Meet our Operations Staff
Robyn Valentine, Manager
I have over 40 years experience in Administration Management, specialising in Accounting Systems - including Payroll management, Accounts Receivable and Payable, Job-Costing, Funding Tracking, GST Returns, Financial Reporting (Profit and Loss/ Balance Sheet), budgeting, data collection, processing and filing systems.
Managing the Community Accounts Service is challenging and rewarding. I enjoy helping the variety of Community Groups that come my way.
The work is ever increasing, and varied. I enjoy sharing my knowledge with others.
My Board are very supportive, and together we aim to continue to support not-for-profit organisations in the Timaru District, and beyond.
Nicola Buckingham, Accounting Support
I have worked in financial accounting and administrative positions for more than 20 years in a variety of organisations.
I love assisting individuals and organisations in developing and maintaining efficient and effective financial systems so that the pressure of financial reporting and compliance does not weigh them down.
Having been active in community groups, I understand the importance of having access to affordable financial assistance. I particularly enjoy that this position supports local charities and not-for-profit organisations, allowing them to concentrate more on their core missions and less on administrative duties.
Meet our Board Members
We are a registered charity No. CC58100, and governed by a Board of Trustees.
Our current Board Members are:
Mark Lowen, Chairperson
Mark Lowen has been in Timaru for about 30 years having spent 8 years in England. Not knowing anyone when coming to Timaru he immersed myself if sport and community groups that he was passionate about. Joined the South Canterbury Squash Racquets, Timaru City Football, and South Canterbury Drama League (SCDL) clubs, and has been a member of all these clubs’ committees at some point, as well as being on the board of Creative corner Early Learning Centre, and SCDL.In 2011 he was majorly instrumental in the construction of the South Canterbury Roller Skating Club banked racing track and clubrooms. Currently he is on the SCDL Musical Theatre, and Central South Cycle Trail committees, as well as being on the Community Accounts services board. Mark finds that, to be a member of a community, one must be involved in a community.
Grant Williams
Originally moving to South Canterbury with the Banking Industry, Grant has now been a Timaru resident for over 30 years. The last 15 of those years have seen him working as a Management Accountant with the McCain Foods operation in Washduke, overseeing a range of Financial functions around Costing, Spend management and Working Capital controls.
With a wide range of interests, both through children and individually, this has brought an involvement with a number of organisations and a natural progression into office bearer and governance roles that accompanies membership, including time with TBHS Rowing, Timaru Golf Club & Aorangi Golf (Chair, Representative Team Manager), and South Canterbury Club (serving a term as Chair). After stepping back from these activities in recent years, Grant has now seen a time to become involved at community level again, and the opportunity to join both the Community Accounts Services and Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury alongside the talented group of Employees and fellow Board Members feels like the “ideal fit”.
Linda Kenny
With a background in education Linda moved to the Timaru district in 1988. She has been a facilitator for the WAVE team working for the local DHB, as well as seven years for Sport Canterbury in the South Canterbury region. Linda has extensive knowledge in sport governance and has been on the Squash NZ board for nine years.
As Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury board chair Linda supported and guided the process of Community Accounts Services to become its own identity in 2020. She is currently the CAS board’s secretary. Linda has been a long serving board member of several local community organisations.
Currently, Linda is a Board Chair of Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury, Squash NZ Hall of Fame board member, Squash Midlands Board secretary and currently the interim President of the Timaru Squash Club as well as club secretary and in her own community is the Rosewill Hall Chairperson. In addition to her governance roles, Linda finds times to coach squash and enjoys gardening, biking and coffee time with her friends.
Stacey Blissett
After some time in Palmerston North and Wellington, Stacey Blissett returned to Timaru in 2015 and is working as a lawyer at Timpany Walton, a local law firm. Outside of work, she has recently joined the Volunteering Mid & South Canterbury board and the Community Accounts Service board. She is married to Mark and spends a great deal of her time looking after their three, very spoilt dogs.
Lindsay Schrader
Lindsay is a Timaru “lifer” having lived here most of his life apart from 5 years spent studying at Lincoln College and working in Christchurch and Dunedin.
After graduating from Lincoln College and gaining registration Lindsay has worked as a Registered Valuer and Property Consultant in South Canterbury since 1984, including 15 years’ operating his own business. The rural sector is his specialist area of work.
Lindsay’s past community and professional involvement include the Timaru Boys High School Board of Trustees (Board and associated committees); Mid/South Canterbury branch of the NZ Institute of Valuers (Chairman and committee), Mt Dobson Ski & Snowboard Club plus various other committees during his children’s school years.
Away from work Lindsay enjoys family life, snow skiing, biking, fly fishing and boating.
Lindsay is looking forward to the role on the Community Accounts Services Board and giving something back to the South Canterbury community.
Jana Lobb
Right from the time of leaving school Janya had her eye set on the accounting profession, having gained B SC and Post Graduate training (Secondary School & Associated Charted Account). Over her working career she has work as teacher at Timaru Girls and Craighead High Schools, various firms and companies, as well as treasurer, for NP clubs and organisations in and around Timaru. Janya has also sat on many boards around the district, including but not restricted to, Alpine Energy, and trustee experience with Line Trust SC, Energy Trust Of NZ, SC Mammography & Civic Trust.
Matthew O’Brien
Matthew has been working in the accounting and finance field for over 25 years and is a Chartered Accountant in the Corporate Environment for over 20 of these. He has worked in Dunedin, London, Auckland and Christchurch before moving to Timaru 20 years ago. Matthew is currently the Senior Business Controller and Company Secretary at DB Draught Brewery in Washdyke.
Matthew has three children and been involved in a number of sports clubs and community organisation (Rugby, Football, Basketball, Tennis, Speed Skating and Round Table) in either coaching or administrative roles in his time in Timaru. His last role was the President of the South Canterbury Roller Skating Club.