Born in Norway and raised in New Zealand, Tom has a strong connection with the ocean from birth, and enjoys diving, spearfishing, sailing, and fishing. Tom has had a varied professional life, gathering a wide range of experience in the built environment, business strategy and governance support across several industries in New Zealand and Australia. Graduating with a Bachelor of Forestry Science in 2012, Tom began work in that sector before cutting his own path by starting, building, and exiting several small businesses.

From 2017 to 2020, Tom worked primarily in property consulting between Christchruch, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane, and continues to work in the property sector today. In 2021 Tom became the President of the Nelson Underwater Club and has been working with a wonderful and engaged committee to breathe new life into the club. Tom is currently studying his Masters in Property Practice at Auckland University.

Andy's diving journey began snorkelling alongside his father's spearfishing float line at the age of seven. That early fascination with the underwater world eventually led him to become a PADI Dive Instructor and, in 2014, a PADI Course Director, PADI's highest recreational instructor rating. He is also a PADI Tec 50 Instructor and experienced cave diver with extensive experience in technical diving, underwater exploration and diver education.

Before moving to Mexico to pursue diving full-time, Andy held executive leadership roles within New Zealand's health and aged-care sector, specialising in information technology, operational management and organisational leadership.

As a Board Member of the New Zealand Underwater Association (NZUA), Andy holds the Diving Safety portfolio and chairs the Air Purity Committee. Through these roles, he helps oversee national diving safety initiatives, breathing gas quality standards and risk management, drawing on both his professional diving experience and executive leadership background.

A Director of NZUA since 2023 and Chair of NZUA Dive Publishing Ltd, Allan’s NZUA connection started in his life via his father Eddie Davidson, an active NZUA member and competitive spearfisherman since the early 1960’s, winning several titles including the 1969 spear fishing Nationals and being part of the NZUA’s 1969 International team, even winning the inaugural, Father & Son - Ray Hope trophy in 1978. Coupled with Allan’s Uncle John Gallagher’s role as NZUA president from 1973 to 1977, his links to our past and current NZUA members are his motivation to help ensure NZUA’s future remains relevant to today’s diving community.  

Still diving in the Cook Strait region regularly, Allan is a former commercial paua owner and diver, and has nearly a decade being part of Govt appointed Fisheries Management groups as part of his Mana Aquatic Diver club presidency and Commodore for the Mana Cruising Club, he draws on these experiences as well as his 40 years of Company directorships within the Auckland and Wellington Building and Utilities industry, and Maritime consultancy as far back as Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World build project, in helping the NZUA’s board goal of continuing to improve support for our membership stakeholders and engagement with NZ’s Underwater business community.    

Lisa holds the Sports portfolio on the NZUA Board, due to her strong connection with the largest affiliated sports body, Underwater Hockey New Zealand (UWHNZ). She has been playing for twenty years and was in the New Zealand Masters Women's UWH team that attended the World Championship in 2023.

Lisa is a NZ Chartered Accountant, holding Bachelors of Commerce and Law from Canterbury University. Lisa worked as an auditor at Ernst & Young, in financial reporting at Lloyds Banking Group in Edinburgh, and at Fonterra on her return to New Zealand. Based in Hamilton, she is now a stay at home mother of three boys and spends much of her days administering underwater hockey as current President of UWHNZ.

Josh joins us an independent director of NZUA, bringing a strong focus on environmental initiatives and sustainability strategy. With a background in environmental management, policy, and strategy, he has spent much of his career working across government and NGOs, including as a consultant advising on fisheries and coastal management. Now based in Marlborough, he works in the wine industry, leading sustainability projects and helping shape long-term ESG strategy. He’s passionate about healthy oceans, sustainable resource use, and supporting communities to thrive alongside their environment. Outside of work, he’s a keen diver, spearo, outdoorsman, and is building a governance career with a particular focus on ESG leadership.