Tracy Brown was elected to the DairyNZ board in 2019 and became the first female chair in 2024.
Tracy Brown was elected to the DairyNZ board in 2019 and became the first female chair in 2024.
To mark International Women’s Day today, DairyNZ celebrates three women across the organisation by sharing their career journeys.
DairyNZ chair Tracy Brown has seen a lot of change since she started in the dairy sector – including the rise of women, who now make up around one‑third of dairy farmers.
A Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours graduate, Brown started her career in the sheep and beef sector.
She switched to dairying when her husband, Wynn, converted their Waikato farm “Tiroroa” 30 years ago.
Brown spent 10 years in community leadership before beginning her sector‑leadership journey in 2010.
After raising four children, she returned to the workforce when the couple won the 2010 Waikato Farm Environment Awards, and she was asked to be the regional co-ordinator.
Her first experience with governance was when she chaired the Matamata Kids Toy Library.
She then joined the Matamata Intermediate School board for six years, including three years as chair, and the Dairy Women’s Network board.
Brown was elected to the DairyNZ Board in 2019 and became the first female chair in 2024.
She said female representation had come a long way, as the sector evolved and reflected the diversity of the modern world.
“It’s great to see young women come into the industry and be really clear on their ‘why’ and passionate about making a difference.
“They are well connected and well supported; quite different from when I started out.”
DairyNZ's Upper South Island regional manager, Anna Fodie.
Upper South Island regional manager Anna Fodie said she wanted to show her daughters that women can lead and thrive in the dairy sector.
She has been a low-order sharemilker and contract milker for more than 12 years.
Before joining DairyNZ in 2020, she worked with Primary ITO and AsureQuality as part of the Mycoplasma bovis response.
As regional manager, Fodie leads a team that works alongside farmers in the Upper South Island to help them better manage their farms and farm systems.
“In this job, you get a chance to talk to farmers directly, and it’s great seeing the progression of people through dairying,” she said.
“It’s important to me personally as well – I want my two daughters to see great female role models in the sector.”
DairyNZ scientist Stacey Hendriks has had a diverse career after beginning her science journey more than 10 years ago.
She has completed her Master’s and PhD and worked as a researcher in New Zealand and Ireland before joining the science team at DairyNZ in 2023.
Her research has focused on using large datasets to develop practical solutions that support farmers in improving the management, detection, and treatment of health issues in dairy cows, while also strengthening the understanding of dairy cow behaviour and welfare.
“As a younger female scientist, I’ve had to learn to trust my abilities and expertise in rooms where leadership isn’t always attributed to someone of my age and gender,” she said.
“The way I lead aligns with my values – I actively create space for diverse perspectives and approach situations with empathy and curiosity.”
She said leadership showed up in different ways, such as making sure all types of voices are heard, doing things differently, and not being afraid to challenge the status quo.
