Originally from Canada, Tess now calls Dunedin home. After spending a decade in Australia (originally intended as a gap year), she moved to Dunedin in 2019 to complete her studies and fell in love with Otago. In 2021, she graduated from Otago Polytechnic with a Bachelor of Applied Management, majoring in accounting, and is now a member of the Accounting Solutions team at Polson Higgs.

In her spare time, Tess enjoys exploring Otago, being involved in the community, and working on her art.