Carole was born and raised in Otepoti Dunedin, attending the University of Otago after finishing high school. Having obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree, Carole started her professional life working as a graduate for Lawrence Anderson Buddle and after more than 35 years in what is essentially the same firm with different names, is now a partner with Polson Higgs.
Carole was recently recognised for her contribution to the community by the professional accounting body CAANZ, being awarded a Fellow Chartered Accountant. Carole’s governance career started with being elected to her son’s high school board of trustees and since then has had a number of voluntary positions in the community. From this experience, she has seen first-hand the real need in the Not for Profit sector for funding bodies such as the Otago Community Trust and the positive impact that funding can make.
As an accountant and business advisor, Carole is committed to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency and accountability. She works with a range of businesses that are diverse in size, and in a variety of industries and sectors. She recognises the significance of responsible stewardship in managing resources and providing strategic direction to organisations and is honoured to be a trustee for the Otago Community Trust.