Helen's career in food safety and quality management systems has spanned 30 years in the food industry, with a background as a dairy laboratory technician and manager, food and dairy laboratory management systems auditor, food quality consultant, food safety and quality system trainer, and food safety technical auditor.
Helen has worked for New Zealand Co-operative Dairy Company (NZCDC), International Accreditation of New Zealand (IANZ) and MAF Quality Management/AgriQuality NZ Ltd.
In her role as a regulatory auditor, Helen has developed a strong reputation for a technically robust, business appropriate auditing style, that adds value to businesses.
She has has well estabished industry networks, particularly in the Nelson/ Marlborough region where she is based.
Helen is a professional member of the New Zealand Institute of Food Science and Technology (NZIFST), and a technical expert for IANZ in the field of Food Safety Programme Auditing.
Over the past 20+ years Helen has also operated Food Linkz Ltd, providing independent and practical food safety consultancy and training assistance across a wide range of food businesses and operations throughout New Zealand. Helen's pragmatic approach to developing food safety programmes and support training that reflects food operations and food safety controls, has provided a workable pathway for food businesses to meet Ministry for Primary Industries (formerly NZFSA/MAF) food safety programme and risk management programme approval requirements.
Helen has also provided food safety, quality system and training assistance to support export food business's food handling processes managed through other food safety systems such as Regulated Control Schemes (RCS), BRC, NZGAP and GlobalGAP.
Food businesses that have benefited from Helen's assistance operate in the horticulture (including hydroponics and aquaponics), food manufacturing and processing, food retail, food service/ hospitality, airline catering, food transport, storage and distribution sectors.
