Rachel assumed the role of Quality Manager/Senior Entomologist in July 2010 when Mosquito Consulting Services (NZ) was formed, transferring with the rest of the team from SMS-New Zealand BioSecure where she had been involved with the Southern Saltmarsh Mosquito Eradication and National Saltmarsh Mosquito Surveillance programmes since 2002.

Prior to this she worked for AgResearch Lincoln within the Argentine Stem Weevil and Clover Root Weevil Biological Control programmes which incorporated field, office and laboratory work.

Her qualifications include a Master of Science with Honours in Plant and Microbial Sciences and a Bachelor of Science, both from the University of Canterbury. During her time with SMS-NZB and MCSNZ she has completed training courses on a variety of topics including project management, first aid, driving off-road, mosquito identification and taxonomy, biosecurity and Hazard Management.

In addition to being the author and co-author on a number of published papers on various aspects of mosquito biology, distribution, taxonomy, surveillance and most recently molecular biology, she has collaborated with scientific researchers from a variety of organisations on projects including vector competence, invasive exotic mosquitoes, tick taxonomy and distribution as well as discovering and co-describing a new species of parasitic wasp which occurs in seabird ticks in New Zealand. She was second author on the 2007 Vectors and vector borne diseases: Ecological research and surveillance development in New Zealand report, a cross-departmental collaborative report involving MAF BNZ, MoH and DoC.

She is a member of the Entomology Society of New Zealand and has attended several of their National conferences as well as National Education and Training Seminars of the New Zealand Biosecurity Institute, Mosquito Control Association of Australia conference and various symposia.

She has assisted with the development and conduct of medical entomology training courses for the RNZAF and NZ Army.

Currently part-time and based in North Canterbury, Rachel overseas the MCSNZ Quality Management System including the Health and Safety Manual, maintains the company accounts and continues with her mosquito research.