Patrick Cummuskey

Background

About Patrick Cummuskey

In my professional career I operate as a strategist and networker who seeks to identify and advance development opportunities for the organisations of which I am a part of, as well as managing and solving crisis situations when such arise. I’m currently applying these abilities in my emergency management role with MBIE, after having developed them over the years in my former role at Auckland Council with Building Control and Civil Defence, and in my ongoing secondary roles within St John Ambulance, and the NZ Labour Party. During this time I've served as a manager and people leader in charge of teams ranging from a handful to over a hundred, for which I have drawn upon the same skills to ensure operational objectives are achieved hand-in-hand with logistical and welfare considerations. I draw extensively on my broad background of knowledge, both academic and self-taught, ranging from engineering geology and social psychology, to ancient histories and 3D computer modelling. This foundation of knowledge allows me to routinely identify issues that single-discipline professionals fail to consider, as well as helping me to collaborate more productively with specialists across a wide range of fields.The networks that we build and the relationships we develop with our colleagues are just as important to me as the technical aspects of our work. Knowing who the right person is to contact when a particular challenge arises can mean the difference between success and failure, and I invest a lot of effort in establishing such relationships in ways that I always hope can be of mutual benefit. I’m definitely an idealist, and my hope for the future is that in strengthening our networks and recognising our collective talent that we will be able to overcome many of the social, environmental and technical challenges facing the world at present (and any new ones that arise), and it is my intention to do everything I can to help realise that.