Teresa is a project manager based at DairyNZ’s Invercargill office and is responsible for the data generated by the farm systems trial work conducted at the Southern Dairy Hub (SDH), such as research into wintering (including crop management) and off-paddock infrastructure.

Her varied background and practical experience on commercial dairy farms have given her a range of skills which she uses in her current role. In previous jobs she spent time as a herd manager, research technician, agribusiness manager, and a consulting officer and now a project manager at DairyNZ.

Teresa enjoys working with scientific data, effectively organising it so it can be analysed to produce meaningful results. “Our trial work produces a lot of complex data,” says Teresa. “I enjoy developing more efficient ways of collecting and entering it so we can analyse it better. I get the best of both worlds, going out on-farm and talking with farmers, and also being able to delve into the technical side of our research in the office”.

Teresa spent her early years in Auckland and started out working in the city, but she always wanted to work with animals, and soon discovered a passion for dairy farming. “I left my corporate role and ended up trying my hand at milking cows and now here I am, over 20 plus years later”. Her exposure to dairy farming inspired her to gain a Bachelor of Science, majoring in animal science, which she completed at Massey University.