The Staff of ERMA New Zealand carry out operations in support of or on behalf of the Authority.
The Chief Executive and managers of the Agency of ERMA New Zealand are:
Rob Forlong, Chief Executive
Rob took up the position
of Chief Executive of ERMA New Zealand in 2005. After completing an MSc (Hons) in Zoology Rob worked for the Department of Conservation in Dunedin. He then moved to Wellington to work
for the Greater Wellington Regional Council, where he remained for twelve
years.
His experience spans relationship management, business and strategic planning, risk management, consultation and marketing. Rob has attended senior management courses at the New Zealand College of Management, the London Business School and Chicago Graduate School of Business.
Donald Hannah, General Manager, Strategy and Analysis
Donald
is one of the original employees having joined ERMA New Zealand in August
1997 as the Manager, Science and Research and was appointed to his current
position in January 2004. He is not only involved in regulation in New
Zealand but is also active internationally in the UN and OECD on chemicals
and biotechnology regulation. Before joining ERMA New Zealand, Donald was
the Principal Scientist at the Institute of Environmental Science and
Research Ltd (ESR) primarily studying toxic chemicals in the environment.
He joined ESR in 1992 as Group Leader, Environmental Organic Chemistry,
and prior to this worked at DSIR in both food and environmental organic
chemistry.
email: donald.hannah@ermanz.govt.nz
Andrea Eng, General Manager, Hazardous Substances
Andrea joined ERMA New Zealand in 1998 to lead the project to transfer hazardous substances from old legislation to the framework of the HSNO Act. She began her scientific career in the Environmental Chemistry Laboratory at the National Health Institute (NHI) and continued her career in the analytical laboratory at ESR before moving on to a position as Senior Scientist and Team Leader (Health Strategy) at the Department of Labour. While at ERMA New Zealand, Andrea completed an MBA through Massey University and took over
as General Manager of the Hazardous Substances Group after the successful completion of the Transfer Project.
email: andrea.eng@ermanz.govt.nz
Libby Harrison, General Manager, New Organisms
Libby joined ERMA New Zealand in December 2003. She has experience in the development of legislation working for the Ministry for the Environment on changes to the new organism parts of the HSNO Act. Libby also worked for two years in Paris managing the OECD's Pesticide Programme. Her scientific background is in ecology and entomology and she has over ten years experience in pesticide environmental risk assessment and risk management
email: libby.harrison@ermanz.govt.nz
Linda Faulkner, Manahautū (General Manager, Māori)
(Ngāti Rangi,
Whanganui)
Linda joined ERMA New Zealand in May 2003 after spending three years at Te Papa Tongarewa working in the Māori Policy and Operations Team - Te Roopu Whakamana Māori. Prior to that, Linda worked for several years in the New Zealand Controlled Environment Laboratory at the Horticulture and Food Research Institute in Palmerston North, where she was also an advocate for Māori issues and participation in the New Zealand science industry.
email: linda.faulkner@ermanz.govt.nz
Johanne Spring, General Manager, Corporate Services
Johanne's strong links with the health sector began at the Kimberley Hospital in Levin, where she qualified as a psychopaedic nurse after leaving school. In the intervening years, Johanne worked in a variety of sales and management roles, including Regional Sales Manager and later New Zealand Administration Manager for Medic Aid Medical Insurance. Johanne joined ERMA New Zealand in September 2006 after seven years with ACC as a Branch Manager and then National Contact Centre Manager, and more recently as National Operations Manager for HealthPAC, part of the Ministry of Health.