I’d always voted Green, but it was after moving to London that I gained a global perspective on my home country’s challenges.

With tens of thousands of Kiwis living in Britain, the expat vote was an open goal. I took on a leadership role in the campaign team, and helped develop a lively online and offline presence. Events and tactical creative like online Māori language lessons (with a London twist) kept things active outside election years.

Then while back in NZ over 2016-2017, I got involved in the domestic side; joining the Fundraising & Marketing committee, and nurturing ties with the official marketing team. So when I returned to the UK in July 2017 I was in a really well connected position to curate all the creative elements leading up to September’s general election – helping make it the biggest, most cohesive, and most global expat campaign to date.

Like so many aspects of my professional life, the work was a mix of hands-on (everything from merchandise design to filmmaking) and more consultative creative direction and leadership, though I also had plenty of good lessons in social media and digital.

It’s hard to measure the effect of work like this with complete accuracy. But I take pride firstly in the 150,000 views of our how-to video Vote from Anywhere.

Secondly, and most importantly, I'm proud to have contributed to bringing an extra Green MP into Parliament in the 2017 election.

The change in percentages from overseas votes also turned the tide of coalition talks, resulting in a change of government, with the Greens in Parliament, in their strongest position ever.