About us

My love of DIY started very early when watching my father build homes in England. I was mixing concrete and laying bricks by the time I was 10! I gained more DIY skills through renovating my first home, a 100 year old English terraced house, and have continued the DIY theme in my current NZ home, saving thousands on tradie bills along the way.

​I’ve broadened my practical skills and technical abilities working in science but I’ve also been an IT trainer, a teacher, a lecturer and even a recruit trainer in the military.

Whilst taking time out to raise my family, I joined Auckland Central Community Shed. I became their Coordinator and, after seeing how few women had woodworking skills compared to men, I founded WomenzShed. To gain further skills and experience, I studied carpentry where I spent a year building a house, and then time in the construction industry as a remedials manager.

​Sharing what I know has always been important to me. So with a passion to help other women experience the satisfaction of building, fixing and creating things, we’ve created NZ’s first space where women together can learn to do this.

I am a sustainability and impact professional with experience in Australasia, the UK, Africa, and Asia. My current focus is a low-emissions, circular economy for Aotearoa New Zealand. Inclusivity, materiality, and stakeholder relationships are core to my approach.

I have a Master of Public Policy, specialising in environment and well-being. I am a Certified Sustainability Assurance Practitioner (CSAP) and an ISO14001 Lead Auditor (Environmental Management Systems). I develop and evaluate social and environmental policy, strategy, projects, reports and management systems for commercial and non-profit clients and their stakeholders. I advise on organisational sustainability, and practice corporate assurance (ESG), and impact assessment.

 

As an experienced Project Manager, I specialise in orchestrating complex projects at the intersection of art, technology, and innovation. I have a background as a 3D artist and CG supervisor, and I bring a unique blend of creative insight and operational efficiency to projects. My expertise spans artificial intelligence, and architectural visualisation, allowing me to bridge the gap between creative vision and structured project execution.

As a Financial Accountant, I find immense joy in analyzing data to uncover valuable insights. Making informed decisions at every level is crucial, and I am passionate about contributing to the process.  My German upbringing instilled a deep sense of integrity and honesty, qualities that people often appreciate in both my professional and personal relationships.

Sustainability initiatives also hold a special place in my heart. I believe that every step towards protecting the environment matters. As a Financial Accountant, I strive to integrate eco-conscious practices into financial strategies, fostering a greener future for generations to come.

I’m a spatial designer by training and have worked in architecture & design for some years before realizing I missed using my hands and knowing how things were made. I’d always loved being in the workshop at uni and also loved experiencing design and making under the same roof when I worked for a furniture designer.

During the first lockdown, I designed a tiny house for my partner and, realizing I would need more building skills, started working for a tiny house cabinet maker. That year I also started having woodworking dates with two other women makers where we would borrow each other’s tools, ideas, support and empower each other to create and make. The three of us now happily work as makers so I’m definitely grateful for what bringing women together around making can do!

I am a qualified builder with experience in residential renovations and a passion for tiny houses.

My role with WomenzShed helps to support women to be confident with power tools, to do jobs around their homes, make things from wood, or enter the building industry, if the desire is there.

When I’m not building furniture at Philbe Design, I’m practicing straw marquetry.  My passion for making is rooted in the traditions of my homeland France. Inspired from a young age by the ornate wooden features and fixtures of French churches, my respect for the skills of the old masters and interest in working with hand tools is a constant in my work.

A dedicated artist and student of art history, I look to blend the fluid natural forms of Art Nouveau and geometric detailing of Art Deco with the clean lines of Scandinavian furniture, and believe in the timelessness of simple, functional design.

Having previously gained a bachelor’s in English and history and trained as a teacher, I changed my mind after attending a woodworking course.  I’ve now been working in carpentry since 2020, having first completed my level 3 qualification, and am now working towards finishing my level 4.   I’m really keen to help other women upskill, and hopefully encourage others to get out in the field with me.