Meet Danni

Impact Coach | Business Consultant | Change Creator

Kia ora, hello! I’m Danni…

We are so much more than our CV and I find that people like to work with people they know, trust, and like. So, here is a little bit about me if we haven’t met yet.

I grew up in a small rural town in the beautiful King Country, called Ōtorohanga. If you’re not sure where that is, it’s the Kiwiana capital of Aotearoa (near the Waitomo Caves). I’m a proud Kiwi and now live in the Bay of Plenty with my husband, Pete, who is a Doc in Aged Residential Care. He’s a great guy.

I’m an avid traveler and love experiencing new and different places, people, and cultures. My favourite places to travel include Italy, Iceland, and Aotearoa. After a year of travel in 2023, I feel lucky to call Aotearoa, home.

Change is more than my mahi, it’s part of my mindset and how I live life. I enjoy trying new things, learning new skills, and experiencing new ways of being. Over the past year, I have honed new skills in travel planning, real estate, wedding planning, T-shirt design and now as a new business owner. All change - good or bad - presents opportunity.

Why I am here doing this mahi…

Following the pandemic, my husband and I experienced several miscarriages, and went through some big - and tough - life stuff. We were both working long hours and it felt like we were barely holding on while life passed us by, one grueling week at a time… It had to be better than this. So, we chose to pack up and ship out. We left our good jobs to take a year out to do things that refilled our cups and prepared us to create the life that we wanted to live. And now, here we are surrounded by our choices, living (and loving) a completely different and more balanced life.

I truly believe that we get one good shot at life, and that we have the ability to shape it into something uniquely great for ourselves and those we choose to share it with.

I am driven by my values of:

  • Connection: Bridging people and ideas to drive progress and innovation.

  • Ownership: Owning choices, challenging norms, and promoting empowerment and equity.

  • Authenticity: Leading self and others with integrity, and fostering trust and empowerment in each action and interaction.

What I am like to work with…

When it comes to working together, you will find me to be:

  • Curious

  • Personable

  • Pragmatic

  • Honest

  • Capable, and

  • Courageous.

My leadership clients will attest that I do what I say I will do, and I will focus on people as I do it. If there’s a problem, I will find a way through it.

As a coach, I will be open and honest with you and I will challenge you with kindness and good intention to help you challenge yourself. I find that this is where the gold often is. If I see discord between what you say and what I see, I will ask you about it. I offer a complimentary coaching connection chat for the purpose of us getting to know each other before we start working together.

My approach and experience.

Now that you know a little about me, here’s a little more about my formal experience and expertise. Consider these bullet points a light gloss over of 17 years of hard work, dedication and achievement.

Summary of my experience based on what people like to know:

  • 17 year career in leadership, human resources and business consulting, most recently working as a Director in People and Organisation Consulting at international management consulting firm, Pricewaterhouse Coopers (PwC) New Zealand where I led large scale workforce workforce and organisational transformation programmes.

  • My areas of deep expertise include coaching, organisation and workforce change and consultation, organisational design, and employment relations. I am also passionate about how work and workplaces prepare now, for the future of work.

  • I’ve been a senior people leader in the public and private sectors for the past 10 years, and have held advisory board and in governance positions.

  • My best work happens when creativity, strategy, humans and change come together.

Summary of my credentials (the formal stuff):

  • Internationally certified ICC Personal and Professional Coach and International Coaching Federation (ICF) member

  • Chartered Member of the HR Institute of New Zealand (HRNZ)

  • Member, Institute of Directors, New Zealand

  • Board Chair, HRNZ

  • Awarded HRNZ HR Professional of the Year, 2022

  • Trained, accredited and experienced across a number of helpful human centred design, HR, Remuneration and Organisation Development approaches, tools and techniques

  • Bachelor of Business Studies, majoring in HR Management and Management

  • Postgraduate Diploma, majoring in HR Management.

Examples of key note and public speaking engagements: