Our Governance and Executive

Felicity Odlin, is passionate about preserving the College’s unique culture while looking to the future to ensure every student leaves St Andrew’s confident, connected, and ready for any opportunity. Her connection to St Andrew’s spans three generations, with her grandfather a student in the 1920s, her brother in the 1980s, and her two sons both graduating in the last few years.

Professionally, Felicity has a strong background in accounting and finance, and has spent the last 10 years as Group Finance Manager for Destination Retail Group and Global Culture. Her leadership has spanned finance, strategy, people management, and a major company merger.

Outside work and school, Felicity, who is naturally competitive, enjoys sports-based activities, from skiing, swimming, Pilates, and golf, to her new favourite – pickleball. Her advice to current St Andrew’s students is to build respectful, face-to-face connections, and focus on personal growth and fulfilment without comparisons.

Mark Wilson brings a wealth of experience and a deep commitment to educational excellence in his role as Rector of St Andrew’s College. With an educational career spanning over three decades, he has held senior leadership roles in some of New Zealand’s most respected schools, including Executive Principal at Kristin School and Principal at Cashmere High School.

As Rector, Mark is responsible for the overall leadership and strategic direction of St Andrew’s. He works closely with a team of dedicated leaders to ensure that all aspects of the College are aligned with its vision and values. His role is pivotal in shaping the culture, upholding the traditions, and guiding the future of the College community.

Mark believes that schools have the power to make a profound difference in the lives of young people. He values the unique strengths of independent schools and is passionate about fostering both character and intellect. His alignment with the inclusive, co-educational, and values-based ethos of St Andrew’s reflects his vision of preparing students for success in the real world.

Nick Letham (OC 2001) says his time as a student at St Andrew’s helped to build foundations for life beyond the school gates, in terms of skills, work ethic, values and the desire to make a difference.

Professionally, Nick is a corporate/commercial law partner at Chapman Tripp. He has strong family ties to St Andrew’s, with brothers, Andrew (OC 2004) and Cameron (OC 2008), father Guy (OC 1974) and uncle Donald (OC 1970) among the many family members who have also attended.

The current Deputy Chair, Nick has served on the Board of Governors since 2019. He has also been a member of the Old Collegians Association Executive since 2007 (including as President from 2014–2016) and is a former trustee of the College Foundation. Nick believes all St Andrew’s students should appreciate the special nature of the large and supportive community at the College, which will likely lead to lifelong friendships and connections long after they have finished their schooling.

One of the first girls to join St Andrew’s in 1992, and a boarder, Stephanie Bain was also the first girl at the College to get Colours – in Music. She says it often surprises people to learn she was a professional opera singer and completed her postgraduate study in America. The Old Collegians Nominee on the Board for the past four years, Stephanie is a parent of Alexander in Year 6 and Sebastian in Year 4, with many of her wider family also attending the College including her father, and a great-uncle, who started in the late 1920s.

Professionally, Stephanie works as a people and culture consultant, with extensive experience across a variety of sectors. She is also a co-founder of Sunstone Talent, which specialises in IT and executive recruitment. Outside work, Stephanie is a passionate supporter of the Arts, supports her boys’ many activities, and enjoys tennis, pickleball, and Pilates.

She encourages St Andrew’s students to take advantage of the opportunities on offer, as you never know what might spark a passion or shape their future.

After attending St Andrew’s from Years 1–12, Peter Nelson (OC 1974) was honoured to join the Board of Governors as the Presbytery representative four years ago. At the time, Peter was chairing a Presbytery Mission Board, and has also brought considerable business acumen and a strategic approach to his governance role.

Peter spent 48 years in the hospitality and liquor industry, including senior corporate roles and running his own franchised business across New Zealand and Australia. He sold the business in late 2024 and now does some private consultancy work. He was made a Life Member of Hospitality New Zealand this year. A passionate rugby supporter, Peter has played, refereed, and now coaches and mentors two Canterbury Premier referees, while also chairing the Canterbury Rugby Referee Association.

Peter says it is after leaving St Andrew’s that students really start to appreciate all the opportunities offered to them at the College, and the doors being an Old Collegian will open for them.

The down-to-earth nature of St Andrew’s, the way it balances well-being with achievement, and the opportunity to help shape the College’s future contributed to Peter Armstrong joining the Board of Governors. Father to Jessica (Year 10) and Jonathan (Year 9), Peter is in his third year as a Parent Nominee.

Professionally, Peter’s background is in the electricity sector, covering all things to do with power generation, distribution, and transmission. He is the current CEO of the New Zealand-owned ElectroNet Group. Outside of work, Peter has an interest in aviation, which he shared with his late father, and is re-learning to play the violin, which he says is a “humbling” experience. He also enjoys running Christchurch’s trails, and spending time with his family.

His advice to students, especially those trying to fit in? “Be yourself. There’s a lifetime in front of you and who you are as a person is just perfect – just grow and learn."

Alan Merry’s motivation to join the Board in 2002 was to contribute to the strategic direction, legacy, and long-term success of the College, which plays such a significant role in shaping our young people. A Parent Nominee, Alan’s daughter, Harriet, is in Year 6 and his son Hugo will soon join the College.

Originally from Ireland, Alan moved to New Zealand in 2001 to pursue his love of white water kayaking. He is the Chief Executive of Engenium Consulting Engineers, a civil and structural engineering consultancy specialising in industrial and commercial building design across New Zealand. Alan is also Board Chair of Sport Canterbury, a regional sports trust dedicated to fostering community, connection and well-being through play, active recreation, and sport across the Canterbury and West Coast regions.

His advice to St Andrew’s students is to stay open to where life takes you, as sometimes the best journeys begin with a leap into the unknown.

Having children at St Andrew’s, Liam (Year 10), Sophie (Year 3) and Olivia (Year 1), is what drew David Bennett, the newest member of the Board, to join, along with helping shape the future of the College.

David brings considerable experience in finance to his new governance role, taking over as Chair of the Audit and Risk Committee from the retiring Rob Woodgate. He has been Chief Financial Officer at Market Gardeners for just over a year, was previously Chief Financial Officer at Ryman Healthcare, and started his career at Deloitte.

When he is relaxing, David enjoys weekends at home with family, catching up with friends, playing a bit of golf, “badly”, and chauffeuring his children to events. His advice to current students is to enjoy and make the most of their time at St Andrew’s, as it is a great place to make lifelong friends and develop skills to set them up for life.

Jamie-Lee Tuuta (OC 2005) joined the Board of Governors as an intern in 2021, becoming a full Board Nominee in January 2023. She says St Andrew’s had a “huge influence” on her life, so it is important for her to support the work of the Board to ensure the College continues to be a great place for students and their whānau.

Jamie-Lee is a barrister with Atticus Chambers, specialising in family law. She works across several courts, including Family, Criminal, Māori Land, and Coronial Courts, and is a court-appointed Lawyer for Child. Her extensive legal career includes roles with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, the Waitangi Tribunal, and the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care.

Outside work, Jamie-Lee values time with her whānau and friends, loves to travel, and has a rich background in Highland dancing and Pipe Band. Her advice to students is to enjoy their time at school and make the most of every opportunity, as time “goes way too fast!”.