Environment | Recreation
Community | Risk & Emergency Management

Ian Macdonald

Ian brings to Sage Planning more than 30 years' experience in a variety of local and central government roles both as a practitioner and in senior leadership roles. Ian has expertise in planning processes, community engagement, risk management and crisis leadership in complex environments and within multidisciplinary teams. After 30 years volunteering as an officer in the NZ Army Reserve, Ian has a very practical approach to leadership, problem solving and reaching good outcomes through collaboration.

Ian has an honours degree in Resource and Environmental Planning from Massey University and passed military staff college in Canada before returning as an international instructor on the same course. Ian also gained experience in working in diverse and challenging circumstances in his year deployed as a peacekeeper with the United Nations in the Middle East.

As an environmental planner Ian has processed and made recommendations on a number of complex development consents including wind farms and luxury accommodation lodges in sensitive environments. He also oversaw the team of planners reviewing and implementing the Hastings District Plan as well as delivering a range of multidisciplinary strategic projects for the Council.

Ian has a natural curiosity and an enthusiasm for solving problems, consistently seeking out effective solutions that address clients' needs.

Ian is married to Rowena, and they have three busy daughters. When not required on parental duties, he enjoys mountain biking and the great outdoors.

Janeen Kydd-Smith

Janeen brings a wealth of over 30 years’ knowledge, experience and expertise in environmental planning, policy formulation and analysis in the local government and private sectors. Janeen has a Masters in Regional and Resource Planning from Otago University and is an Accredited Commissioner (Chair Endorsement) under the Ministry for the Environment 'Making Good Decisions' programme. She is an experienced independent hearing commissioner, pre-hearing facilitator and decisions writer.

Janeen has expertise in the preparation and processing of resource consent applications (district and regional), consenting of infrastructure and renewable energy, including wind and geothermal projects, policy analysis and formulation, district plan preparation and review, submission processes, and due diligence.

Janeen’s career started with the Hastings District Council, where she worked for 10 years, firstly as a policy planner, then senior policy planner, and finally as the development manager responsible for 36 staff, comprising the resource consents team (including compliance and monitoring), the building consents team, and the environmental health team.

As a planning consultant, Janeen specialises in working with district councils and regional councils and is often described by her clients as “a safe pair of hands”.

Janeen develops strong working relationships with her clients and adopts a collaborative team approach. A key feature of her success is understanding her clients’ needs, being solutions-focused, ability to work on large and complex projects, attention to detail, producing high quality work, and delivering projects on time.

Janeen enjoys a range of interests outside work and loves spending time with family and friends. She is a business owner and a qualified hypnotherapist and loves helping people overcome problems and make positive, lasting changes in their lives.

Rowena Macdonald

Rowena brings has 30 years' expertise as a consultant working in the regulatory planning, policy development and resource consents and designations space.

Rowena has an honours degree in Resource and Environmental Planning from Massey University and has more than 20 years as a full member of the New Zealand Planning Institute. She is an accredited IAP2 practitioner. Her career highlights include helping Central Hawke’s Bay District Council complete their District Plan Review to partially operative status, managing the development of the Wairoa District Plan (first generation), and jointly receiving a Highly Commended Best Practice Award from NZPI for the first generation Hastings State of the Environment Report.

As a planner, Rowena has developed a keen eye for detail and enjoys the technical intricacies of managing planning processes and project delivery and has a Certificate in Project Management from the University of Canterbury. She has a particular interest in developing workable and enduring outcomes for people and the wider community, and for the environment. She builds strong relationships with clients based on listening and walking along side clients, and a focus on delivery.

Rowena is a mum of three and likes to travel and spend time with family and friends.

Debra Stewart

Debra has more than 30 years professional experience which has been gained in roles in both local government and consultancy. Debra has a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture (Hons) as well as Diploma in Horticulture (Dist). Debra has significant experience working with communities and is familiar with the range of community engagement techniques that can be used to achieve the right outcomes.

Debra has worked in a range of parks and recreation roles during her career. She is passionate about parks and the provision of accessible recreation opportunities.

She has the ability to solve problems creatively but with a keen eye on practicality. In her most recent role in local government as the Executive Director of Infrastructure (EDI) at Napier City Council, Debra has honed her skills in delivering complex projects, leading teams and developing good relationships ensuring the communities needs are met.