Department of Internal Affairs

Frédérique leads the Natural and Built Environments team at the Department of Internal Affairs, where since 2021 she has been involved in everything from resource management reform, to community resilience to natural hazards, climate adaptation – and more recently, how to improve infrastructure funding systems for councils as part of the Government’s Going for Housing Growth programme.

With 14 years of experience in policy, half of those in leadership roles, Frédérique is a self-confessed policy nerd with a strong interest in operational implementation. She really enjoys collaborative policy development, both in co-design with stakeholders and leading cross-agency teams. Her career has taken her from the design of the uniquely innovative Global Impact Visa, to countering violent extremism online in response to the March 2019 Christchurch Terror Attacks.

Frédérique moved to New Zealand from Montréal, Canada, to complete a Master of Laws at Canterbury University. She is proud to have started her public service career in front line roles in Ōtautahi/Christchurch before making the move to Wellington. She now calls Te Awa Kairangi/Lower Hutt home, where she lives in the hills above Naenae with her partner, two kids and elderly cat.