Coreen Taane-Vavia

CONTRACTS ADMINISTRATOR

Why do you come to work?

I come to work because I love supporting others and knowing that I am making a difference in their lives. I enjoy project work and collaborating with others.

What do you love most about your job?

I get to hang with great people and a great work culture.

What do you do outside of work?

Outside of work, my husband and I do a lot of DIY creations, BBQ smoker cooking, bike riding, golf, relaxing in the spa, going on campervan adventures, studying Te Reo Māori and spending time with Whānau. I enjoy painting and doing creative projects but lack the time to put any great effort in.

What are some things you are proud of?

Our beautiful whānau.

I would like to thank Karen and the team at Graymatter, for and outstanding job delivering the new roundabout at Hanlin Road. The project was very high profile, as it was outside the National Velodrome and St Peter’s School in Cambridge. Graymatter were involved from the beginning with project planning, and other activities needed to get funding approval. Graymatter led project and stakeholder workshops, and completed a comprehensive business case for the works. Graymatter also led investigations and completed the design work and contract documentation, and well as project supervision, and MSQA. Throughout the process the Graymatter team acted professionally and ensured tough questions were not avoided, and overall our stakeholders and partners enjoyed the positive collaborative honest and friendly approach taken. The end result is one the community is proud of, and looking at the project I can see many areas, where the inputs led by Karen and the team made a difference and ensured that value was added. Additional cyclepaths and bus access was able to be incorporated into the design. Karen also managed to keep all the parties working towards common agreed goals. The construction also was disrupted by COVID shutdown and Karen kept the project construction moving forward, and ensured that the all parties managed their own risks positively and colaboratively.   I would have no hesitation in recommending the Graymatter team for other works.
Paul Strange Asset Management team leader-Transportation
WAIPA DISTRICT COUNCIL