Tessa Huntington

Tessa Huntington (née Berger; born 2 September 1994) is a New Zealand politician, entrepreneur and former international footballer. She was elected to the Rodney Local Board in 2016, representing the Warkworth subdivision. Huntington was a member of the Football Ferns, the New Zealand women's national football team, and played NCAA Division I collegiate soccer in the United States.

Early life and education

Huntington grew up in Mahurangi, New Zealand, and attended Epsom Girls' Grammar School in Auckland. She played football from a young age and was selected for New Zealand schools and National age-group squads as a teenager. In 2013, she moved to the United States on a full athletic scholarship to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), an NCAA Division I institution.

Career

Football

Huntington made her senior debut in New Zealand's top-flight women's competition, the NRFL Women's Premiership at age 11. She scored her first goal for Hibiscus Coast AFC on 30 April 2006 in a 1–0 win over Birkenhead United AFC, and has been reported as the youngest player to appear in the league.

At Florida Gulf Coast University she received Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) All-Conference First Team honours and ASUN All-Freshman First Team honours. In 2013, Huntington was ranked 18th on TopDrawerSoccer's list of top college players.

Internationally, Huntington represented New Zealand at the 2012 FIFA Women's World Cup in Japan. She also competed in the OFC U-19 Women's Championship in 2012 and played for the New Zealand Secondary Schools team that won the Trans-Tasman Series (Deane Low Trophy).

Politics

Following her involvement in community organisations in the Mahurangi region, Huntington entered local government politics, standing for the Rodney Local Board. Prior to election, she held several community leadership roles, including President of Mahurangi Action Incorporated and Chair of the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust. In these positions, she was involved in advocacy and project development related to public access and environmental protection, including the Te Muri Regional Park crossing and proposed greenway connections between Pūhoi and Pākiri.

At the age of 22, Huntington was elected to the Rodney Local Board in the 2016 Auckland Council elections, becoming one of the youngest individuals elected to local government in New Zealand.

As a member of the Rodney Local Board, Huntington contributed to a range of governance and community initiatives. Her work included involvement in the establishment of the Rodney Local Board Transport targeted rate, support for projects extending walking paths and greenways, youth civic engagement initiatives such as Kids Voting, and the development of local recreation and community facilities.