NZWP Staff
Based out of our national office in Auckland, the New Zealand Water Polo staff work diligently behind the scenes to keep the sport running efficiently and effectively.
Jan Shearer - Chief Executive
Jan worked for 20 years as a mechanical design engineer including the Dunedin Public Hospital and Auckland Starship, followed by projects in the dairy and food manufacturing industry, and also as a design consultant for Beca Engineering.
Alongside her engineering work, Jan enjoyed a career as an athlete in yachting. She represented New Zealand at 3 Olympic Games in the 470 Class, winning a Silver Medal in 1992 and gaining a World Match Racing title, along with multiple national and international podium finishes. Jan brought up her two children while working and competing, the family then moved overseas for 5+ years, based mostly in Europe due to her husband competing in multiple America’s Cups. Her daughter represented NZ at the 2016 Olympic Games finishing 4th.
On return to New Zealand in 2010 Jan took up sports administration. Firstly joining Tennis NZ as a Board member (2011 – 2014) and High Performance Advisor, then working for 5 years as their Head of Performance (2012 – 2017). Jan then spent 3 years as CEO for Snow Sports NZ (2017 - 2020), she also has commentated for TVNZ and Team NZ VIP’s during multiple Americas Cups.
She joined New Zealand Water Polo in 2021 and is Board Chair of Canoe Racing NZ (2017 – present). Her current interests include skiing, hiking, golf and following sports.
Pamela Scheirlinck - Finance Manager
Polly Powrie - High Performance Manager
Polly’s has worked for Canoe Racing NZ where she was Operations Manager and Team Manager during the Tokyo Olympics.
Polly played water polo at secondary school and went on to become an Olympic sailor winning a gold (2012) and silver (2016) medal.
Polly has a passion for performance and an eye for detail.
On a personal level, Polly has two young daughters and enjoys participating in water sports whenever she can.
Polly will be supported in her leadership role through the HPSNZ Residency Programme.
Blake Taylor - National Competitions Manager
National League, Premier League & Masters
Blake has worked in Event Management for 15 years including working 7 years at Tennis NZ and running events from first-time experiences to international professional tournaments. He recently worked at a country-club style club in Melbourne while still running events, and upon returning to NZ, will also be working again with the ASB Classic Tennis in January as their Volunteer Manager and Event Coordinator.
Blake has an in-depth understanding of event delivery and has a holistic overview approach when it comes to building event schedules/calendars, considering training loads and other factors that impact athletes.
Blake joins NZWP on a part time contract working on various projects and events.
Eelco Uri - Sports Director
Henry Whitfield - Competitions Manager
Henry has spent the past 4 years working in the sport industry after finishing his Bachelor of Sport Management at the University of Otago in 2019. He has experience in roles as a Sport Coordinator at Takapuna Grammar School, a Development Officer at Touch NZ, and most recently spent the past two years as an Operations Officer at New Zealand Rugby League. During his time at New Zealand Rugby League, Henry gained experience leading nationally televised semi-professional rugby league fixtures, managing touring teams in Australia & the Solomon Islands as well as leading large-scale national age group events.
Henry’s experience across multiple roles and sports gives him a holistic approach when it comes to sport events. He is excited to join the team at NZWP and use his expertise to create the best aquatic sport events in New Zealand.
On a personal level, Henry’s passions include any sport with an oval ball, community development, and environmental sustainability.
Jhanna Savov - Competitions Manager
Jhanna brings a wealth of experience in sports development and event management to the NZ Water Polo team. She has been actively involved in sports since a young age, starting with tennis, where she served as a junior coach and club captain.
More recently, Jhanna was the Development Officer at Mount Albert Bowling Club, significantly increasing club participation and managing club championships and social leagues. She played a crucial role in engaging local schools, fostering community engagement, and nurturing new talent. She continues to compete in bowls tournaments and contributes to aiding the growth of the club on a volunteer basis.
Growing up, Jhanna was immersed in the world of water polo, watching her dad play at national and club level from an early age. She is excited about bringing her passion for sports to the competitions and events at NZ Water Polo.
Tanisha Keach - Digital & Marketing Manager
Tanisha has more than five years experience in the digital marketing space, including leading a variety of different marketing projects across New Zealand in the not-for-profit and sporting sectors. She comes from a strong aquatics background, having worked with Swimming Otago for the past seven years as their Digital Marketing Coordinator, swimming competitively for almost ten years, and playing social water polo throughout her secondary school years. Tanisha graduated from University of Otago with a Bachelor of Commerce in Marketing Management & International Business in 2020, and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Commerce (Marketing) which she finished in 2023.
Tanisha is passionate about using social media and digital platforms as a vessel for community engagement, and is excited to bring her skillset to NZWP and elevate the organisation's digital presence.
Tanisha joins NZWP in a shared full time position with Swimming NZ, spending two days per week with NZWP.
Helena Gasson - Performance Assistant
Helena has a passion for high performance and aquatic sports. After swimming competitively for over 20 years and achieving her dream of representing New Zealand at the Olympic Games, Helena has stepped into the work force to belong to the high performance community in a different role.
Helena is incredibly competitive and is excited to use her athletic knowledge to help drive New Zealand Water Polo forward.