Welcome to new staff at Hill Laboratories and MPI
Hill Laboratories
Hill Laboratories have two new staff to assist with the busy grape vine period underway.
Natasha and Kate at Hill Laboratories
Kate Johnson and Natasha Materoa normally work at Ormond Nurseries but have come to assist Hill Laboratories for three months. They are busy completing Elisa tests on grape vine leaves, testing for viruses passed on by mealy bugs. Kate and Natasha are enjoying the novelty of working inside with air conditioning, something that is not available with their outside work at the nursery.
Natasha grew up on a farm in the Marlborough Sounds. Although her family has since sold the farm, she returns often to go camping. Now living in Blenheim, she feels that it is a great place to bring up her two children.
Kate moved to Blenheim from Taranaki in August and loves the warm weather and wines. She has recently purchased a kayak and is making the most of the wonderful destinations available on her doorstep.
MPI
MPI’s office at the Grovetown campus is growing rapidly.
Nadja Berger, Travelling Technical Supervisor – MPI
Nadja Berger
Originally from Austria, Nadja joined MPI in December. She moved to the Top of the South from Christchurch, and when asked what she likes most about Marlborough she says “lots and lots of vineyards”.
Nadja is responsible for Food Safety, working with the Top of the South food producers. She loves getting out and about travelling to her clients through the region’s vineyards from MRC’s Grovetown campus. The nice part about her Grovetown office is that it is surrounded by nature, she says.
Piers Harrison, Specialist Advisor - MPI
Piers Harrison
Piers transferred to the MPI office at our Grovetown campus from Wellington. “Same job in a new location,” he says.
“It’s great to be working and living in the Marlborough region after living in Wellington for several years,” Piers says. He particularly loves the outdoors. “The sun, sea, and mountains, there’s lots of fun to be had around here,” he adds and enjoys working in an office on the outskirts of town.
Charlotte Patterson-Green, Veterinary Technical Supervisor – MPI
Charlotte commenced her role with MPI in February this year. She is enjoying meeting new people and getting out and about in Marlborough. Born in Angus, Scotland, the previous Equine Veterinarian enjoys most about her adopted Marlborough region the climate, the Sounds and the mountains.
When asked what she like about working at the Grovetown campus, she says “I like my office mates, the free coffee and chatting with Murray Broom from DNAiTECH who is working on a very useful diagnostic tool in a lab in the same building as my office”.