Policy advice

Guosheng Xie

Posted on October 28 2025

Guosheng Xie 谢国升 is from Guangdong, China. He studied ancient Chinese history in Chengdu and Shanghai for seven years. With a strong interest in Pacific history, he applied for the doctoral program at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington. His doctoral research examines the historical development of Chinese labour and enterprise in Aotearoa New Zealand from the 1860s

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Amanda McVitty, FRHistS

Posted on March 15 2024

I am the Director of Arque Research, a specialist research consulting company that helps businesses, institutions and cultural organisations use history to connect with staff, customers, stakeholders and communities. I have skills, knowledge and experience gained over a 30-year career spanning academic and applied research, journalism and marketing, and university teaching and postgraduate supervision. My expertise includes legal history, urban

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Georgie Craw

Posted on October 26 2023

I am a researcher, writer and oral historian based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland. I have a particular interest in gender, race, and environmental histories.   I have a Master of Arts in History with First Class Honours from the University of Auckland. My thesis, ‘A world beyond the waters: Māori travel in the Tasman World, 1793-1839’, was shortlisted for the

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Vicky McCulloch

Posted on September 21 2021

Experienced Collection Manager and Archivist with a demonstrated history of working in the heritage industry. Skilled in archives and collection management and research. Professional with a Post Graduate Diploma Museum Studies, Bachelor of Arts in history and Diploma of Business in management.

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Matthew Woodbury

Posted on September 21 2021

Matt, president of PHANZA since January 2025, is a senior historian at Te Tari Whakatau – the Office of Treaty Settlements and Takutai Moana where his work focuses on developing redress for Māori groups settling historic Treaty of Waitangi claims against the Crown. Beginning in 2021, he designed and facilitated courses for public servants about the history of the Treaty

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Imelda Bargas

Posted on September 21 2021

I completed a Master of Museum and Heritage Studies at Victoria University of Wellington in 2005. After completing my degree I worked at the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga) registering historic places and areas in the Central Region. I also worked within the policy team at the National Library of New Zealand on the

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Elizabeth Ward

Posted on September 21 2021

I work for the Marlborough District Council, where I manage the heritage unit. I have extensive experience in both historical research and teaching, specialising in New Zealand social and political history, with a particular focus on the first half of the 20th century. I am well-versed in self-directed research and have led numerous independent projects. My areas of expertise include

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Ann McEwan

Posted on September 21 2021

I am an experienced heritage consultant with a nation-wide practice that specialises in cultural heritage identification, assessment and policy advice. With a PhD in art and architectural history from the University of Canterbury, I lectured at the University of Waikato for ten years before establishing Heritage Consultancy Services in 2006. My work ranges from large-scale district plan review inputs for

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Alison Breese

Posted on September 21 2021

Alison is a Heritage Assessment Advisor for Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and historian for the company Museograph. She has had over 20 years’ experience in archives and research and completed the first digital Masters of History at University of Otago in 2020. She has held the portfolio for website and social media on the National Council of Archives and

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