Roger attended Whangarei Boys High School and studied Economics, History, English and Accounting.  In 1987 he graduated from Waikato University with a Master of Social Science degree with First Class Honours - majoring in Politics.  His professional career began in the public service with the Ministry of Commerce in 1990 as a Policy Adviser.  Between 1993-95 he worked in Parliament as Private Secretary to the Minister of Communications, IT and Broadcasting.  During that time he provided advice to the Minister of Broadcasting - including helping to  establish a number of iwi radio stations to help promote te reo and tikanga Maori.

In late 1995 he moved into the private sector and was recruited by Telecom New Zealand Ltd to work in its Government Relations team.  He managed that team and the associated Community Relations team.    In April 2001 he joined Vodafone as Public Policy Manager leading its regulatory and government relations work. Roger was a foundation Board member of the Telecommunications Carriers Forum  - the industry self-governing body.   From 2009 he also had overall responsibility for Corporate Responsibility and the operations of its philanthropic Trust - the Vodafone Foundation.

Roger has also been active in a number of community organisations - including Capital Breakfast Toastmasters Club 2005-07, the North Wellington Volunteers Awards Trust 2006-09, and the Churton Park Community Association 1997-01 and 2007-10.  In 2009 the Minister of Education appointed Roger to the Establishment Board of Trustees for Amesbury School - a Year 1-6 primary school - one of the few new schools to be built in Wellington during the last 20 years. In 2011 Roger was appointed a Director of the Vodafone Foundation - a charitable trust aiming for healthy outcomes for young new Zealanders.