A woman who has just been appointed to the staff of Masterton District Council charged with helping with the district's economic development comes with a truckload of credentials.
Tina Nixon took up the newly created position about a week ago and although she has had high-flying jobs throughout New Zealand she is no stranger to Wairarapa.
She has lived here for the best part of a decade, now helping to maintain a lifestyle block at Rangitumau with her partner David Hayes.
Born and raised in Southland, Ms Nixon has worked as a radio and a print journalist, and in a succession of top jobs including being press secretary to conservation minister Nick Smith, and later for MP Georgina Te Heu Heu.
She held a position with the Seafood Industries Council, has run public relations agencies, worked in the forestry and primary industries sector, held a MAF contract for five years during which time she was involved in major problem solving situations, including battles against gypsy moth and the foot and mouth scare on Waiheke Island.
