0878

Sam has been self employed for most of his life, in farming, transport and tourism. He has been involved in numerous local organisations over the years, and was a member of the Otago Education Board for six years.

Sam played a major role in the setting up of the Otago Peninsula Community Board in 2002 and was Deputy Chairman for five years to 2007.

Gretchen Robertson
Telephone (03) 466 7097

Gretchen is a Dunedin resident currently living in Andersons Bay. She graduated from the University of Otago with an honours degree in Ecology specialising in aquatic ecosystems. Since working as a water quality scientist with Wellington and Otago Regional Councils, Gretchen has been employed with the NZ Landcare Trust. She manages integrated, community-led approaches to waterway management. Gretchen is passionate about Otago's environment and enjoys tramping, sea fishing, native plants, and painting.

Bryan Scott is a Project Manager, Engineer and Company Director. Born and raised in South Otago, he has a B.Eng. from Canterbury University and a MBA from Otago University. He is Chairman of Elliotvale Afforestation Limited and a Director of Complementary Health Limited. He has contracted to Foster Wheeler Energy (UK) as a Design Engineer and to Octa Associates (NZ) as a Project Manager, on various projects including Project Gateway (Dunedin City / Airport / Tourism initiative), Invercargill Aviary, Hocken Library and the Green Island Waste Water Scheme. He is currently managing an industrial trade waste project and a residential building project. He is Chairman of George Street Normal School Board of Trustees, a junior soccer coach and a member of the New Zealand Alpine Club.

Doug Brown
Telephone (03) 439 5693

Doug Brown is a sheep farmer from Maheno in North Otago. He is a B.Ag.Sc. graduate from Lincoln University and a past National President of the Young Farmers Clubs organisation.

Doug has been a Nuffield and Kellogg Rural Scholar and is a Director of the Alliance Group Limited.

Duncan Butcher is a former Chairperson of the Otago Regional Council.

He is a former Mayor and Councillor of the Cromwell Borough Council, and a former Deputy Mayor of the Central Otago District Council, and has lived in Cromwell for over 27 years. He is a trustee of the Otago Community Trust and chairs the Central Lakes Trust.

Gerrard Eckhoff
Telephone (03) 448 8733 

Gerrard is a sheep and beef farmer from Roxburgh. He is currently chair of the High Country Trustees. A Kellogg scholar in 1997, he then became a Member of Parliament in 1999 and served on the Primary Production Select Committee and the Commerce Select Committee during his six years in parliament. He has served as Chair of the Roxburgh Nassella Tussock Committee and is a member of the Roxburgh Conservation Landcare Group.

Stephen Woodhead - Chairman
Telephone (03) 417 4733

Stephen Woodhead is Chairman of the Otago Regional Council. He is a sheep and beef farmer from Lovells Flat in South Otago. He is past Chairman of the Otago Regional Animal Health Committee and the Clutha Agricultural Development Board.

He was a Kelloggs Rural Scholar in 2001.

David Shepherd - Deputy Chairman
Telephone (03) 489 6086

David Shepherd is Deputy Chairman of the Otago Regional Council. He has a career spanning rural banking, farming, and agricultural politics at a regional and national level. Now living on the Taieri after 26 years farming in the Maniototo, he has B.Agri.Sc. (Lincoln) and Valuers Professional (Rural) qualifications.

A Nuffield Farming Scholar in 1988, he also served 8 years as a Trustee of the Community Trust of Otago.