Shelli Mears
Regional Leader Support Manager
Married to Steve with three adult children, Robert, Matthew and Katie, Shelli lives on a mini dairy farm in Palmerston, Otago where the couple are milking 40 cows in a split calving OAD system, and selling raw milk in glass bottles to eager customers throughout Otago.
In her DWN role, Shelli supports and encourages volunteer Regional Leaders, saying she really enjoys getting to know the Regional Leaders and making connections with them as she gets to know more about them and their journey.
“Making connections is my thing,” she says. “And through my work at Dairy Women’s Network I have been able to connect with fascinating people throughout New Zealand. I enjoy working with people who have a passion for our industry.”
Shelli’s family show pedigree Friesians and Jerseys and really enjoy the social aspect it includes. Their new home has a massive garden which needs a lot of work, but luckily Shelli enjoys gardening along with reading historical fiction but says her reading now is mostly listening to audiobooks while she works around the farm or while driving.
A favourite quote of Shelli’s she says can be attributed to Philip Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield in a 1746 letter to his son; ‘If a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well.’
