Nicola Bryant is DWN Regional Leader of the Year

The award was announced at the ‘Evening of Celebration with Wendy Petrie’ in Southland earlier this week.

Bryant beat out stiff competition from the two other finalists: Kelly Bavin and Melissa Munik.

DWN chief executive and judge Jules Benton says it was an extremely hard decision to choose the 2022 DWN Regional Leader of the Year.

“For the judges, it came down to the fact that Nicola really epitomises the Dairy Women’s Network values and culture,” Benton says.

Bryant is described as a force for DWN in Taranaki with incredibly community connections.

“She makes sure that DWN is at the forefront of everyone’s minds, shining that big pink DWN symbol everywhere,” Benton says.

Bryant has lived in several rural communities and says she knows what it feels like to be isolated. It is important to her that others don’t feel the same way, so she has become a welcoming and smiley face for new people to her area.

The judges found Bryant to be highly inclusive, connecting with a large range of community groups and activities, such as the Te Kiri Women connect group, arranging Burger Nights, being a PTA Committee member and a Trustee of the Rural Razzle Trust.

Her passion for helping kids extends to helping form the Auroa Agri-Kids organisation and she has also been a mentor for PrimaryITO for seven years.

“It’s very rewarding seeing connections and friendships formed from those that sometimes most need it,” Bryant says.

“I like to include everyone, so they feel a sense of belonging. I am a firm believer that you always get back what you put in and am passionate about the dairy industry,” she says.