Rate My Professor Kerry Buchan

Kerry Buchan serves as the Development Manager – Health Sciences in the Division of Health Sciences External Engagement team at the University of Otago. She manages development activities, alumni relations, and fundraising efforts supporting various health sciences initiatives across the university's campuses. Kerry is a primary contact for donations to the Division of Health Sciences, as well as specific projects including the Otago Medical School 150th Anniversary Fund and Eye Research Otago. Her professional contact details include DDI +64 3 479 5344, mobile +64 27 424 2097, and email.

With more than 30 years of experience in event coordination and management, Kerry Buchan has organized over 100 major events, including academic conferences, civic gatherings, medical symposiums, corporate functions, festivals, anniversaries, and reunions. In 2017, she took on the part-time role of Project Coordinator for the University of Otago's 150th celebrations within the Development and Alumni Relations Office, curating a cohesive calendar of events for the 2019 milestone. She emphasized the execution challenges, noting, “Having an idea is easy. Executing the idea is the difficult part,” while advocating for holistic planning. An alumnus of the University of Otago, Kerry maintains strong family ties to the institution; her late husband, Glenn “Buck” Buchan, was a leading immunologist in the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and her father, uncles, brothers, sisters, husband, and three sons are also graduates. Beyond her university duties, she works part-time as Marketing Manager for Orokonui Ecosanctuary, serves as a founding trustee of the Dunedin Wildlife Trust, and has represented the University of Otago in community initiatives such as the Wild Dunedin festival.