The Council

The PSNZ Council is a group of volunteers elected by the membership. The official tenure for the President and Vice President is two years, although the President may 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 Councillor having a particular skill set or expertise to enable the smooth running of the organisation.

Council appoints the positions of Treasurer and Secretary.

Executive

President
Caroline Ludford APSNZ LRPS
Kapiti Coast
e: president@photography.org.nz

Caroline has been accredited as a PSNZ Judge since 2017, in both open and nature categories.  Until taking up the Council role she acted as chair of the Judge Accreditation Panel and assisted in the PSNZ Judge Training Weekends (now held on zoom).

Whilst living in the Auckland area Caroline was a member of both the Hibiscus Coast Photographic Society and the North Shore Photographic Society.  During that time she assisted in the running of the hugely successful North Shore Salon.  Caroline now lives on the Kapiti Coast and is a member of the Kapiti Coast Photographic Society.


Immediate Past President
Paul Whitham APSNZ
Upper Hutt

Paul joined PSNZ in 2013 and was elected to council in 2015 initially holding the Partnership portfolio. He was previously the Councillor for Publications as well as the editor and designer of CameraTalk. In this latter role he has overseen the transition from an eight-page print newsletter to be 60+ page digital edition now produced.

Paul is a qualified accountant, although at present not working full time in that field. He has also run his own web-design firm developing applications used around the world.


Vice President
Aston Moss LPSNZ
e: vicepresident@photography.org.nz

Aston joined the PSNZ Council in 2021 and is currently the Councillor for Partnerships. This sees him continue in developing and managing the existing relationships with the Society’s valued trade partners, as well as developing opportunities for growth in this area.

Aston’s professional background includes significant periods of time in the retail sector, currently as Chief People Officer for Briscoe Group, alongside adding to his portfolio of skills and experience working in other sectors fir organizations including SkyCity, Woolworths Limited (Australia), Progressive Enterprises, Manukau Institute of Technology, NZ Post, and Fonterra in a variety of operational and human resources roles.

He completed Bachelor of Arts and Master of Philosophy (Honours) degrees at Auckland University, complemented by 16 years with the major food retailing group Woolworths (NZ). While with Woolworths, Aston worked across a range of different functions including retail operations, buying, and human resources, concurrently completing a Diploma in Business and Administration through Massey University.

He has governance experience gained through associations not just with PSNZ but also through roles with the Retail Industry Training Organisation, Waitakere Adult Literacy Incorporated and Auckland Justices of the Peace Association. He completed a Certificate in Company Direction from the NZ Institute of Directors in 2009, was certified as a PRINCE2 Practitioner in 2013 and in 2022 completed a Master of Legal Studies (with Distinction) at the University of Auckland. As part of his community involvement Aston serves as a Justice of the Peace. Within his professional portfolio of people related activities, Aston also leads work in the areas of Health & Safety, Employee Communications and Privacy, all of which enrich his ability to contribute to the Society.


Treasurer
Maartje Morton
Whanganui
e: treasurer@photography.org.nz

Maartje has recently joined Council as Treasurer.  In this capacity Maartje is responsible for all number related activities for the Society. This role constitutes part of the Executive Officer team and in this capacity Maartje will contribute to the development of strategy and governance for the Society.

Maartje’s combined professional qualifications and teaching experience will allow her to fill the role of Treasurer admirably.  She will work closely with the newly appointed Bookkeeper who handles the day to day transactional requirements.

Maartje will budgeting and financial advice for all PSNZ hosted events including the conventions and the Workshop Series.  She will be responsible for producing the Society’s Annual Financial Report as well as lodging all financial reports with the Charity Services.

Now retired, Maartje’s teaching career spanned over 30 years with 16 of those as a Deputy Principal at a local secondary girl’s college. Her main teaching subjects were Accounting, Economics and ESOL. She is well versed in people management, administration, and preparation of accounts and financial reports.


Secretary
Janet Munnings LPSNZ LRPS
e: secretary@photography.org.nz

Janet has recently taken on the role of secretary.

She has lived in NZ for the last 17 years having moved from the UK with her husband.

She has been a member of the Hibiscus Coast Photographic Society, North Shore Photographic Society and Henderson clubs for many years and took on the roles of Secretary and is a past President at North Shore.

Janet achieved Licentiate in both PSNZ and RPS. She is a PSNZ accredited judge and mentor.


Councillors

Annette Johnston FPSNZ
Tauranga
e: salons@photography.org.nz

Annette has served on volunteer committees for more than thirty-five years. She has been a committee member, a secretary, a vice president and a president. She is a Life Member of both Tauranga Performing Arts Association, having served on their committee for twenty years, ten as President, and Tauranga Photographic Society with ten years’ service as a committee member, Vice President for three years, and President for five years.

Annette is also a PSNZ Fellow, a member of the Judge Accreditation Panel, a mentor to trainee judges and a PSNZ Accredited judge.She was on the NZ Camera selection panel for three years, and of late she has both judged the Sony National Exhibition and convened the 2023 iteration.

Annette is thankful for the opportunities she has been given within her time as a photographer; many of those opportunities coming to her thanks to the generosity of volunteers within the Photographic Society of New Zealand Inc. She therefore considers it a privilege to be able to offer her service to this organisation.


Christopher Blincoe APSNZ
Auckland

Chris has a had a professional background in the trustee, charitable sector, and financial services industry, spanning some 40 years.

Prior to retirement in February 2020, he was the Philanthropy Manager for Perpetual Guardian for over 12 years. In this capacity, he was responsible for overseeing the large number of charitable trusts under administration; assessed and evaluated the granting and distribution of funds and provided strategic direction and advice.

Some of the organisations he have been privileged to work closely with, and support through the granting of funds includes medical and health research, education, social services, and the arts.

Having stepped down from several trustee and board appointments after retirement, he currently remains Chair of the Auckland City Mission Foundation, maintaining a strong emphasis on its financial and Investment policy and overall governance, and continues to serve as a longstanding trustee on the Board of the Hearing Research Foundation of NZ and the Deafness Research Foundation.

He has been a member of the Auckland Photographic Society since 2010, and a PSNZ member for almost 14 years. He was delighted to be awarded his Associate honours distinction in 2023.

Chris' photographic genre is primarily monochrome, with emphasis on landscape, architecture, and street photography. He enjoys continually learning and pushing myself to adopt and perfect new methods in post processing specifically for his abstract landscape images.

In 2023 Chris enjoyed several successes with several monochrome images in overseas salons and exhibitions.
As well as photography his interests include travel, music, reading and family.

Chris feels his collective skills and experience would contribute to the ongoing success of PSNZ Council.


Chryseis Phillips
Taranaki
e: membership@photography.org.nz

Chryseis has been a member of the PSNZ since 2012 and a member of Council since 2020. Whilst she originally held the role of Secretary, from 2023 she will be relinquishing this position and will assume the role of Councillor for Memberships. She was also President of the Aotearoa Philippines Photographic Society (APPS), now known as the Johnsonville Camera Club, for 2 years from 2014-2016.

In 2010, she completed the NZ Institute of Business Studies’ Freelance Travel writing and Photography Course with the aim of being a travel photojournalist. However, she has found herself focusing on family portraiture, special events, and kindergarten class photos.

When not behind the camera, Chryseis sits behind the reception desk at Hospice Taranaki where she works full time.


David Vale LPSNZ
Auckland
e: communications@photography.org.nz

David Vale will be holding the position of Councillor for Communications. He is a an Auckland-based photographer who is passionate about the art of urban and landscape photography. He has extensive experience as a committee member across several organisations. He has served on the committee for the Akarana Scout Group for over 10 years. He was a founding member of the Enfield Riders Club of Auckland where he was involved in club activities such as web design, event organisation, health and safety, and building relationships with local dealers and other members.

David is currently employed in a leadership position within a large corporate head office based in Auckland and is looking forward to being instrumental in helping other photographers grow.


John Hawkins
Christchurch

John grew up in Dunedin and took a strong interest in black and white photography in his late teens. Self-taught, within a group of likeminded friends, with no inhibitions, he had a lot of fun. Then children came along, still a lot of fun but not a lot of photography.

John learnt the more technical details of photography through Paul Daly at Hagley College night classes, then followed other classmates to the Christchurch Photographic Society (CPS) in 2016 where his skills and knowledge have been fostered by lots of tutorials, field trips and mentoring. In 2019 he won the Laurie Thomas Landscape Salon. He was the CPS open PI secretary for 2 years and is currently club secretary, plus he has been running the Canon Online competition for PSNZ for the last 2 years.

John started work in civil engineering and quickly transferred to IT where he has worked through the ranks of developer, business analyst and eventually manager of a team of 40 application specialist. The skills he acquired along the way has served him well in managing the Canon Online competition, and will transfer nicely to managing New Zealand Camera and CameraTalk.


Mark Burgess APSNZ
Auckland
e: workshops@photography.org.nz

Mark has been active in photography for the last ten years and gained his APSNZ in 2022. He has over thirty years’ experience in product commercialisation and market development focusing on technologies supporting innovation in business.

Mark is active in the photographic community having served as a committee member for the Auckland Photographic Society, and part of the organising team of the Auckland Convention in 2017, Taupo Regional in 2021, and Rotorua National in 2022 (unfortunately, the last two events were cancelled due to Covid), where his main responsibility was organising Convention field trips.

Having travelled widely throughout New Zealand, Mark has a good understanding of workshop locations. This knowledge, coupled with his experience in organising field trips and skills in mentoring, will be invaluable to PSNZ in his role as Councillor for Workshops.


Rachel Hume APSNZ
Taupo
e: events@photography.org.nz

Rachel Hume has recently Joined council as the councilor for events.

Rachel is originally from the UK and has lived in NZ for 25 years. Rachel was a member of the Central Hawkes Bay camera club before she moved to Taupo 10 years ago and has been involved in the Taupo camera club since her move. She finished a five-year term as president last year. Rachel has been an active member of PSNZ for 9 years and gained her Associateship in 2023. She has attended conventions every year and organised a regional convention during her time as Taupo camera club president, Unfortunately Covid stopped
play on this. Rachel was on the convention subcommittee before being appointed into this role.

Rachel also runs her own photography business whilst juggling the needs of her two teenage boys and supporting her accountant/rugby coaching husband. Life is never dull in this house.

Rachel hopes her wide and varied knowledge on many topics, curious mind, can do attitude and sense of fun will help her in this role.


Sandy Odell LPSNZ
Upper Hutt
e: liaison@photography.org.nz

Sandy joins Council taking on the role of Councillor for Club Liaison.  In this capacity, she will be the ‘go to’ person from Council who will work specifically with affiliated clubs. Sandy will work with one member of each affiliated club as their PSNZ liaison person, keeping them up to date with everything that is going on within PSNZ.  Working with clubs is vital for the ongoing growth and success of the Society and our affiliated clubs and through Sandy, it is her intention to ensure that all member benefits and opportunities are known to the clubs.

Sandy comes from a defence background as a civilian staff member and has served on several committees - the last being Hutt Camera Club as membership secretary.   Sandy is enthusiastic about joining PSNZ Council and giving back to the Society by helping the PSNZ achieve its goals for the members.


PSNZ Patron

Bev Sinclair
Whanganui

Bev Sinclair was appointed patron of the Society, on the retirement of John Boyd, at the AGM earlier
this year. Bev has been a supporter of PSNZ for over 40 years, starting her involvement with it
through her membership of the Whanganui Camera Club, which she joined when she married and
moved to Whanganui.

Bev has contributed to the organisation of regional and national PSNZ conventions through her
leading role in the Whanganui Camera Club. She has been president of the club three times since
1974 and is currently the Club’s patron.

When PSNZ celebrated its 50 th anniversary in 2003, Bev was invited to collate a comprehensive
history of the society to commemorate the occasion. It was published with that year’s PSNZ
Members’ gallery of images. In 2019 Bev also wrote a history of the Whanganui Camera Club,
‘Capturing the Light’ (the club’s early motto), for the club’s 125 th anniversary.

She looks forward to the ongoing association with PSNZ in her role as patron.

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