New MDNZ GM Sarah Berman

Sarah Berman is the new general manager for Macular Degeneration New Zealand (MDNZ), replacing Anna Crane, who stepped down after two years in the role.

Having spent the last six years as the organisation’s fundraising manager, Berman was a strong candidate for the role, the MDNZ board wrote in its Viewpoint newsletter. “Working behind the scenes, Sarah has helped grow the organisation and the services we deliver. Sarah’s many years in organisation development and leadership make her well placed to lead MDNZ in 2022 and beyond.”

Berman said she hopes to hit the ground running, adding she understands the issues facing the people MDNZ serves and how vital the organisation’s work is. She is hoping to bring passion, enthusiasm, a listening ear, a commitment to saving sight and supporting people with MD to her new role, she said.

When not supporting people with MD, Berman said her four-acre farmlet just outside Auckland keeps her busy. “I have been known to call it a lifestyle sentence, instead of a lifestyle block. But I do love working the land and seeing things grow, which later leads to preserving and storing produce. I have just cellared 40 bottles of my 2022 vintage of Chambourcin wine!”