Te Awamutu Citizens Advice Bureau manager Jessica Brown.
When we cast the net to find our person of the year, the name Jess Brown consistently popped up, reports Jesse Wood.
Te Awamutu Citizens Advice Bureau manager Jessica Brown is the 2025 Te Awamutu Person of the Year. Photo: Jesse Wood
Jessica “Jess” Brown has been serving Te Awamutu for 14 years through the Citizens Advice Bureau.
The News has received many positive comments about the CAB manager’s work and commitment from multiple sources.
“It’ll be 14 years next month. My son was three. I saw this role advertised and it was school hours at the time. Only three days a week and that fitted in perfectly,” Jess said.
“I hadn’t been working for a couple of years. I had resigned from my role at Inland Revenue because it wasn’t my scene.
“This is where I’ve stayed ever since. I love working with the volunteers and community here.”
Te Awamutu News 18 December 2025
Jess said the role is rewarding and makes a difference in people’s lives.
“We have an awesome team. Our team has just gone from strength to strength over the years.
“We, and I, are extremely lucky to have the people that we have. That’s what makes us work so well.
“People do say they find I’m easy to talk to. I’m happy to do the groundwork if needs be. If someone’s sick, I’ll jump in and I’m not worried about what type of work it is. I’ll get down and do anything. If they’ve got to do it, so do I.
“I get a lot of feedback that my management style is quite unique and very people orientated.”
The CAB has many offshoots including bookings for the Kihikihi Town Hall and domain, money management classes at Waikeria and IT classes but their main call of business is helping those who ring in or walk in.
From keeping rooves over people’s heads to helping them get their vacuum cleaner fixed, find a job or learn how to use a smartphone, the CAB team does it all.
Jess is also a Justice of the Peace, an active member of the Te Awamutu JP Association and the South Waikato JP representative on the Waikato JP Association.
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Jan Cullen (from left), Jessica Brown and Wybe de Jong at the Te Awamutu Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB). Photo: Jesse Wood
“We have a JP clinic three mornings a week. I think we’re one of the busiest CAB’s around,” Jess said.
“We are here for anyone and everyone, for just about anything.
“We’re here to offer help, support and navigate processes to make sure people don’t suffer for not knowing what their rights and responsibilities are.
“Not only do we tell people what their rights are but we also educate them on what their responsibilities are.”
Several generations ago, Jess’ family moved to Ngaroma.
Her grandparents have lived in the area their entire lives, and her mum married a dairy farmer.
“We travelled around the country from job to job and settled in Whakatāne,” Jess said. “My mum and dad moved back to be closer to my grandparents about 20 years ago.
“When my son was born, I didn’t really have any family there. So, I decided to move back and got the job at Inland Revenue.”
Jess has lived in Ōtorohanga and now Hamilton but still chooses Te Awamutu every day.
“I travel because I still consider Te Awamutu my home and the community that I have a passion for,” Jess said.
“We rely on volunteers from our community to help keep us going. If we don’t have volunteers, we can’t open our doors.
“We’re not government funded, so we rely on funding or grants and community groups such as Altrusa, Lions, Rotary and even clients who leave us donations, to keep us going.
“Te Awamutu is the community that my heart belongs to. I am extremely grateful for this community.”
Te Awamutu Citizens Advice Bureau manager Jessica Brown. Photo: Jesse Wood
