Ricky Schamall
Senior Leasing Surveyor
SCENE: A high school careers advisor’s office.
Advisor: Well, I’ve heard what you said, but can’t recommend pursuing surveying as a career. It’s not a woman’s job.
Ricky Schamall: Uhhh. Okaaaay. That’s … interesting advice.
Fast forward several decades, and Ricky has built a career as a specialist in Rentable Area Surveys. She started at Envelope’s Auckland office in February 2026 as a Senior Leasing Surveyor.
Born and raised in Sigmaringen, Germany, Ricky grew up in a small village with her younger brother. Her early surveying work included set-out, topographical and stockpile surveys for a small firm, followed by a federal agency role that was largely office-based. Keen to get back into the field, she returned to “proper” surveying in 1990 with a cadastral firm in the Black Forest.
After a year of travel with her partner Ellen in 1999/2000 — including four months in New Zealand — they decided to make the move permanent. Arriving in Auckland on visitor visas (with their adventurous flatmate Sigi), Ricky spotted a surveying job advertised that very day. The rest is history.
Encouraged by strong, passionate women in her life — and armed with a love of maths and geometry — Ricky knew early on that the outdoors was her happy place. Despite advice to pursue something more “corporate”, she chose fieldwork without hesitation.
Ricky loves the balance of office and site work, the variety from construction sites to retail and office complexes, and the great people she meets along the way. She prides herself on precision — and making it look pretty.
Outside of work, Ricky keeps busy with cycling, raranga (flax weaving), crochet, choir singing, op-shopping and jigsaw puzzles. She has a healthy ‘to-read’ pile (plus the odd comic/graphic novel), enjoys Chinese and Indian food, and might be found sipping a pilsner, pinot gris, gin or grappa, depending on the mood.
Her favourite places are those with a sense of serenity — though almost anywhere is perfect if Ellen is by her side.
And perhaps one day, she’ll email that former careers advisor… with her job title in bold, 24-point font.
PHONE
+64 27 693 6579