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.
The current PSNZ Council members are:
President
Paul Whitham LPSNZ
Upper Hutt
e: president@photography.org.nz
The President is responsible for the Governance 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. He is also responsible for maintaining harmony among members and affiliated clubs. As President, Paul 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.
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.
Paul is a also an active member of the Hutt Camera Club.
Immediate Past President
Moira Blincoe
Auckland
e: ipp@photography.org.nz
Moira Blincoe has completed a three-year tenure as President of the Photographic Society of New Zealand (Inc).
As a result of changes in the revised Constitution which was adopted at the 66th Annual General Meeting in April 2019, this allowed Moira to stand for a third, and final year, the first President in the history of the Society to do so.
With a professional career spanning over 25 years in the communication, marketing and public relations profession, Moira says she has drawn on her professional skills, business acumen and experience, and her knowledge of the Society to lead and guide the Society.
Moira is now looking forward to assuming the quieter role of Immediate Past President but says she will ‘throw her weight’ behind the new President and Council in order to maintain the success of the Society.
She is also looking forward to having immeasurably more time to indulge in her own personal photographic pursuits!
Treasurer
e: treasurer@photography.org.nz
The Treasurer's role is appopinted by the Council, and is responsible for all number related activities for every aspect of the Society. They liaise with the Clubs hosting any PSNZ event, in establishing budgets and approving the same. They liaise with the appointed Auditing company and ensure all required financial reporting related to Charitable Organisations is current and complete.
Secretary
Chryseis Phillips
Taranaki
e: secretary@photography.org.nz
The Secretary’s role is appointed by Council. Chryseis is our ‘right hand’ woman of the Council. She ably assists the President, Vice President and all Councillors with the administrative and reporting activities. Chryseis manages the preparation and documentation for each Annual General Meeting and ensures that all members are communicated with according to our legal requirements. She is often the eyes and ears for Society activities and ensures nothing falls through the cracks when Council activities are running hot.
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, Interclub 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 of Photography, Trenna Packer, Nelson Triptych, Laurie Thomas, Creative Focus, New Brighton Photojournalism and the Tauranga Audio Visual competition.
Craig’s personal photography reflects where he is happiest which is out enjoying New Zealand’s great outdoors, making photographs to showcase its beauty. He is one of New Zealand’s renowned nature and landscape photographers, showcasing 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 of Dunedin, he joined the Dunedin Photographic Society (DPS) and later, PSNZ.
As a member of DPS, he has held almost every 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.
Craig was a member of the three-person organising committee of the Society's very successful 66th PSNZ National Convention held in Dunedin in 2018.
Jane Muller
Havelock North
e: jem.psnz@gmail.com
Jane Muller is the Councillor for Communications which includes planning and implementing communications strategies to promote the PSNZ vision and mission statement of ‘helping photographers grow’ to our members and all photographic enthusiasts.
In this capacity Jane will work closely with several portfolios especially membership, events, national competitions and partnership and sponsors. She will also assist with social media and editorial support.
Jane has over 30 years’ experience in the mental health field both in clinical and management roles. She is a trained ESOL teacher and taught English classes for over 10 years.
For many years Jane has volunteered for the Cambodian Charitable Trust by writing promotional and marketing material and donor updates about the work of the Trust, which supports over 20 schools in remote rural parts of Cambodia and many Teacher Training Colleges throughout the country. Her communication skills, team player and reliability will be an asset to Council.
Jane is an active member of the Hawkes Bay Camera Club and contributed many years volunteering on the committee and also as Secretary.
Toya Heatley
Upper Hutt
e: toya.heatley@gmail.com
Toya Heatley is the Councillor for Events which includes Regional and National Conventions and the Workshop Series.
Toya is a self-employed as IT Manager for a Nationwide Company, Remote IT Support, and Website Designer. She has served on the PSNZ Council in the past from 2015 to 2019 and has been the PSNZ website administrator since 2015. Toya is a PSNZ accredited judge in both Open and Nature categories and is on the current selection committee for the New Zealand Camera publication.
Toya brings with her experience in Information & Technology, Event Organisation, Website Design and Administration skills, along with a passion for photography.
Toya is also a member of the Hutt Camera Club
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
- PSNZ Councillor from 1971 - 1975
- Awarded APSNZ 1973
- Member, Honours Board 1989 – 1992
- Awarded 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
- PSNZ Vice President 2002-2003
- PSNZ President 2004-2005
- Awarded Hon PSNZ 2008
- Joint co-ordinator, Honours Board, 2012 – 2019
- Received Hon FPSNZ 2012
- Member, Judge Accreditation Panel 2014-2020
- Appointed Patron 2015.