The New Zealand Virtual Assistant Awards

Grant Johnson

Co-Founder & CEO, Rocketspark.com

Grant is the CEO and a co-founder of Rocketspark. Rocketspark is a website platform that empowers non-technical people to create websites. Based in Cambridge, New Zealand, Rocketspark has customers in over 30 countries, including many VAs.

Prior to founding Rocketspark, Grant had a varied career across accounting, marketing, product management, and customer experience roles in NZ and abroad.

Grant and the Rocketspark team have been longtime supporters of the VA community.

Dr Kimberley Tuapawa

Director, Author, Speaker, brilliantwomenleaders.com

Dr Kimberley Tuapawa is an award-winning academic, executive leader, researcher, author, speaker, property developer, and community development practitioner whose career spans tertiary education, local government, regional development, digital transformation, governance, leadership development, and entrepreneurship.

Raised in Wairoa, a predominantly Māori regional community, she brings both lived experience and professional expertise to her work, which sits at the intersection of research, policy, education, practice, and community impact. She has led major regional initiatives, designed nationally recognised community engagement frameworks, delivered award-winning service transformation, contributed to strategic planning and governance, supported Māori participation in community development, and produced an internationally published body of academic research.

As Director of Brilliant Women Leaders, she also leads a career development organisation that supports women to build unshakable confidence, strengthen their identity and voice, step into leadership, speak publicly, and create meaningful change in their work, communities, and lives. Her work is underpinned by a deep commitment to place-based development, community resilience, regional opportunity, and the social, cultural, economic, and educational wellbeing of regional and remote communities.

Sandra Julian

Business & Mindset Coach, sandrajulian.co

(Ngāti Mutunga, Ngāti Tama, Poutama, Ngāti Toa, Te Atiawa)

Sandra Julian is a Business and Mindset Coach based in Taranaki, working with values-led women in service-based businesses who are ready to lead differently.

Before stepping into coaching, Sandra spent 25 years as the owner of Auaha, Aotearoa's only Māori-owned BEIA Approved Professional Conference Organiser. Working across central and local government, networks, associations, and corporates, she built and led a business that operated at the highest levels of the industry before selling it to a leading Australian event management agency in 2024.

Sandra holds the ICF ACC credential alongside qualifications in business and transformational coaching. Her work sits at the intersection of strategy and self-leadership: helping capable women move from over-functioning to leading with clarity and intention.

She's also the host of WĀ-HINE, a podcast that brings a grounded perspective to every conversation, one shaped by real business experience and a deep connection to Te Ao Māori.

"I'm honoured to be part of the 2026 NZ VA Awards judging panel and look forward to recognising the talent and dedication within Aotearoa's VA community."

David Morrison

Lead, COUNT NZ, Getcount.com/nz

David Morrison is the lead for COUNT in NZ. With a deep experience in the local tech sector across government, corporate, and SMB in a range of leadership roles, David has seen it all when it comes to the hype, excitement, successes and failures in business.

Additionally, David is passionate about helping NZ businesses succeed, no matter their size.

A champion for building generosity into business, David loves supporting people and organisations that strive to leave a lasting positive impact in the world.
When not growing COUNT in Aotearoa, David can be found on the ocean paddling his surf ski.

Erica Wood

Founder, correlate.co.nz

Communications specialist and former television journalist with over 20 years of experience both in front and behind the camera.

Founder at Correlate, a media training and story consulting agency that helps businesses, individuals, and charities communicate with confidence and clarity.

Erica loves figuring out what makes people tick and getting their stories told. From interviewing Meryl Streep and Stanley Tucci in Paris, to chasing dodgy taxidermists as a reporter for Fair Go and covering stories of all kinds across New Zealand and the world, she's had a fabulous and varied career. Now it's time to pass on some insider knowledge to get you seen in the media.

Stephanie Crawford

Bookkeeping Business Coach, stephaniecrawford.co

Stephanie Crawford has spent the past decade helping bookkeepers do something harder than it sounds: build a business, not just a job.

After building and selling her own bookkeeping firm, she moved into coaching and has since worked with hundreds of bookkeepers across New Zealand, Australia, Canada, and the US to help them get paid what they're worth, work with clients they actually like, and stop running themselves into the ground.

She's the founder of Stephanie Crawford Coaching and Business Headspace®, and the creator of The Business of Bookkeeping™ and From Bookkeeper to Business Owner®. She's also an ICNZB Master Bookkeeper and a multi-award winner, including being named in Ignition's global Top 50 Women in Accounting.

Stephanie knows from firsthand experience that the NZ bookkeeping and VA industry is full of incredibly capable people supporting businesses to do great things. Sometimes, they just need someone in their corner who truly gets it.

Hayden Burgess

Creative Coach + Mentor, 
pitchr. Creative

Hayden has built a successful career as a freelance illustrator and designer, working with a bunch of rad clients including bands, record labels, bars, and online publications.

Combining the psychology of sales and marketing with his love of creating, Hayden started pitchr. in late 2020, with the aim to help designers get confident with selling the epic work they create.

Courtney Haines

Branding & Communication Specialist,
Courtneyhainesofficial.com

Courtney Haines is a Brand and Communications Consultant specialising in personal branding, strategic communications, and visibility for women in business.

Through her consultancy work and FaceFirst Hub, Courtney helps women build personality-led brands with greater clarity, confidence, and boundaries. She works with organisations, business owners, and professionals across New Zealand to develop communication strategies, strengthen brand positioning, and create practical pathways for authentic visibility.

Alongside her consulting work, Courtney serves as Board Chair of Wāhine Safety Centre and is a passionate advocate for women’s leadership and economic empowerment. .

Abbey Boobyer

Founder & Accountant, prosperbusiness.co.nz

Abbey Boobyer is the Founder of Prosper Business, an accounting and advisory firm that partners with ambitious business owners across New Zealand. Passionate about helping entrepreneurs create businesses that are both profitable and sustainable, Abbey combines financial expertise with practical business advice to help clients make confident decisions and achieve their goals.

Having worked with hundreds of small business owners, Abbey understands the importance of building the right support network around a business. She has seen firsthand how skilled virtual assistants can transform productivity, improve client experiences, and give business owners back valuable time to focus on growth.

Abbey is honoured to be a judge for the New Zealand Virtual Assistant Awards and looks forward to recognising the exceptional talent, innovation, and dedication within New Zealand's thriving VA community.

Amanda Hills

General Manager, virtualprint.co.nz

Amanda started with Virtual Print over nine years ago as the company’s Graphic Designer and has grown alongside the business ever since. Over the years, she discovered a passion for operations, leadership, and all things Virtual.

With extensive industry experience, a deep understanding of the business, and a genuine passion for people and process, Amanda plays a key role in driving the company forward. Her knowledge, dedication, and hands-on approach make her the perfect person to lead our talented team of eight.

Kellie Beaumont

Founder, released.co.nz

Kellie Beaumont is best known in VA circles as the founder of Released Limited. Established in 2014, Released was born out of a simple mission: to relieve tradespeople and construction professionals of their heavy administrative burdens. Under her leadership, the award-winning agency developed an innovative "Pod" system that groups specialised assistants together, ensuring clients receive seamless, uninterrupted support for their operations. ​Released has operated in the VA space since 2014 and comprises a team of 27 NZ-based staff.

Driven by a passion for solving complex business problems through technology, Kellie also owns and directs FreeUp, a tech advisory firm dedicated to the trade and construction sectors. Through FreeUp, she helps business owners choose and optimise job management software like ServiceM8, Fergus, and NextMinute, complementing the administrative support offered by Released.

Known for her straight-talking, "no-fluff" approach, Kellie is dedicated to helping business owners reclaim their time. By combining cutting-edge digital tools with efficient outsourcing, she empowers entrepreneurs to step away from overwhelming paperwork and focus on what matters most—whether that means growing their business or finally taking a well-deserved holiday.​

Mel Curwood

Cash-flow & Business Resilience Coach, melcurwood.co.nz

Mel Curwood works with New Zealand’s blue-collar business owners — tradies, contractors, manufacturers, operators and hands-on service businesses — to build the cash-flow infrastructure that helps them get paid in full, on time, every time.

After nearly a decade working on the front line with business owners, Mel has seen exactly where payment risk is created: before the invoice, before the uncomfortable conversations, and long before the damage is done. Her work focuses on closing the gap between doing the work and being paid, so business owners stop carrying financial risk they never agreed to carry and start protecting the revenue, profit and wealth they have already earned.

Through the Cashflow Reset Workshop, the Paid Right Accelerator, and bespoke strategy work, Mel helps business owners map how money and risk move through their business, strengthen terms and processes, improve internal alignment, and build practical systems their team can actually use.

Her mission is simple: to help blue-collar businesses stop funding other people’s cash flow and build businesses that are stronger, cash-rich, and able to support the lives, families and communities behind them.

Tracey Lock

Business Coach, traceylock.co.nz

Tracey Lock is a Business Coach and founder of Your A Team, a remote business support agency based in Pukekohe, Auckland. She's the person consultants and solo service providers call when they're ready to stop winging it and start running a business that actually works.

Tracey is a three-time NZ Virtual Assistant Awards winner, taking home Newcomer of the Year and Virtual Assistant of the Year in 2022, and the Leadership Award in 2023. She's not just here to judge; she's been where you are.

These days, Tracey runs AI and Automation workshops, speaks at events, and helps heart-led business owners build smarter systems without the overwhelm. She believes great support businesses are built on clarity, confidence, and the right tools, and she brings all three to everything she does.

Joining the judging panel in 2026, Tracey is genuinely excited to champion the kind of talent, passion, and ingenuity that makes the NZ VA community one of the best in the world.

Owen Culliney

Founder OC Law, oclaw.co.nz

Owen is a strategic legal advisor with a passion for helping business owners protect what matters most and is known for cutting through complexity to create legal foundations that support growth, innovation, and long-term success.

A long-standing supporter of the Virtual Assistant industry in Aotearoa since its very early days, Owen has been instrumental in guiding many VAs to set up strong, sustainable businesses.

As a judge for the 2026 NZ VA Awards, he brings sharp strategic insight, commercial acumen, and a genuine care for the people behind the businesses.

Tyron Noble

Graphic and Digital Designer, 
Rocketspark

Tyron is a seasoned web designer with an eye for design and a flair for crafting engaging websites.

With over a decade of design expertise under his belt, Tyron can spot a high-converting website a mile off and has been the perfect Rocketspark addition to the NZ VA Awards judging panel since 2024.

Reuben Kovaleski

Director, virtualprint.co.nz

Reuben is known as Virtual’s “ideas man”, always looking for innovative ways to improve, grow, and challenge the team to think outside the box.

With a strong background in sales management and business development, he brings energy, strategy, and fresh thinking to everything he does.

He’s also a familiar face to many of our customers, building strong relationships and delivering a personalised experience that reflects the values of the business.

His passion, leadership, and forward-thinking approach continue to play a key role in shaping the future of Virtual Print.