The Executive Committee
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We are a group of Vets practising in Aotearoa. We come from different disciplines and between us have held many roles in the industry.
We came across each other through a shared belief that working together for the betterment of all, could help to alleviate some of the difficulties that many of us have experienced in our roles.
Once the Union had been officially certified on the 28th August 2025, an email was sent out to all individuals who had registered an interest, inviting them to join. Those that joined were then invited to put themselves forward to be on the Executive Committee. Four of the founding members volunteered and from them a President and Vice President were elected; stay tuned for introductions!
Simon Clark BVSc MVM
President | Founding member
Simon Clark is a companion animal veterinarian with a special interest in cruciate surgery and dermatology. He graduated from Massey University with a BVSc in 2002 and an MVM in 2014.
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Raised with socialist values, Simon has always believed in the power of collective action. He sees unions as an essential part of the labour movement and is committed to building a fairer veterinary profession where every worker is safe, respected, and properly paid. His advocacy centres on mental health, sustainable workloads, and fair remuneration for all veterinary staff.
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Simon also coordinates the annual Veterinary Demographics and Remuneration Survey (nzvetincomesurvey.com), gathering evidence to shine a light on the realities of veterinary work in Aotearoa.
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He lives in Kirikiriroa with his partner, four cats, and a flourishing collection of succulents.
Grace Boardman BVSc MRCVS
Vice President | Founding Member
Grace is a production animal vet who graduated from Bristol University in 2014. She subsequently worked with wildlife in South Africa, held mixed roles in the UK and finally settled in New Zealand, where she combines clinical work with the development of drench resistance technology. She also works as a Veterinary Sustainability Consultant and an IIV.
Grace’s interest in unionisation came about after she realised that the problems facing the profession have been prevalent for decades; understaffing, burnout and the toll they take on mental health are well documented. Current measures have not been able to rectify these issues, generally focussing on pulling struggling vets out of the river, rather than looking upstream to work out why the profession is falling in.
Grace believes that in order to tackle issues directly involving us, vets need to have a seat at the table and a collective voice.
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She lives in Marlborough with her fiancé and a cat called Mushroom.
