Yanika is our Biosecurity Advisor and she joined KVH in September 2021 as maternity leave cover for Erin Lane, and her role is primarily focused on scanning offshore for new and emerging risks and identifying actions to be undertaken in partnership with other stakeholders so that we are prepared should these threats arrive on our shores.

Yanika comes to KVH from the University of Waikato where she held the role of Biosecurity Technical Officer. She has a passion for native species and the preservation of our unique biodiversity. Yanika is a qualified Marine Ecologist and was a finalist for the Emerging Leader Award at the New Zealand Biosecurity Awards 2020. She was nominated by The University of Waikato and the Tauranga Moana Biosecurity Capital (TMBC) programme, of which KVH is a key member.