The PSNZ Council is a group of volunteer Councillors elected by the membership. The official tenure for the President and Vice President is two years, although the President can do an additional year, but no more than three. The Immediate Past President has a tenure of one year. All Councillors can stand for re-election each year. The President and Vice President allocate portfolios of responsibility for each Councillor which is based on the Councillors having a particular skill set or expertise to enable the smooth running of the organisation.
Council appoints the positions of Treasurer and Secretary.
The current PSNZ Council members are:
President
Moira Blincoe LPSNZ
Auckland
e: president@photography.org.nz
The President is responsible for the Governance of the Society and is seen as the ‘face’ of the Society or the ‘go to person’. In reality the President is the person who ensures the Society is moving forward, setting and meeting its objectives as defined in the Strategic Plan. She is also responsible for maintaining harmony among memebrs and affiliated clubs. As President, Moira has overall responsibility of guiding the Councillors through the myriad of tasks and activities in each portfolio to ensure the Society delivers the services and benefits to members in each calendar year.
In her working life Moira worked as a consultant with a global career spanning over 25 years in communications, journalism and marketing. She started her career in Calgary, Alberta, Canada following the completion of a degree in Public Relations and Journalism from Mount Royal University in Calgary. She attributes her papers in Photojournalism that sparked her passion for photography and since then a camera has been a constant companion, not only in her career but also in her personal life. She has managed the communications and marketing for some enviable organisations and brands both in Canada and New Zealand.
Today Moira combines her love of photography with writing, travel, people, food and wine and regularly contributes to a variety of publications. Her photographic passion is portraiture as well as travel and street photography, however with a thirst for photographic knowledge and a desire to enhance her technical and practical skills, she actively seeks out workshops, tutorials and any opportunity to learn from the industry’s peers.
Moira is a member of the Auckland Photographic Society.
Vice President
Karen Lawton
Auckland
e: vicepresident@photography.org.nz
As Vice President Karen fulfills a number of roles, including Vice-Chair of the Finance and Audit committee and Vice-Chair of the Bylaws committee. Karen is also the Councillor for Partnerships and Sponsors which involves developing and managing the relationships and agreements with the Society’s valued trade partners, as well as developing opportunities for new sponsorships. Karen is also responsible for developing the advertising and sponsorship for the Society’s flagship publication, NZ Camera.
Treasurer
Judith Bishop
Thames
e: treasurer@photography.org.nz
Judith is responsible for all number related activities for every aspect of the Society. She liaises with the Clubs hosting any PSNZ event in establishing budgets and approving the same. She liaises with the appointed Auditing company and ensures all required financial reporting related to Charitable Organisations is current and complete.
Secretary
Patrice Nilsen
Wellington
e: secretary@photography.org.nz
The Secretary’s position is an appointed role by the PSNZ Council. Based in Wellington, Patrice is our ‘right hand’ woman of the Council. She ably assists the President, Vice President and all members of Council with all administrative and reporting activities. Patrice manages the preparation and documentation for each Annual General Meeting and ensures that all members are communicated with according to our elgal requirements. She is often the eyes and ears for Society activities and ensures nothing falls through the cracks when Council activities are running hot.
Paul Whitham LPSNZ
Upper Hutt
e: paul@pwfotos.com
Paul Whitham is the Editor and designer of the PSNZ by-monthly digital magazine, NZ CameraTalk. This includes liaison with all members, Council and Clubs to secure content and photographs to support the chosen theme, and liaises with our sub-editor, Linsday Stockbridge LPSNZ. As NZ CameraTalk is a magazine for members, Paul welcomes contributions from all members and is particularly interested in hearing about member successes and club achievements. He is also the liaison Councillor for the NZ Camera editorial team.
Paul is a member of the Hutt Camera Club and his passion lies in making portrait images. He was the Chair of the organising committee for the successful 67th PSNZ national convention held in Lower Hutt in 2019.
James Gibson APSNZ EFIAP
Christchurch
e: gibsondesignnz@gmail.com
Based in Christchurch, James is the Councillor for Membership. In this capacity James looks after all facets of membership retention, as well as developing initiatives to grow the membership. In 2019 James developed and launched the very successful PSNZ Workshop Series consisting of a series of six one-off ‘master classes’, exclusively for PSNZ members. James is an award winning landscape and nature photographer as well as an intrepid mountaineer and ice climber with successful achievements in Scotland, French Alps and Canada. He is a former member of the New Zealand road racing team competing on international circuits. As a valued member of the Christchurch Photographic Society, James gained his Associateship distinction and AFIAP in 2016 followed by his EFIAP in 2018.
Craig McKenzie
Dunedin
e: craig.mckenzie@xtra.co.nz
Craig is the Councillor for National Competitions. With a wealth of experience in photographic competitions, Craig provides guidance and assistance to the clubs hosting the Society’s national competitions. These include the PSNZ Sony National Exhibition, the regional salons, Inter-club competitions, Canon Online and the Jack Sprosen Memorial Trophy for audio visuals.
He is also the liaison councillor for non-PSNZ salons such as the North Shore Salon, Trenna Packer, Nelson Triptych, Laurie Thomas, Creative Focus, New Brighton Photojournalism and the Tauranga Audio Visual competition.
Craig’s photographs reflect where he is happiest which is out enjoying New Zealand’s great outdoors and making photographs to showcase it’s beauty. Craig is one of New Zealand’s renowned nature and landscape photographers. He showcases many of our wildlife species in a unique style. Craig’s introduction to organised photography and the darkroom was through joining PhotoSoc, the student photography club for the Canterbury University. When he returned to his hometown Dunedin, he joined the Dunedin Photographic Society (DPS) and not long later, PSNZ. As a member of DPS, he has held almost every conceivable administrative role and has been heavily involved in running the very successful Dunedin Festival of Photography. Craig was awarded Honorary Life Membership to the Dunedin Photographic Society in 2015, the same year the Society celebrated its 125th anniversary.
Colin Kropach
Auckland
E: colin.kropach@xtra.co.nz
Colin is the Councillor for Events which includes the national and regional conventions. In this capacity Colin is responsible for laising with and guiding the organising committees responsible for organising and hosting the annual national convention, and the regional convention. Colin has over 40 years experience as an Information Systems and Business Change professional, with over 25 years as a management consultant and project manager. He has a diverse range of skills and experience that will allow him to guide the various committees through the minefields encountered when organising a PSNZ convention. Colin was Chair of the organising committee for the very successful 2017 national convention, Photography on the Edge in Auckland.
Colin is a member of the Auckland Photographic Society.
Our Patron
Our Patron is Wellington based member, John Boyd, Hon FPSNZ Hon PSNZ APSNZ. John has been a member of PSNZ for 54 years which stands him in good stead to fulfil this distinguished role.
There have been many milestones during his membership tenure, some of which include:
- Joined PSNZ 1962
- Received his APSNZ 1973
- A PSNZ Councillor from 1971 to 1975, with responsibility for: Business Manager NZ Camera, Director National & International Exhibitions; Recorded Lecture Distribution; Member of Senior Advisory Panel of Judges, 1975 until disbanded
- Member of the Honours Board 1989 – 1992; co-opted again in 2006
- Received Hon.Life Member of Wellington Photographic Society, 1995
- Secretary PSNZ Honours Board 1995 – 2001
- Awarded (jointly with Val) PSNZ Service Medal, 2001
- Elected PSNZ Council 2001 – Permanent Collection portfolio
- PSNZ Vice President 2002-2003
- PSNZ President 2004-2005
- Received Hon PSNZ 2008
- Joint co-ordinator of Honours Board, 2012 – 2019
- Received Hon FPSNZ 2012
- Judge Accreditation Panel since 2014
- Appointed as Patron 2015.