Our Group – Your People Team
Karen Meredith | Wellington, New Zealand
I am a strategic people & culture leader and the founder of PeopleEX, with more than two decades of experience helping organisations strengthen performance, shape culture and get the best from their people.
Working across organisations - from Boards and Chief Executives to leaders, managers and teams - I bring commercial thinking, sound judgement and a deep understanding of people and organisational dynamics.
My expertise spans people & culture strategy, organisational design and transformation, leadership, culture, change, employee relations, executive coaching and mediation. I help organisations think ahead, navigate complexity and turn ambitious ideas into practical action.
As an Accredited Mediator, Executive Coach and Licensed Private Investigator, I also bring a unique perspective to complex and sensitive situations, combining empathy and intuition with independence, curiosity and investigative rigour.
I am known for quickly getting to the heart of what matters. Strategic yet hands-on, I like to challenge thinking, create clarity and help people and organisations move forward with confidence.
Through PeopleEX, I love providing senior-level expertise and a trusted independent perspective exactly where it can make the greatest difference.
Qualifications:
Bachelor in Management and a Masters in Human Resource Management from the University of Technology Sydney, Accredited Mediator from the Resolution Institute, Licensed Private Investigator from the Ministry of Justice, Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge, Certificate IV in Workplace Training and Assessment, Emotional Culture Deck practitioner and an Accredited Coach through the International Coaching Community (ICC).
View LinkedIn profile here.
Contact me:
karen.meredith@peopleex.co
Jess Lawson | Auckland, New Zealand
I have been in people-focused roles across the private and public sectors for 15 years, working on people strategy development down to HR operations. My experience spans the entire HR spectrum, from talent acquisition and onboarding, talent management, development and retention, employee relations, culture and values, and remuneration principles and approach.
I love building partnerships with leaders and their teams. My passion is helping the people I work with have better conversations, connections and experiences at work. I truly believe in the power of a good conversation!
People are complex, and I bring problem-solving, human understanding and energy to all situations, enabling organisations to reach their strategic goals by maximising the talent of their people.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Arts (Psychology) and Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing) University of Otago, Licensed Private Investigator from the Ministry of Justice, Emotional Culture Deck practitioner and an Accredited Executive Coach through the International Coaching Community (ICC).
View LinkedIn Profile here.
Contact me:
jess.lawson@peopleex.co
Rachelle Cottle | Hamilton, New Zealand
I am a professional and passionate HR generalist with over 10 years of experience across various industries within NZ, including professional/corporate services, small business and government agencies, in both a consulting and in-house capacity.
I have experience across all aspects of HR, from recruitment, talent management and retention to employee engagement, employee relations and performance and remuneration reviews. I particularly enjoy facilitating training and coaching.
I’m equally passionate about building genuine, long-lasting relationships with people and gaining a sound understanding of the business to ensure optimal people experiences, outputs and overall business success. I am excited to bring my breadth of experience to support PeopleEXs’ clients with their workplace wellbeing and their people's needs.
Qualifications:
SHL Certified in Ability Testing, Interest Inventories, Occupational Personality Questionnaire and Motivation Questionnaire. HRINZ Foundation certified.
View LinkedIn profile here.
Contact me:
rachelle.cottle@peopleex.co
Michelle Pongia | Auckland, New Zealand
With over two decades of experience, I am an experienced people partner who has led HR and People and Capability functions in both the private and public sectors of New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
My expertise covers strategic and operational human resources, encompassing the entire employee lifecycle. Working in collaboration with CEOs, business owners, senior leaders, human resources teams, professionals, and employees, I have demonstrated my ability to develop and align HR strategies, policies, tools, and systems with business goals and employee needs. This alignment has consistently enhanced business performance, employee engagement, and organisational culture.
My passion lies in partnering with businesses to create human-centred workplaces. As a kind, upbeat, and intuitive people partner, I am committed to achieving the intersection where business goals and employee value meet.
I enjoy building and nurturing trusted and positive working relationships with each client. I invest time in getting to know them and understanding their business, challenges, and opportunities, and provide ongoing HR expertise and support as required.
Qualifications:
Bachelor in Social Sciences: Business Psychology from Massey University, New Zealand, Diploma in Business Studies, Certificate in Organisational and Executive Coaching, Accredited DiSC Profiler, Certified EX Designer (pending).
View LinkedIn Profile here.
Contact me:
michelle.pongia@peopleex.co
Rebecca Campbell | Timaru, New Zealand
I have been dedicated to people-focused roles across the People & Culture spectrum for the past decade. Known for my positive, warm, and engaged demeanour, I foster a solutions-focused, values-led, and commercially minded approach to support the delivery of core people processes at all organisational levels. This has consistently resulted in improved outcomes for both people and operations.
I thrive on partnering with individuals at all levels of an organisation, using my expertise to build strong, collaborative relationships and resilient teams that excel in the face of challenges and opportunities. My deep knowledge of People & Culture and Change Management has been pivotal in driving successful transformations and fostering adaptable, future-ready workforces.
With a particular interest in operational strategy, I am passionate about earning People & Culture a valued seat at the senior leadership table. I focus on creating a safe and high-performing workplace culture where people are at the organisation’s heart.
Qualifications:
Bachelor of Technology, majoring in BioTechnology from Massey University
Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) Certified
Contact me:
rebecca.campbell@peopleex.co
Kelly McNamara | Sydney, Australia
I’m a strategic HR leader with deep expertise in organisational design, performance and reward, and culture transformation. Over the course of my career, I’ve worked across both private and public sectors, bringing a practical and systems-oriented approach to people and culture challenges.
I’ve led major programs of work to align people strategies with organisational outcomes, support culture change during transformation, and improve the employee experience through clear and effective performance and remuneration frameworks. I enjoy partnering closely with executive teams to navigate complex change, whether that’s through restructures, mergers, or cultural realignment.
I also bring specialised experience in HRIS implementation, optimisation, and analytics. I’ve led the end-to-end delivery of new HR technology solutions, from system design and migration to dashboard reporting, ensuring people systems become strategic enablers, not just administrative tools.
My background spans a wide range of sectors including financial services, professional services, insurance, and the cultural sector. In every engagement, I focus on understanding the organisation’s context and using data and technology to deliver practical, people-centred outcomes.
Qualifications:
Post Graduate Certificate in Human Resources – MGSM, Project Management – Australian Institute of Management, Job Evaluation Accreditation – Hays and Mercer.
View LinkedIn profile here.
Contact me:
kelly.mcnamara@peopleex.co
Let’s Talk People, Business, and Better
Keen to explore how PeopleEX can support your team - with strategic HR, AI-smart advisory, or specialist support?
Book a free HR consult and let’s chat about how our flexible, senior-led model can meet you where you’re at - and where you're heading.
We’re based in Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton, Timaru, and Sydney - and we work with clients all across New Zealand and Australia, both in person and virtually.
People challenges, growth goals, or strategy shifts?
We’re your EXtra pair of hands - and your people partners for better.