RRANZ is pleased to announce Brandy Alger as the recipient of the David Johnston Memorial Scholarship for 2026.
The scholarship honours the legacy of the late Professor David Johnston, Distinguished Professor at Massey University and a founding member of RRANZ, whose contribution to emergency management capability development in Aotearoa New Zealand spanned decades. It provides full fee coverage for RRANZ Leadership Parts One and Two, plus a travel allowance for Part Two, specifically for individuals and organisations for whom funding barriers would otherwise put this professional development out of reach.
The response to the scholarship's second year exceeded expectations. RRANZ received applications from across the sector - volunteers, council staff, consultants, students and professionals working in roles spanning welfare, incident management, logistics and response coordination, many contributing significant unpaid time to their communities. Selecting a single recipient from such a strong field was genuinely difficult, and we would have loved to fund every applicant who applied.
Our 2026 Recipient
Brandy Alger
PhD Candidate, University of Canterbury
Disaster Welfare Support Team, New Zealand Red Cross
Emergency Support Team, Christchurch Civil Defence
Brandy is a PhD candidate at the University of Canterbury studying how community-led initiatives may increase preparedness for natural hazards. She is also a long-serving volunteer within emergency response, where she has spent over a decade doing outreach, psychological first aid and needs assessment with the New Zealand Red Cross Disaster Welfare Support Team and the Christchurch Civil Defence Emergency Support Team. During the COVID-19 response, she served as 2IC to the Welfare Manager in the Canterbury Group Emergency Operations Centre. She also sits on the Red Cross Canterbury Area Committee and is a committee member of the Australasian Women in Emergencies Network.
For Brandy, the scholarship carries particular significance: Professor Johnston was one of her PhD supervisors. In her application, she described his passing as a profound loss, both personally and for the field he dedicated his career to building, and spoke of being honoured to carry his legacy forward through the scholarship named in his memory.
Brandy plans to use the RRANZ Leadership Programme to build structured leadership development alongside her practical experience, with a particular focus on governance, strategic decision-making and navigating the multi-agency environment at a senior level - capability she intends to put directly to work across her research, committee roles and volunteer networks.
Ultimately, Brandy's goal is to build community-led preparedness that reaches and reflects populations often underserved by mainstream emergency management.
Congratulations, Brandy - RRANZ looks forward to supporting your leadership journey.
“My passion for emergency management leadership has always been rooted in service to community, a value David Johnston, my PhD supervisor and mentor, modelled throughout his life.
This scholarship means I can honour his legacy by growing as a leader in emergency management and using what I learn to serve and strengthen the communities I work alongside.”
Honouring David's Legacy
This scholarship represents our commitment to keeping David's memory alive by supporting individuals who share his values and dedication. We know David would be incredibly proud of both recipients and excited to see the impact they will make through the RRANZ programme.
Looking Forward
Scholarship recipients will attend an upcoming RRANZ programme, where they will join a community of learners and professionals committed to building emergency management capability. We look forward to following their journeys and celebrating their future achievements.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to our 2026 winner and our sincere gratitude to everyone who applied. The quality of applications we received is a testament to the bright future of our field and a fitting tribute to David's enduring influence.
The David Johnston Memorial Scholarship will continue annually, providing opportunities for deserving individuals to advance their professional development. Applications for the 2027 scholarship will open early 2027.
Read more about future scholarship opportunities.