About the development office

About the Auckland Grammar School Development Office

The responsibilities of the Auckland Grammar School Development Office are threefold:

1) To raise funds for the Auckland Grammar School Foundation Trust's Academic Endowment Fund, where the School can recruit, retain and reward top master teachers;
2) To organise and manage events for the School, Old Boys and the wider Grammar community; and
3) To establish effective and engaging communications with all Grammar stakeholders (students, staff, parents, Old Boys and the wider community)

Ultimately, the activities undertaken by the Development Office are directed towards the advancement of education at Grammar by charitable means. The top priority is to grow the Academic Endowment Fund (AEF), and in doing so, grow the School's ability to recruit, retain and reward top-performing teachers.

Meet the Development Office team

DANIEL REDDISH

ADVANCEMENT MANAGER

Daniel is the Advancement Manager and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Development Office team. Daniel started at Grammar in 2014, starting in the role of Advancement Officer before progressing to Bequest Manager and then taking on the Advancement Manager role in early 2020. Daniel is the School's lead fundraiser, He is responsible for furthering the Foundation Trust's Academic Endowment Fund to support our talented staff as well as programmes to support our young men through scholarships and hardship support. His current priority is the fundraising efforts for the School's 150th capital project: Te Ara, New Library and Pool. Daniel is a born and raised Wellingtonian and a proud Old Boy of Rongotai College. A passionate rugby man, Daniel has been involved with coaching at Grammar for the past 7 years, coaching the Under 15A, 1st XV and 2nd XV teams. Daniel is also the Assistant Boarding Master at Tibbs House. When not doing something Grammar related, Daniel loves spending time with his five siblings and his 12 nieces and nephews.

Phone: 09 623 5412
Email: d.reddish@ags.school.nz

GEMMA KNIGHTS

EVENTS AND PR MANAGER

Gemma joined the Development Office team in 2020. As the Events and PR Manager, Gemma's role is to coordinate the myriad of events on the School's calendar, including the annual Gala Dinner, the biennial Art House Tour, sports dinners, parent evenings and reunions for our Old Boys. When she isn't in the office, Gemma is very family-orientated, looking after her five kids with husband Richard, who is a Grammar Old Boy himself (class of 1989).

Phone: 09 638 0554
Email: g.knights@ags.school.nz

AMANDA BOOTH

COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER

Amanda started as the Communications Manager in 2015. With a younger brother who is an Old Boy (class of 2003), she is well instilled with the School's traditions and values. Amanda's role consists of updating the various School and community websites, sending out parent emails including the monthly Headmaster's Bulletin, and looking after the School's social media presence, ensuring the wider community is aware of all that are going on. She is a keen photographer, seen at various events and sports games, and is always looking for Old Boys to interview for stories (get in touch!). Previously, Amanda was an Account Manager at an email marketing company and got her start in the social media realm as part of the Multi-Channel team at the Noel Leeming head office. Outside of work, Amanda enjoys reading crime thrillers (Lee Child being her favourite author), watching movies (especially ones she can recite word-for-word) and catching up with friends and family, as well as spending time with husband Justin and her 3-year-old 'little lady', Caitlin-Amelia.

Phone: 09 638 0552
Email: a.booth@ags.school.nz

TAYLA CURRY

DEVELOPMENT OFFICE ADMINISTRATOR AND EVENTS ASSISTANT

Tayla joined the Development Office in 2022 as the Development Office Administrator and Event Assistant. She is also the new Old Boys' Association Secretary. Tayla has recently completed her Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management and Human Resource Management from the University of Otago. An Old Girl of St Cuthbert's College, Tayla has strong ties to the School, through her great-grandfather and Old Boy Cyril Bassett, her mother Sarah is on staff, and brother Boyd (from the class of 2014) played for the 1st XI Football team. Tayla's role consists of providing support to the Development Office in the planning and organisation of School and Foundation Trust events, and providing administrative support for the Old Boys' Association. Outside of work, Tayla enjoys hanging out with friends and family, going on walks through Cornwall Park and reading.

Email: t.curry@ags.school.nz

JUDE DOBSON

AD AUGUSTA EDITOR

Jude loves telling a story and is responsible for the biannual Ad Augusta magazine that is distributed to the School community. Her role is to keep readers abreast of the myriad of goings on at Auckland Grammar and what the extensive Old Boy community is up to. Jude's 20-year background in communication is as a content producer for factual broadcast media. Content ranges from full length documentaries on Aotearoa's part in World War I and the history of the RNZAF, to short form content such as the digital parenting resource supported by the Ministry of Education. Her spare time is limited, but spent with family, good friends and a loveable (but loopy) Weimaraner dog. A mother of three young adults (including Old Boy Jack '12), her father also attended Grammar from 1937-1939, leaving to help look after the family farm with an older brother off to World War II.

Phone: 09 623 5400 ext. 576
Email: j.dobson@ags.school.nz

KIRSTEN DAVIDSON

DATABASE OFFICER

Kirsten joined the Development Office in 2022 as the Database Officer. She is responsible for maintaining contact information for Old Boys and Grammar Community and maximising the use of this. This allows for lifelong connections to the school to be kept and to enhance the Development Office's fundraising priority. A background in Scientific Research, Kirsten loves to have a problem to solve. While Kirsten has no official ties to Grammar, many acquaintances and family friends are Old Boys and Kirsten is happy to wear Blue and Gold in support of the School. When not at work Kirsten is owned by two very hairy fur kids and many overflowing bookshelves.

Phone: 09 623 5400 ext 671
Email: k.davidson@ags.school.nz

PETER STANES '58

ARCHIVIST/HISTORIAN

Peter started at Grammar in 1958 and was a Prefect, a University Entrance Scholar and received the Torch of Tradition in 1962. He then attended the University of Auckland where he received a Bachelor of Science (majoring in Maths and Physics) and a Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, specialising in Mechanical and Aeronautical. Peter started as the Archivist/Historian in 2017 and is responsible for preserving all items the School has in its possession and was instrumental in setting up Recollect, the online archives where people can browse and search for photos, objects, video and audio files, and documents from today right back to the School's official opening in 1869. Peter co-authored "Remembrance - Auckland Grammar School WWI Roll of Honour" with past parent Andrew Connolly, with exquisite detail on every Old Boy who fought in World War I. Outside of work, Peter's interests include historical research, playing tennis and spending time with family, including his three sons who are all Old Boys (Warwick '88, Jeffrey '90 and Richard '94) and his grandchildren.

Phone: 09 623 5400 ext 590
Email: p.stanes@ags.school.nz