Jonette Mead

After many years of volunteer work in surfing at both local and national levels, I was encouraged to enroll at Waikato University where I graduated with a P G Dip (MNO) in 2006. This has given me insight into flawed management styles that micromanage people typified with autocratic and hierarchical practices. I embrace a nurture management style that “catches people doing something good”, that retain and retrain thereby increasing capacity of both the individual the organization (and the people it serves).

I started surfing with my family in the very early 1960’s and found that this sport and culture really opened up my creative side. It led me to writing, marketing, copywriting and a flair for event development and management.

As the inaugural President of AWSA I look forward to gently guiding our team to sound planning and practices that empower all women who surf and who want to surf.

Tia Lord

Kia ora! My name is Tia Lord, I grew up in Sandy Bay on the beautiful Tutukaka Coast of Tai Tokerau (Northland). My early childhood consisted of being carted to surf competitions all over New Zealand, and sometimes around the world. I loved watching my mum compete against the few women who were surfing at the time and also competing against the men when there weren’t enough women, resources (or care) to run women’s divisions.

I have recently moved back to the Tutukaka Coast with my little family after 10 years overseas. I do a lot of work with young surfers through our local boardriders club and really enjoy encouraging kids in surfing, whether it is pushing a micro grom into their first green wave or filming our top young surfers for high performance tips.

I am really stoked to be a part of this movement for women surfers in Aotearoa and to build further on the foundations laid for us by our wonderful surfing mothers and grandmothers. See you out the back! Tia

Mischa Davis

Surfing has been part of my life since I was born - growing up with Piha as my playground and both parents as surfers it was only natural that I would take it up myself. I went on to travel and compete in New Zealand and abroad including representing New Zealand in world championship events. At 18 I decided to go to university where I completed degrees in law and geography - specialising in environmental law. At the age of 24 and the summer before my last year of university I finally won my first national title - both in the open women's division and the women's longboard division. I now reside in Te Tai Tokerau (Northland), mainly riding single fin longboards on the gentle east coast waves, I'm a mother to a sweet baby boy and I work part-time for an environmental organisation. On a blue moon I'll enter a surf competition for fun.

I'm so happy to be part of AWSA to be able to give back to the next generation of aspiring groms. Genuine gender equality and equal representation of wahine is what I would love to see happen in the Aotearoa surf community.

Kiri Binnersley

I grew up in Queenstown where my passion for action and adventure sports became a huge part of my life. I was elected to represent New Zealand in both Figure Skating and Snowboarding. It wasnt until age fourteen when on summer holidays in Mount Maungnaui where I learnt to surf. I absolutely loved the feeling of being on a wave, from that point I was hooked, and ended up becoming a surf instructor from the age of fifteen. Whenever I went to Mount Maunganui over the school holidays I would teach surfing.

I have just recently graduated as a Chiropractor, and I am currently working in Hamilton but live in Raglan. I am very grateful and appreciative of being apart of the AWSA and its efforts to promote equality in surfing.

Arohanui, Kiri

Kelly Murphy

Surfing was woven into my life over two decades ago, and has decidedly staked its place in most major moments and relationships.

As I have entered the age and stage of motherhood, I find my drive to build community keeps growing. I think connection to each other and the environment are our most important relationships. Since surfing is how I learnt so much, it makes sense that this association become a medium for me to give back, build connections, and have fun. I feel privileged to be on the board with this diverse bunch of talented intelligent women and I look forward to what emerges. Let's go surfing.

Multiple National Titiles / NZ representation at World Juniors and ISA / Australian Pro Junior Circuit / WQS experience / Surf Media Trip Experience / First Womens Wetsuit Designer for Rip Curl / Owner of pioneering womens surf wear label KALi / Now all community based initiatives and shredding daily for fun.

Daisy Thomas

My love for the ocean started young and I suspect, like most with saltwater in their veins, it will never cease. I was raised on the Christchurch beaches as a surf lifesaver and gradually transitioned to a full commitment in surfing, which meant I could travel, work and compete around the world.

My career highlights have been winning multiple National titles in both short boarding and long boarding, representing New Zealand at the ISA World Games and coming up against many different experiences while on the road.

After many years of travel and competitive surfing I settled in Dunedin where I spend my days working in the hospital as a registered nurse and continue to surf all kinds of surfboards around the coastline dodging sea lions.

It is an honor to be an AWSA board member to assist in bringing opportunity and greater support to the Wahine of Aotearoa. After many years of being apart of surfing culture I have an intricate understanding of the areas in which need improvement for women and am passionate to ensure our Southern Wahine have representation on the map too.

This is an exciting time for not only women in surfing but also women in sport as a whole and I look forward to being apart of the progress ahead.

Ngā mihi,

Daisy

Katie Rowland

I've been a passionate water woman from a young age, spending all my childhood years on the coast and in the ocean. I picked up my first surfboard 10 years ago and never looked back. Going on missions and surfing remote places has organically connected me to a network of beautiful wahine from around the country who are all living true to the passion of chasing waves and weather patterns.

I dabble in making my own boards and as part of finding ways to support this community, I started an online platform called Aoka Surf Studio that is based around surf and art, that promotes local female artists and makers and runs women's surf events.

It has been an honour to be a part of AWSA and looking into the future women's surfing in Aotearoa, there are some very exciting things to come.

Kylie Milek-Zaini

My lifelong love of surfing began when I was little, growing up on the points at Raglan, waiting on the rocks for my Dad to come in from the surf, It wasn't long until I started surfing myself and well and truely got 'the bug'. Surfing has enabled me to travel, connect with friends, have an appreciation for the earth, the ocean and it's power, and it's been a place where I can find a sense of calm amongst the chaos of busy life.

At a young age, I had the privilege to see most of New Zealand's beauty while I was competing nationally, I also had the honour of representing New Zealand in some overseas events. I love where female surfing has evolved to, to see so many more wahine in the waves brings me such joy.

Over the years I have lived between New Zealand and Australia, bringing up my two children with my Australian husband. Surfing is a major part of our lives, we taught our children at a young age how to surf and both now love it as much as we do.

It's been an honour to be apart of AWSA in it's infancy, to be able to give back to the sport and create something special for the next generation.