Staff

Gwyn Thurlow is based in Wellington and has led the New Zealand Deerstalkers Association as CEO and in-house General Counsel since 2020. Over the past five years, he has transformed NZDA into a modern, professional, and growing recreational hunting and shooting organisation, while staying grounded in the values of volunteerism and heritage that define the hunting community. Gwyn is a long-standing member of the Wellington Branch, where he has served as Treasurer, and continues to contribute to the NZDA National Heritage Trust as Vice-Chair and Treasurer, and serves on the HUNTS Trust as Secretary. A passionate alpine hunter, he particularly enjoys pursuing tahr and chamois in New Zealand’s Southern Alps.

Hugh Devereux-Mack joined NZDA in September 2023. With more than a decade of operations and marketing experience in relevant industries such as sports marketing, membership organizations, and cyber security. Hugh brings a range of skills and passion to help develop and preserve NZDA for future generations. Although new to NZDA, Hugh has been a prominent figure in the firearm community for a number of years as the Spokesperson for COLFO and this appointment further strengthens the existing relationship between both organizations.

Courtney Hickton is based in Auckland. Courtney is a passionate hunter and a driving force behind NZDA’s communications. She leads our social media presence and creates impactful marketing material that brings our message to life. Courtney works closely with Gwyn and Hugh to produce the monthly newsletter and share timely advocacy alerts with members. A regular presence at promotional events and in the field, she captures what it truly means to be a NZDA member—behind the lens, in the hills, and in our marketing.

Alexandra Hudson is our National Membership Manager. Alex helps branches with membership enquiries and approving new members.

She's a keen hunter who has been involved with the NZDA for 7 years assisting with the Waikato Branch on committee and recently with the back-groundwork for the local branch Hunts Course. Recently moving from the Waikato to Wellington ready to take on a new challenge within the NZDA.

Paddy Curtin is our HUNTS Assessor, his role involves getting more branches involved in the HUNTS programme and signing off instructors to run courses.

Paddy's passion for HUNTS and the NZDA began in 1998 as a 15-year old course participant with the Waikato branch. He then became involved with the branch committee in 2008 and their HUNTS team the following year. Paddy has also been a Firearm Safety Instructor and President of the Waikato Branch. 

Pippa Ford joined NZDA in May 2024 as a Membership Assistant. She works alongside Alex and the wider team to support and manage our growing membership. Since joining NZDA, she has developed a keen interest in firearms legislation and conservation law. Growing up in Kaikōura instilled a strong connection to rural communities. She relocated to Wellington to pursue a double degree in Law and Management at Victoria University.

Lenny Macdiarmid is the newest member of the NZDA staff, joining in August 2025 to support membership. He is studying law at Victoria University, but originally moved south from Auckland, where he gained excellent customer service skills and outdoor experience before relocating to Wellington to pursue environmental law. He has a passion for the outdoors and wants to help members with their daily issues, but also support advocacy work.