Sophie started her career in biosecurity in operational roles with New Zealand’s Ministry for Primary Industries as a Quarantine Officer, clearing passengers, air and sea cargo, planes, cruise ships and other vessels of biosecurity risk as they arrived from international destinations. She also worked as a detector dog handler at Wellington Airport and CentrePort, before moving to Marlborough and becoming the inaugural Biosecurity Advisor for New Zealand Winegrowers, the industry organization for the New Zealand wine sector.
In her current role as the Biosecurity & Emergency Response Manager, Sophie and her team are responsible for the implementation of the wine industry’s Biosecurity Action Plan and for coordinating the industry association’s response to emergency events impacting winegrowers in New Zealand.
Sophie also chairs the Technical Reference Group for the industry’s grapevine high health standard, known as the Grafted Grapevine Standard, and is the wine industry representative in New Zealand’s Government Industry Agreement for biosecurity readiness and response. In this role she is active in many cross-sector Councils and working groups, including the governance of the Plant Pass Biosecurity Scheme, a high health standard for New Zealand plant nurseries supporting producers to take a proactive approach to biosecurity and pest and disease management.