Diana Koorts – Senior Consultant

Diana joined the ECCC New Plymouth team in August 2003. Having lived in Taranaki since 1993, she has a keen interest in the local economy and community. She has assisted both large and smaller employers in a diverse range of industries, including private and public health, retail, local government, manufacturing, education and not-for profit organisations based across the Taranaki region.

Primarily, Diana's responsibilities have centred on the following:

• Daily advice and assistance to ECCC clients on all aspects of HR, from drafting of Job Descriptions to HR Audits, Recruitment and Selection, Performance Appraisals, Induction, Remuneration as well as HR Employee Handbook/Policy Manual development.
• Extensive work in helping our clients with reviewing and drafting their employment agreements, running disciplinary processes and leading disciplinary meetings and mediations.
• Advising and assisting employers on a wide range of employment relations issues, particularly on performance management, restructuring and redundancy processes and strategies.
• Carrying out in-depth investigations on behalf of our ECCC Clients.

Diana has also worked on long-term secondments from time to time for ECCC at two of Taranaki's prominent organisations in their Human Resources Departments - providing assistance to management on all HR and ER related matters such as a major company restructure, collective bargaining, developing/updating policy manuals, pandemic planning etc.

Prior to joining ECCC, Diana worked in Human Resources in construction and engineering consulting organisations, as well as enjoying a stint in the Real Estate industry.

Diana holds a tertiary qualification in Personnel Management and completed the Massey University paper on Employment Relations Management in 2006.

Kristy Elstone – Senior Consultant

Kristy joined ECCC in July 2008 and brought with her a wide variety of experiences. This included completing her Bachelor of Business Studies (majoring in Business Law) during her seven years with the Royal New Zealand Air Force and several years in an administrative and HR role at a regional sports trust. She has recently completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Business & Administration (majoring in Human Resource Management) through Massey University.

Kristy enjoys being able to provide valuable and practical guidance to local members by helping them put in place robust HR systems and processes. With previous payroll experience, she has an excellent practical understanding of holiday and parental leave legislation. Kristy is also a keen trainer, and has run several half-day seminars on employment matters. Her particular areas of interest include recruitment and selection, induction, performance management and dispute resolution, including representing employers at mediation.

Kristy is currently completing her Masters of Management (HRM) and is researching the effect of the 1st April 2011 legislation changes on small and medium sized employers.

Melanee MacPhee – Senior Consultant

Mel initially joined ECCC in 2005 as a consultant in the Employment Relations team after working in HR roles at the NZ Defence Force and the NZ Fire Service, and prior to that in the travel industry. After leaving in September 2008 for a period of maternity leave and then working as HR Manager for an international healthcare organisation, Mel returned to ECCC in August 2010 as a consultant in the Human Resources team.

As an HR generalist, Mel has experience in a wide range of Human Resource Management areas including recruitment & selection, remuneration, performance management, disciplinary investigations, personal grievances, policy development, organisational culture, restructuring and agreement negotiation.

Mel has a Bachelor of Commerce & Administration majoring in Human Resource Management and a Bachelor of Science majoring in Psychology from Victoria University.

Debbie Yates – Consultant

Debbie Joined ECCC in April 2011 as an HR Consultant, after spending some time working as an independent consultant on HR and management issues. Debbie has previously held HR and management roles in the Health and Education sectors., and has had over 20 years experience in the not-for profit sector.

Debbie is particularly interested in managing conflict though facilitation: mediation and restorative processes. She is also interested in recruitment and induction and positive performance management, and sees the value in getting that fence at the top of the hill well secured, rather than having to provide an ambulance at the bottom of the same hill! However, she does offer a range of other services including assistance with Culture Survey’s; Succession planning; assistance with “Difficult Conversations”: development of policies and procedures; employee handbooks and exit interviews.

Debbie works as a trainer for ECCC, providing management and “soft skill” training.

Debbie has a BA in Politics and  Teaching Diploma and is about to complete a Business Diploma in Alternative Dispute Resolution.