Taupō District Council general manager named Future Director of LGFA

In her position as the council’s general manager organisation performance, Mrs Matthews oversees the finance, legal and governance, digital, property and business excellence teams. Her previous local government experience includes roles as executive manager of finance and strategy at Ruapehu District Council and finance manager at Waipā District Council. She is also a chartered accountant and a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.

The LGFA Future Directors programme provides an opportunity for a council employee to gain first-hand governance experience by observing and participating in LGFA board discussions over an 18-month period.

Mrs Matthews will begin her appointment on 1 January 2024 and LGFA chair Craig Stobo said the board was pleased to appoint her.

“Sarah’s background across local government and the finance profession will bring relevant experience to our board meetings – and I hope she will enjoy the opportunity to sit on the board of an innovative organisation that is delivering significant value to our council stakeholders.”

Mrs Matthews says she’s looking forward to broadening her governance experience and learning from the LGFA board.

“Since its establishment, LGFA has produced incredible outcomes for local government and the communities that we serve. I’m extremely excited about helping support the local government sector through the current challenging environment and I’m honoured to have been chosen for this opportunity.”