Draft:Tessa Huntington
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Tessa Huntington (née Berger) (born 2 September 1994) is a New Zealand-born entrepreneur, sports executive, former footballer, and politician. She founded Crimson Athletics, a division of Crimson Education, an education technology company valued at over US$1 billion[1][2]. From 2023 to 2025 she served as Chief Executive Officer of Squash New South Wales.[3] In politics, she was elected to the Auckland Council in 2016, representing the Warkworth subdivision of the Rodney Local Board, becoming one of New Zealand's youngest elected officials.[4][5] Berger also represented New Zealand in international football and played collegiate football in the United States.[6][7]
Early Life and Education
Berger grew up in Warkworth, New Zealand, and attended Epsom Girls’ Grammar School in Auckland.[8][9] She played football from a young age and was selected for New Zealand schools and National age-group squads as a teenager.[10][11] In 2013, she moved to the United States on a full athletic scholarship to Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU), an NCAA Division I institution. At FGCU she combined her studies with football, and was recognised with a Scholar-Athlete Award for academic achievement.[12][13]
Football Career
Berger made her senior debut in New Zealand’s top-flight women’s competition, the Northern League (New Zealand) at age 11[14]. 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.[14][15]
At Florida Gulf Coast University she received Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) All-Freshman First Team honours and later ASUN All-Conference First Team honours.[12][13] In 2013, she was ranked 18th on TopDrawerSoccer’s list of top college players.[16]
Internationally, Berger represented New Zealand at the 2012 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Japan.[6] She also competed in the OFC U-19 Women's Championship in 2012[17] and played for New Zealand Secondary Schools teams that won the Trans-Tasman Series (Deane Low Trophy).[10][11]
Honours
| Year | Honours |
|---|---|
| 2008 | New Zealand Secondary Schools National Premier Title |
| 2010 | New Zealand Secondary Schools Trans-Tasman Series (Deane Low Trophy) |
| 2012 | ASB Bank Young Sportsperson of the Year |
| 2012 | ASB National Women’s League |
| 2012 | OFC U-20 Women’s Championship |
| 2012 | New Zealand Women's National League |
| 2013 | NCAA Division I ASUN All-Conference First Team |
| 2013 | NCAA Division I ASUN All-Freshman First Team |
| 2014 | NCAA Division I ASUN Conference Champion |
| 2015 | New Zealand Women's National League |
| 2016 | Kate Sheppard Cup |
| 2016 | Maia Jackman Trophy (Most Valuable Player, Kate Sheppard Cup Final) |
| 2017 | Kate Sheppard Cup |
| 2018 | Northern Women’s Premier League Title |
| 2025 | Northern Women’s Premier League Title |
Entrepreneurship and Executive Roles
After graduating, Berger founded Crimson Athletics, a division of Crimson Education providing services for student-athletes. Crimson Education has since been described as a “unicorn” company valued at over US$1 billion.
In 2023 she was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Squash New South Wales, the governing body for squash in the state. In this role she worked with Squash Australia on pathways for elite junior athletes and broader participation programmes.
Political Career
At age 22, Berger was elected to the Rodney Local Board in the 2016 Auckland Council elections, becoming one of the youngest people elected to local government in New Zealand.[4][5] During her campaign she received the highest possible ratings from the independent policy analysis platform Policy Local.
As a board member she was involved in the creation of the Rodney Local Board Transport Targeted Rate, projects to extend walking paths and greenways, youth engagement initiatives such as Kids Voting, and community recreation projects.
Community and Non-Profit Work
Berger has held community leadership roles in the Mahurangi region, including serving as President of Mahurangi Action Incorporated and Chair of the Mahurangi Coastal Path Trust. Through these roles, she was involved in projects such as the Te Muri crossing and the proposed greenway connections between Puhoi and Pakiri, which aimed to improve public access to coastal and rural areas. She has also supported initiatives promoting the mental health and well-being benefits of outdoor trails and public open spaces.
Personal Life
In interviews, Berger has discussed her experiences of sexuality and identity, reflecting on the challenges of reconciling personal life with public roles. She has also spoken about the influence of growing up in a rural-coastal New Zealand community on her values and career choices.[9]
References
- ^ Keall, Chris (2024-08-31). "Newly minted unicorn: Jamie Beaton's Crimson raises $68m at $1b valuation". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ Smith, Paul (2024-11-04). "NZ firm turns $1b unicorn helping kids get into elite unis". Australian Financial Review. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "Tessa Berger Appointed as CEO of Squash NSW - Global HR News & Updates". 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Only council candidate to score straight-a pluses". Mahurangi Magazine. 2016-09-23. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Admirers steal hot property". NZ Herald. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "2012 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup squads", Wikipedia, 2025-08-26, retrieved 2025-09-26
- ^ "Tessa Berger - 2013 - Women's Soccer". FGCU Athletics. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "Women in New Zealand Politics". Epsom Girls Grammar School. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Junction May 2016". Issuu. 2016-04-27. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Dec 20". www.ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "2010 Tour". www.ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Hansen's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Honor Highlights #FGCU Awards Ceremony". FGCU Athletics. 2014-04-24. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b SOFFIAN, SETH. "FGCU, A-Sun's dominant women's soccer program, poised for next step". The News-Press. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ a b "Tactics to Secure Sports Scholarships - EP34 w/Tessa Berger". Mind-Design Sports. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "Tessa Berger". www.ultimatenzsoccer.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "@FGCU_WSoccer To Begin 2013 Season | College Soccer". TopDrawerSoccer.com. Retrieved 2025-09-26.
- ^ "Northern retain ASB Women's League title". Oceania Football Confederation. 2012-12-17. Retrieved 2025-09-26.