Board members

PROFESSOR NICK DRAPER (CHAIR)

University of Canterbury

Nick is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science at the University of Canterbury, where he specialises in exercise physiology. His research interests include work related to the sports of rugby, rock climbing and judo as well as in the area of physical activity. Nick has previously worked in elite sport as performance planner for British Judo which included responsibility for grant writing, sport science testing, training programme development and team selection. In 2000 Nick was Team Manager for Judo at the Sydney Olympic Games and wrote training programmes for the several of the team members competing.

Associate Professor Toby Mundel

Massey University

Toby came to New Zealand at the end of 2006 after having completed his BSc (Hons) and PhD at the University of Birmingham, UK. Since that time he has taught undergraduate and postgraduate students, led projects and supervised research students primarily in exercise physiology. His main interest is in exercise thermoregulation on which he regularly publishes research, examines research theses, assesses research funding applications and has been an invited/keynote speaker nationally and internationally (e.g. Australia, Canada, UK, Japan, Malaysia and Taiwan). Toby is an associate editor for 2 international journals and an editorial board member for a further 5, and has organized 3 local, national and international conferences in Aotearoa.

PROFESSOR RICH MASTERS

University of Waikato

Prior to taking up his current position at the University of Waikato in 2014, Rich was Director of the Institute of Human Performance at the University of Hong Kong. Before that, he lectured in the School of Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Birmingham, England. Rich holds a BSc (Hons) and an MA (in Psychology) from the University of Otago and a D.Phil (Experimental Psychology) from the University of York, England. He sits on the Health Panel for the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF) 2018 Quality Evaluation. Rich is interested in the psychology of human performance and is well known for his work in implicit (unconscious) motor learning.

PROFESSOR ANDREW KILDING

Auckland University of Technology

Andrew is a Professor of Sport and Exercise Physiology at AUT’s Sport Performance Research Institute New Zealand. Andrew teaches under- and post-graduate students in a range of sport science papers as well as supervising several Masters and PhD students. He has a wide range of research interests but the majority of his research focusses on strategies to enhance aerobic responses, adaptations and performance in endurance sport. Andrew has published almost 100 scientific articles and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport. From an applied practitioner perspective he has provided physiology support to a range of athletes and is currently Head of Performance Physiology at HPSNZ. Andrew has served on the executive board at SESNZ previously and returned in 2018 to contribute further to the ongoing growth and development of the organisation.

MARK DRURY

University of Canterbury

Mark is lecturer at the University of Canterbury and also currently leads the Strength and Conditioning Accreditation for Sport and Exercise Science New Zealand. Mark has accumulated over 15 years strength and conditioning experience working in professional rugby, including Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Crusaders Super Rugby team, and for the Edinburgh Rugby Pro 12 team. In 2015 he received the Hadlee Sports Award for outstanding achievements in Sport Science. He has a Masters in Strength and Conditioning from the University of Edinburgh, and a Bachelor of Physical Education from Otago University.

Associate Professor MEL BUSSEY

University of Otago

Dr. Bussey is a researcher in Clinical Biomechanics, Chair of Graduate Research in the School of Physical Education Sport and Exercise Sciences at the University of Otago and an Adjunct Professor to the School of Physical Therapy in the University of Saskatchewan. She is originally from Canada where she studied Athletic Therapy and Sport Science before coming to NZ to complete her PhD in Biomechanics. Her specific research expertise is neuromuscular mechanisms for disturbed postural stability related to pain and recurrent injury. She is the co-author of the textbook “Sports Biomechanics: Reducing injury and improving performance” Routledge, 2013.

STACEY PINE

Oamaru

Stacey worked as an Accredited Exercise Physiologist in Australia for 12 years before moving to the South Island at the end of 2019. Her experience is primarily in musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and her specialties are working with chronic pain, auto immune conditions, pre and post orthopaedic procedures, and exercise for women’s health. Stacey has delivered Professional Development for ESSA over the past few years in Pregnancy and Postpartum Exercise Programming and teaching Reformer Pilates to Exercise Professionals, and recently started a business in Oamaru offering Exercise Physiology and Pilates Services to private clients.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR ANDY FOSKETT

Massey University

Associate Professor Andy Foskett is the founding Head of the School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition at Massey University. Andy has a keen interest in high performance sport from physiological, nutritional and S&C perspectives and has worked with multiple high performance athletes across a diverse range of sports. In addition to his role with SESNZ Dr Foskett has held various Governance roles within sport and exercise and is currently President of the Tertiary Council of Physical Activity and Sport Science (TCPASE); Chair of the Massey University Blues Committee; and a member of NZ Football’s High Performance and Player Welfare Committee.

Proffessor (Adj) Dr STAFFORD MURRAY

Since October 2020 Stafford has been General Manager of Performance Support at HPSNZ, prior to that heading up Head of Innovation and Research Team. Stafford is an Adjunct Professor in Sports Technology and Analysis at AUT.

Prior to moving to NZ in 2017 he was the Head of Performance Analysis, Biomechanics and Skill Acquisition at the English Institute of Sport from 2002. Stafford took the disciplines from 0 to 40+ staff members over that time; overseeing the provision and development of interventions to all key Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Sports. As a practitioner, Stafford delivered Performance Analysis services to numerous High Performance sports over a 20-year period (Including South African Cricket, Welsh Rugby and Football, England Squash, McLaren F1 racing and numerous Olympic and Paralympic Sports) at some 23 World Championships, 5 Commonwealth Games and 3 Olympic Games. He has also consulted to Qatar Aspire, ECB, Shell Oil and Cisco Communications (not exhaustive).

During that tenure, Stafford was also seconded as Team Leader for the England Squash Team in Delhi CWG’s 2010, Head of the Team GB analysis service at London 2012 Games, one of the team leaders in the Lion’s Den for Team England at the Glasgow 2014 Games, Head of Team GB Analysis at Rio 2016 and held the role of Performance Lead to 5 Olympic and Paralympic Sports (quality assuring and managing all sports science service provision to these sports).

Stafford has published extensively in the area of Coaching Science, Technology and Analysis of Sport (30+ peer reviewed papers, 21 book chapters, 2 books and multiple sports science / coaching magazine features), mainly in the areas of analytical profiling in elite sport, feedback science, technology in sport and the search for individual differences amongst elite sporting performers.

Jessica Allan

Operations Manager, SESNZ

Jessica is a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury after recently finishing her masters in Sport Science. She has worked in Australia for several years as an accredited exercise physiologist in workers compensation - musculoskeletal and chronic conditions rehabilitation. Jessica developed the University of Canterbury Exercise Physiology Clinic and is pursuing research in exercise and cancer.

Sub-Committees

Sport Science Sub-committee

Accredited Exercise Physiology Sub-committee

Strength and Conditioning sub-committee

Nicolai Morris
Bennett Jones
Amanda Murphy
Richard Deuchrass

Mat Blair
Darryl Cochrane
Dave Edgar

Student sub-committee

Chair: Shaun Owen

Committee Reps:

Michaela Townshend – University of Canterbury (MSc)
Ed Maunder – Auckland University of Technology (PhD Candidate)
Katie Schofield – University of Waikato (PhD Candidate)
Stephen Fenemor – University of Waikato (PhD Candidate)

LIFETIME MEMBERS

Life Membership may be granted at the AGM, on the recommendation of the Board, to a member who has given significant sustained service to SESNZ. There are currently two life members: