Speakers
Danette Olsen, MBIE
Danette Olsen is General Manager, Science System Investment and Performance Branch of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
She currently has responsibility for making, managing and reviewing scientific investments aimed at meeting New Zealand’s economic, social and environmental goals. This includes oversight of the Endeavour Fund, the Strategic Science Investment Fund and other research funds.
Danette has over 20 years’ experience working in senior leadership roles in the research sector. She has previously worked in research organisations Plant & Food Research and the Cawthron Institute, Victoria University of Wellington as well as government agencies such as Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Foundation for Research Science and Technology, the Ministry of Research Science and Technology and MAF Fisheries.
She has also been a member of the Bragato Research Institute Board, NZ Rivers Trust and the Cawthron Institute Trust Board.
In her previous role at MBIE she was Manager, Strategic Investments.
Danette has a MSc in marine science, and a post graduate diploma in Psychology.
Kirsty Doyle, Ara ki te Taumata - Pathway to the Summit
(Rongomaiwahine, Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa)
Kirsty Doyle is co-founder of Ara ki te Taumata – Pathway to the Summit, where she facilitates leadership development programmes designed to support women to grow their confidence, strengthen their leadership and realise their potential.
People have always been at the centre of Kirsty’s work. With a background in people, capability and organisational development, she has worked across the public and private sectors, including science, engineering, technology and energy. Her experience spans leadership development, mentoring, workforce capability, relationship building and strategic project work.
Alongside Ara ki te Taumata, Kirsty is the Strategic Manager Māori at the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, where she works across the science and research sector to strengthen Māori participation, relationships, capability and opportunities. She is also a retail business owner, bringing practical experience of leading people and navigating the realities of running and growing a business.
Kirsty is passionate about creating a more inclusive leadership landscape across Aotearoa, particularly supporting wāhine to recognise the capability they already have, build confidence in what they bring, and step more confidently into opportunities to lead, influence and progress their careers.
Esther-Maria Bukholt, Ara ki te Taumata - Pathway to the Summit
Esther-Maria Bukholt is co-founder of Ara ki te Taumata – Pathway to the Summit where she facilitates leadership development programmes designed to support women to grow their confidence, strengthen their leadership and realise their potential.
Esther-Maria is also the director of Solstone, a leadership, engagement and strategic development consultancy. She is a facilitator, coach and strategic process designer with over 20 years' experience working across local and national government, community and health organisations and multi-stakeholder initiatives.
People and process are at the heart of Esther-Maria's work. With a background spanning community-led development, adult education and organisational change, facilitating strategic planning for organisations including GNS Science, PSA, Life Unlimited and Ihi Aotearoa. She brings a coaching approach to leadership, helping individuals and teams find their own clarity rather than imposing a framework from outside, and works with cultural awareness as a dual citizen and with te ao Māori perspectives.
Alongside Ara ki te Taumata and Solstone, Esther-Maria has designed and facilitated leadership programmes for emergent science leaders through the Science for Innovation and Technology (SfTI) Challenge, and led national post-election evaluation workshops for the Electoral Commission — bringing practical experience of leadership development across sectors.
Esther-Maria is passionate about grounding leadership development in practical next steps rather than abstract theory, and about creating space — particularly for wāhine/women — to build the confidence and clarity to lead, influence and progress on their own terms.
Yesha Kaniyawala, Possibl.ai
Yesha is an AI/Software Engineer at Possibl.ai, where she builds scalable AI-enhanced solutions for real-world applications. With a background spanning full-stack development, machine learning, and cloud infrastructure, she brings a versatile, hands-on perspective to the evolving AI landscape. She is also a SheSharp Ambassador, championing mentorship and representation for women in tech.
Nikki Freed, Daisy Lab
Nikki has worked in molecular biology, evolution, and microbiology for over 20 years. She is a co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Daisy Lab, an Auckland-based precision fermentation company using yeast to produce the proteins found in milk. Daisy Lab aims to create a more sustainable, animal-free way of producing dairy proteins. She also teaches and does a bit of research at the University of Auckland.
Laura Domigan, Opo Bio
Laura Domigan is Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Opo Bio, a New Zealand biotechnology company producing collagen through animal cell culture. She leads Opo Bio’s scientific development of cell-based collagen ingredients for cosmetic and medical applications, spanning cell line and bioprocess development through to product characterisation and scale-up.