Geoff Simmons
Geoff is a trainer, writer and economist.
He has been active in both corporate and public sector training for the last ten years. He has led corporate training sessions in presentation skills, creative thinking and developing harmony with teams. Geoff has trained members of the public in improvisation, one of the most challenging of all the dramatic arts. His teaching style is focussed on helping people gently overcome what is stopping them leading the life they want to live.
An accomplished improv performer himself, Geoff has performed on stages in North America, the UK and in New Zealand. He is a member of The Improv Bandits, and Co-Creative Director of Wellington Improv Troupe. Geoff draws on his performance background to make all his training sessions energetic, fun and engaging.
Geoff spent four years working as a Senior Analyst in the New Zealand Treasury, two years as an Economic Adviser in the UK Home Office and three years managing a team as Enterprise Policy Team Manager in the UK's East Midlands Development Agency. This experience allows him to understand and address the issues confronting high performing teams. More recently he has co-authored a book on the New Zealand Health Sector with Gareth Morgan.
Geoff is above all a highly trained communicator, who is an expert in getting complex ideas across in simple ways. This approach is perfectly suited to the JOLT Challenge philosophy.
Annie Whitley
Annie is a consultant with over sixteen years developing capability in individuals and teams in Tertiary Education, Media, Financial Services and Retail in NZ and the UK. Annie’s clients include Corporate, Small Business and Not-For-Profit organisations where she has gained many years experience designing and facilitating Leadership and Management programmes. She currently delivers a number of workshops including Resilience, Change Management, Team Building, and Leadership Transition Programmes.
She is accredited in various tools including Myers Briggs Personality Type and Belbin team roles and has completed an Advanced Professional Diploma in Managing Organisational Learning & Development in the UK. She is currently studying towards a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology.
The study of Leadership and Personal Effectiveness is a real passion of Annie’s. She thrives on the opportunity to help people realise their potential and enjoys creating a positive and engaging learning environment.
Annie shares a love of performing with her husband Dave and boys Adison and Jordan. She has completed the Art of Improvisation workshops with the Covert Theatre and looks forward to continuing to challenge herself in performing.
She loves getting involved in supporting Leadership development in the community. Annie manages the RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Award) programme for 18-25yr olds with Rotary in Auckland, is a Project K mentor and likes to get involved in local community groups that help grow future leaders like Scouting, Schools etc.
In the winter months when many search for time in the sun, Annie is heading for the mountains with her family to get her dose of skiing. Her upbringing in the south and formative years in Queenstown have created an addiction to the mountains of the Southern Lakes District in particular!
Sandie Hunt
Sandie is a Performance Consultant and leadership coach. The multi industry exposure she’s enjoyed throughout a business background in advertising, media and sales means she identifies easily with quite diverse industries. A well rounded leader with strong sales management expertise and led high performing sales teams for twelve years. With an ongoing passion for developing people towards achieving their potential both within their organisation and personally, Sandie has a particular interest in the psychology of success, and how habitual patterns of thinking impact everything we do.
Personally committed to her on-going learning and personal development, since leaving the corporate environment Sandie has achieved Associate Credentialed Coach (ACC) status with the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and formally trained as a facilitator and trainer. The Jolt Challenge programme fits completely with her philosophy of the critical importance of self leadership and awareness required to adapt in a constantly shifting business and global environment.
Outside of work, she’s involved with the YWCA Future Leaders mentor programme, is a keen sailor and is regularly out enjoying cruising in the Hauraki Gulf.