NZ has another Trevor Wigney Award Recipient! Congratulations Deb Cook

Huge congratulations to Debbie Cook al_1711

The New Zealand Chapter and all of Educate Plus are absolutely delighted that Debbie has been awarded the Trevor Wigney Award at the 2016 Educate Plus Conference on the Gold Coast.

Debbie is one of the shining stars of Educate Plus. Her contribution begins with outstanding leadership in New Zealand, but soon crosses the Tasman to serve the greater Educate Plus membership. Debbie has been a trailblazer in the field of advancement. It is her unwavering commitment to the profession and the world of education that has shaped her outstanding contribution which with others in the Chapter set the course of advancement in New Zealand.

Debbie is the consummate professional with a large heart. She is known for striving to achieve the best, always by expecting it of herself and others. She leads through example and willingly supports her peers to learn how they can succeed and achieve great things for their organisations.

Debbie’s association at St Cuthbert’s College has been a long and special one. She is an Old Girl, a past parent, past Board Member and has been Director of Development for 14 years until her retirement in 2015. While a Trust Board Member at the College she attended a Case Summer School for Philanthropy at Dartmouth College and so began her passion for carrying out the role to support the school.

Debbie has been in charge of many projects both large and small which have changed the face of the College and raised considerable sums of money. She is an exemplary model of the College motto, `By Love Serve’. This is demonstrated by her passion for education—supporting it through development, her exceptional skills, positive outlook and good humour. During their time at St Cuthbert’s College there has been a living example of the excellent working relationship between the Principal Lynda Reid (who is our inaugural Educate Plus Institutional Leader) and Debbie Cook.

Debbie has served on the New Zealand Committee for many years, followed by a term as Vice President and more recently as President and Member of the Australasian Board. To this day, even in so-called retirement, she is an active volunteer on the Committee. Debbie, with her long–time friend and colleague, fellow Trevor Wigney Award recipient—Carolyn Prebble–are leading the effort to host and now organise the 2018 biennial international conference to be held in Auckland, New Zealand.

Through personal mentoring, conference presentations and working with many boards and institutional leaders Debbie has educated successive generations of advancement professionals.

Debbie we acknowledge, thank and salute you for your outstanding contributions to Educate Plus and its members throughout Australasia.