Our staff are great with people and excellent role models. We employ instructors on the basis of their maturity, judgement, teaching experience and technical skills. All our instructors are qualified, have proven experience in outdoor pursuits, hold a current outdoor first aid certificate, driver’s license, and are trained in risk and crisis management. Our instructor qualifications include:
- NZOIA awards in rockclimbing, abseiling, kayaking, mountaineering and bushcraft
- NZRA raft guiding qualifications
- Project Adventure facilitation qualifications
- a variety of NZQA outdoor recreation standards
__________________________________________________________________
Staff profiles
Admin Staff
Lynley Robertson - Service manager
Lynley came to BMAC mid way through 2011. She has 4 adult children, 3 of which live overseas at present. Before coming to BMAC her and her hubby grew flowers on the Hauraki Plains just south of Auckland. They saw how wonderful the environment is here in the Central Plateau and moved south. Driving past the mountains to work everyday is spectacular and together with the scenery and the people it makes BMAC an amazing place to work.
Rachel Smith – Booking Officer
Rachel has been with BMAC since June 2011. She was a nationally recognised swimmer in her younger days and has spent many years travelling, working and rock climbing in exotic places like France, Thailand and Spain. She came back to NZ to start a family and has 2 gorgeous children, Briar and Max. She loves the outdoors and takes every opportunity to get out and go running, biking or rock Climbing.
Nicola Rodgers – Marketing Agent
Nicola joined BMAC in December 2011. Originally from Ireland, she met her Kiwi fiancé in Australia and moved to New Zealand in 2010. Nicola has worked in the sales and marketing area since graduating with an honours degree in Marketing Management in 2007, but this is the first time she has been able to combine her passion for the outdoors along with her love of marketing.
Having grown up in rural Ireland, Nicola has always had a love of the outdoors, and doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty if she’s having fun. Nicola views joining BMAC as a real thrill and feels privileged to be part of a team helping others to conquer their own inner mountains.
Instructing Staff
Daniel "Billy" Werner - Chief Instructor
'I love the outdoors, and it doesn't get any better than right here.'
This Kiwi spent a few years with his wife Tessa and daughter Leah in Switzerland, before he realized his lush native homeland had it all - and we couldn't agree more! They've had three more children since coming home, Gracie and Oliver and Zac.
Having a keen interest in the outdoors, Billy has continued in the adventure industry since completing his certificate in outdoor leadership in 1997. He's been at BMAC since early 2006, passing on some of his wicked sense of humour along with his passion for the outdoors to young and old alike. He's a master at Rock Climbing, Kayaking, and Volleyball... and still a hard man to catch on the Touch Rugby field.
Kyle Aitken - Instructor / Maintenance Coordinator
'The things you learn here, you keep for life.'
Kyle has come to BMAC with a love for American summer camps. With 4 seasons spent at various camps in the USA, Kyle has had experiences in many facets of camping culture and brings all that knowledge back to BMAC (where he was originally a camper!).
As well as being an Instructor, Kyle is our main man of maintenance, keeping the place looking sharp and working well. Kyle and his wife Hania have had a recent addition to their family, son Cruz, who their daughter Elishka loves to bits.
Bevan Sanders - Instructor
'Working in the great outdoors, working with people - this is my dream job!'
Bevan joined the team in November 2006. Another who has led at American summer camps, the skills, enthusiasm and passion he's brought back with him mean he's fitted right in.
And along with his diploma in biblical studies and certificate in outdoor recreation instructing, he's got the credentials to expand your current comfort zones and skills as well as help you through any life changing decisions. He loves snowboarding, rock climbing, and (when he can find the surf), surfing.
Simon "Slim" Hutson - Intern/The Man
Simon joined the team early 2011 and then headed off to the states to be a counsellor at a summer camp. He returned with the some valuable knowledge and skills to throw at you. Having grown up in the bush with his outdoor loving family he knows a thing or two about the outdoors as well and is picking up new information daily.
As an intern Simon runs about the place doing what ever needs to be done, from helping out instructors with the groups to keeping the place in a good tidy condition for all you folks to enjoy. Simon is picking up qualifications in rafting, abseiling, caving, rock climbing, and many other things too. In his spare time he likes to play rugby and keep active……X-box.
