Matt Nicholson
Intern Consultant
Matt joined AbacusBio in 2021 after finishing a commerce degree in finance, accounting, and economics from the University of Otago.
Originally from Mt Maunganui, he is passionate about learning the overall workings of a business and how various elements can come together to improve performance. He brings to us his great energy, zest, and an agile mindset.
At AbacusBio, he is assessing a framework alongside other tools for supporting and simplifying decisions and guidelines around AbacusBio’s investments in future projects.
Tane Purcell
Intern
Tane Purcell grew up in Whakatane and descends from Whakatōhea and Ngāi Tai. He attended Saint Joseph's Opotiki before moving to Whakatane where he attended Whakatane Saint Josephs and Whakatane High Schools. Tane is currently in his third year of university, studying forestry engineering at the University of Canterbury.
He believes the study and maintenance of native and plantation forests are vital for today’s world, and has invested his study around bio forestry projects that will help create large opportunities for MaÌ„ori landowners and workers.
Cherokee Walters
Intern Consultant
Cherokee Walters is a full-time consultant at AbacusBio and is of Ngāti Tūwharetoa and Ngāti Te Arawa descent. Cherokee very strongly upholds Te Ao Māori, Vision Mātauranga and Te Tiriti o Waitangi values in both her personal and professional capacities.
At AbacusBio, Cherokee is currently involved with the FutureBees NZ project and a few pipeline projects. Briefly, she investigates and critiques literature relating to novel ideas and linking them to commercial opportunities based on sound scientific evidence.
Along with her strong critical analysis skills, her biochemistry background at university has also helped her in being able to delve into molecular mechanisms behind human, plant and animal research and find endpoints for driving future project directions
