MCH

Our Ministers: The Ministry is accountable to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Hon Christopher Finlayson. The Ministry is also charged with advising and providing services to the Minister of Broadcasting, Hon Craig Foss, in relation to broadcasting issues and the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Hon Murray McCully, in relation to Crown-funded sports agencies.

Christopher Finlayson: Christopher Finlayson attended Victoria University, Wellington, where he graduated with a BA in Latin and French and a Masters Degree in Law. For 25 years he has practised law becoming a barrister sole in 2003. He is currently a member of the Rules Committee of the High Court which regulates court procedures in New Zealand. Christopher served on Creative New Zealand's Board for six years and chaired the Arts Board from 1998 - 2001. He was also a Trustee of the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra Foundation and is well known for his sponsorship of the arts. Christopher entered Parliament in 2005 as a National Party Member of Parliament and assumed his current roles in the John Key Government after the November 2008 election. In December 2012, he was appointed Queen's Counsel.

Craig Foss: Hon Craig Foss, Minister of Broadcasting -- Craig Foss was elected as the Member of Parliament for Tukituki at the 2005 General Election. Craig has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University. In 1985, Craig was hired by the Bank of New Zealand (BNZ) treasury in Wellington. Craig also managed the BNZ Singapore treasury office for six months in 1990. Credit Suisse Financial Products, London, (CSFP), employed Craig in 1993. After managing the financial risks across many European markets, he was appointed to Director of European Trading in 1996. In 1998 Craig moved to Tokyo, to manage CSFP's Japan and Pacific trading operations.

Murray McCully: Hon Murray McCully, Minister for Sport and Recreation -- Mr McCully entered Parliament in the 1987 General election. He was first appointed a Minister in October 1991. He has held the Customs, Housing, Tourism, ACC, and Sport, Fitness and Leisure (including responsibility for the America's Cup and Millennium events) portfolios. He holds an LLB and is a qualified barrister and solicitor. Prior to entering Parliament, he was principal of a major public relations company.

Ministry Leadership Team

Lewis Holden: Lewis Holden, Chief Executive -- I am the Ministry's Chief Executive. I liaise with Ministers and oversee the running of the Ministry, developing and facilitating new initiatives for the Ministry and cultural sector. My job is varied, and reflects the diversity of the sector and the Ministry's work. Before joining the Ministry, I held Deputy Secretary positions at the Ministry of Economic Development and other senior roles at The Treasury and Washington DC's World Bank. History and literature are great interests of mine. I've studied journalism, history and politics, and hold a Masters degree from Yale University in Public and Private Management.

Ronald Milne: Ronald Milne, Deputy Chief Executive, Heritage Services Branch Manager -- I am one of two Deputy Chief Executives and the Heritage Services Branch Manager. I lead a team which has a strong track record of delivering high quality publications (including websites), and acting as a guardian of New Zealand's heritage. Examples of our products include the authoritative and accessible online national encyclopedia, Te Ara, oral history projects, and websites such NZHistory, the 28th Māori Battalion and QuakeStories. I joined the Ministry in December 2011 after a career working in research libraries. Most immediately, I came from the Alexander Turnbull Library, where I was Associate Chief Librarian (Research Collections). I had previously worked in the UK at the British Library, and also at a number of other institutions with rich heritage collections, including Trinity College Cambridge and the University of Oxford. Though my expertise is in the documentary heritage, my cultural and heritage interests are wide-ranging. I particularly enjoy listening to music (mostly ‘classical'), have an interest in photography and a librarian's enthusiasm for books, both their content and as artefacts. I am a graduate of University of Edinburgh, with a degree in German, and hold an MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of London.

Matt Archer: Matt Archer, Corporate Services Branch Manager -- I joined the Ministry as Finance and Administration Manager in 1992. The role broadened into Corporate Services Manager as the Ministry grew, and I now head the Corporate Services Branch, overseeing the running of key support services including communications, finance, human resources, information management and legal. The Corporate Services Branch is also responsible for accountability documents and reports to the Government about the outputs of the Ministry. I've worked in government for the last 30 years, and before joining the Ministry I had finance roles in the Department of Internal Affairs, the Department of Māori Affairs and the Ministry of Transport. I have a BCA and a Master of Public Management from Victoria University of Wellington.

Katherine Baxter: Katherine Baxter, Deputy Chief Executive, Cultural Policy Branch Manager -- I am one of the two Deputy Chief Executives and the Cultural Policy Branch Manager, leading a team of people who provide advice to Ministers on a challenging range of issues, including: supporting a vibrant and viable cultural sector, demonstrating the contribution of heritage, arts and broadcasting activity to New Zealand's economy, and how best to protect and ensure access to our cultural heritage. Before joining the Ministry in July 2009, I spent a year in Ireland reviewing and working with a partnership programme aimed at supporting marginalised communities. In a similar vein, my policy roles in New Zealand have focused on bringing the voice of particular sectors into mainstream policy development. I've worked for the Ministry of Social Development as General Manager responsible for the Office for Disability Issues, the Office for Senior Citizens and the Office for the Community and Voluntary Sector, and earlier as Policy Manager with the Ministry for Women's Affairs. I am a life member of the New Zealand Childcare Association and chaired the Board of the Early Childhood Development Unit /Nga Kaitaunaki Kohungahunga for its first three years. My cultural passions include theatre, dance and film. I have a BA in English from Victoria University of Wellington and a Masters in Public Administration through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG) programme.

Ripeka Evans: Ripeka Evans, Pou Ārahi Whakahaere -- I've worked as a strategic leadership, communications and management consultant for 25 years, including roles in Television New Zealand, the Department of Māori Affairs, Industry New Zealand, for iwi runanga and tribal trust boards, and for Māori and community health and research and economic development organisations. From 1993 to 1996 I was the inaugural Chief Executive of Te Māngai Pāho. In my role as Pou Ārahi Whakahaere at the Ministry, I continue to strengthen the Ministry's Māori engagement strategy Te Rautaki Taonga Māori and provide leadership across the sector. I have a passion for the written and spoken word, films, music and art history, so I've landed in a great workplace. My iwi affiliations are Ngāpuhi, Te Aupouri, Ngāti Kahu and Ngāti Porou. I hold a Masters of Business Administration from Massey University and am a graduate of the Paulo Freire Institute for the Development of People in Paris. I've also taught at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

Our Work Units: The Ministry is organised into three branches.

Corporate Services: We undertake the large number of activities that support our busy Ministry. These activities include communications, finance, human resources, information management and legal services.

Cultural Policy: We provide policy advice to the government on arts, culture, heritage, broadcasting, and sports and recreation. We do this by working on policy proposals, legislation and reviews that are significant to the sector. We also monitor the government's interests in the cultural sector agencies who receive crown funding. We offer additional support through our appointments and governance service.

Heritage Services: Our historians, writers, researchers and advisers help make information about New Zealand history easy to find and create opportunities for New Zealanders to engage with their heritage. We look after monuments and war graves throughout New Zealand.

Our Specialists: Information on New Zealand society and culture can be found on the Ministry's Te Ara and NZHistory websites. Teachers and students of history will also find The Classroom of interest. If you have any queries, please e-mail us at info@mch.govt.nz. Media are welcome to contact us at media@mch.govt.nz. Other details can be viewed at http://www.mch.govt.nz/contact-us

Alison Parr: Senior Oral Historian, Heritage Services Branch: Area of interest is oral history -- particularly with New Zealanders who lived through the Second World War

Ashley Mackenzie-White: Adviser, Heritage Operations, Heritage Services Branch -- Area of interest are the New Zealand Coat of Arms, the New Zealand Flag and National Anthems

Basil Keane: Director, Māori Digital Projects, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are Māori history and Māori language on the web

Ben Schrader: Historian, Te Ara - the Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are urban and housing history

Brodie Stubbs: Manager, Heritage Projects, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are national monuments and memorials, commemorations and New Zealand's emblems.

Damien Fenton: Senior Historian, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are military history and the Cold War.

David Butts: Manager, Heritage Operations, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are museums, art galleries, taonga tūturu, heritage places and memorials.

David Green: Editor/Historian, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are the New Zealand Wars, history of government and sports history.

Gavin McLean: Senior Historian, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are maritime, military history, constitutional/politics, business, heritage, local history and publishing.

Honiana Love: Senior Adviser, Māori, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest include Māori heritage, working with iwi, and taonga tūturu.

Imelda Bargas: Senior Historian, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are historic building and sites, World War I home front and Antarctica.

Jamie Mackay: Team Leader, Content Manager, Web Team, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are cycling history and exploring new ways to present history on the web.

Jock Phillips: Senior Editor, Te Ara - the Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are social and cultural history, family history, memorials and royal tours.

Margaret Marks: Senior Adviser (War Graves), Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are war and historic graves and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Mark Derby: Historian, Te Ara - the Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are are labour and film history.

Megan Cook: Historian, Te Ara - the Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are women's and labour history.

Nancy Swarbrick: Historian, Te Ara - the Online Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Heritage Services Branch -- Area of interest is the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography.

Neill Atkinson: Chief Historian, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are are labour history, politics, railways and maritime history.

Paul Riley: Curator, National War Memorial -- Areas of interest are the National War Memorial and other Wellington national monuments.

Steve Watters: Senior Historian-Educator, Heritage Services Branch -- Areas of interest are education, sporting history, 19th century history and ‘hands on history' such as field trips.

Timothy Hurd: Carillonist, National War Memorial -- Areas of interest are teaching and playing carillon music.