Our Board
Justine Auton, President (NZ)
Justine lives in Wellington, New Zealand and works in a senior management role in a government agency. She has a Masters degree in Public Management from Victoria University, Wellington and is committed to life long learning.
Justine became interested in Cambodia through wider travel experiences in Asia. An experience with bad water in Siem Reap had her resolve to try to do something positive to help. This lead to Justine volunteering at Trailblazer for the first time in 2017, and she’s doing it again in October this year.
In addition to enjoying the voluntary work itself, Justine is interested in learning more about community development in Cambodia, and how organisations like Trailblazers are making a practical and positive difference.
Justine sees the opportunity to join the Board of Trailblazers is a fantastic opportunity to learn more and it provides the in-country challenge of spreading the word about Trailblazer in New Zealand.
Justine has an adult son who currently lives in Australia. She loves fitness activities, travel, DIY projects and movies.
Nick Munro, Vice-President (USA)
Nick is a native Texan who currently resides in San Francisco, California with his amazing wife Cortney. He works in the technology industry, where you can find him designing and sketching a range of new products and services.
When Nick isn’t designing, he loves to travel, which is how he found Trailblazer in 2010 while taking a sabbatical in Southeast Asia. He and his wife Cortney volunteered with the Trailblazer foundation building filters and digging wells. That experience left a lasting imprint, and they have contributed to the organization since.
Nick joined the Trailblazer Board in 2019 and is excited to be a part of such a dynamic organization. He looks forward to adding his design and technical expertise to assist Trailblazer in its continued growth and success towards their mission of bringing clean water to the people of Cambodia.
Nicky Ulrich, Secretary & Treasurer (USA)
Nicky was born and raised in southern California but currently resides in Durham, NC. She is a food-system practitioner, who has spent her career dedicated to building a stronger food system and increasing access to nourishing local food. Her current role is working with North Carolina Cooperative Extension as the Local Food Coordinator for Wake County, NC. Outside of work, Nicky is a certified yoga instructor that loves spending time outdoors with her partner, Noah, and their fur-baby, Niko.
Nicky spent the summer of 2016 working with the Trailblazer Foundation as the Agriculture Assistant, with the goal of increasing access for local Cambodian farmers to the local markets, such as restaurants. She loved her time getting to work with the local community while falling in love with the Siem Reap.
Nicky joined the Trailblazer Board in 2020 and is eager to bring her expertise and experiences, both domestic and abroad, to the organization as the Trailblazer Foundation strives "to improve health, food security, education, and economic development in rural Cambodia in ways that are self-sustaining by the individuals and communities we serve."
Cortney Ward, Board Member (USA)
Cortney lives in San Francisco and works as a product designer in the tech industry. A native Texan, she lived and worked in Austin before moving to California.
In 2010, Cortney traveled and volunteered extensively throughout South East Asia and South America. It was in Siem Reap where she and her husband Nick eventually crossed paths with Trailblazer Foundation. Helping build filters and dig wells in rural Cambodia was an integral point in Cortney’s life and travels. Continued contributions to Trailblazer’s clean water mission has been a true joy for her.
Cortney was elated to join Trailblazer Foundation board members in 2019. With over 15 years of advertising and product design experience, she’s looking to help develop and evolve the organization into its next phase of success.