Our Team

What Makes Us Special

At NLA our team of business support specialists and Chartered Accountants are committed to helping our clients grow and succeed.
Each of our team has a unique background and this diverse skillset brings experience and expertise.

Leading by example

Michael Lawrence

Director BBS (Accounting), FCA

Dairy farming specialist and casual golfer Michael has been with NLA for over 20 years. Living in a rural community Michael understands the challenges his clients face and with over 40 years as a Chartered Accountant he has many years of experience to draw from. A keen rugby and cricket supporter Michael genuinely enjoys working with people and their businesses to help them achieve their goals.

Linda Gray

Director BBS (Accounting), FCA, FCIS, FGNZ, IIANZ

Growing up in a family business and now having businesses of her own, Linda understands every facet of business ownership. Having been with NLA from the beginning Linda has a wealth of knowledge to draw from to help her clients achieve the best results for their business. Linda enjoys helping people succeed and believes that creating strong relationships is a key component. A busy mum and dance teacher Linda is passionate about performing arts, loves to travel, garden and read - when time permits!

Nathan Hopcroft

Director BBS (Accounting), CA

Keeping fit and active allows Nathan to be both focused at work and keep up with his young family. With 20 years in the game Nathan has a strong interest in strategy and governance and enjoys having the opportunity to work with clients across a variety of businesses. Nathan is born and bred in Palmerston North and is proud to be on the board of Sport Manawatu.

Melanie Strydom

Director BCompt (Hons) (Accounting Sciences), CA

Never one to sit idle, Melanie is as active as she is committed to helping her clients grow their business.
With a diverse range of interests from sea fishing and yoga, to alpacas and Karaoke this busy lady has a great mind for solving problems with a solid understanding of processes and systems. Melanie also has a strong grasp of the latest software and technology available to clients. Not one to accept the status quo, Melanie is dedicated to ensuring her clients achieve better results.

Erin Barnes

Associate

When Erin isn't chasing the kids around the farm or catching up with friends, you might find her nose in a really good book - if time allows! Erin has been with NLA since 2010, and is qualified as a Chartered Accountant. Having the right qualifications and relevant life skills really make a difference in being able to help her clients. Living the farming lifestyle with her family Erin understands the challenges and opportunities in the agricultural and farming industry financially, mentally and physically.

Tessa Lochead

Associate

Solving problems is one of the reasons Tessa chose to be an accountant, that and the fact she genuinely enjoys helping people. Having started with NLA in 2016 Tessa says that seeing her clients achieve their goals is a very satisfying part of the job. Tessa enjoys being able to support clients using technology to fit their needs, to assist them in understanding their business and to make the decisions so they can sleep at night. Summer is Tessa's favourite season, and she looks forward to filling it with travel, gardening and walking her dog.

Senior Manager

Vivienne Hognason

Accountant

Are you interested in joining our Team?

At NLA our mission is to get clients from where they are to where they want to be, by providing them with knowledge, support & expertise, so they can reach their full potential.

We are always looking for great people who are passionate about delivering great service & exceeding expectations. If you get excited by working alongside clients to help them understand their numbers & grow their business – get in touch.

Email Sharon

Phone Sharon