Events at Russell Museum

Tiaan is a local girl with three generations calling Russell Kororāreka home. She originally joined the Museum a few years back but headed over to Australia to be with family. Her family have returned to Russell so she is back on board at the Whare Taonga of Kororāreka, a welcome return to the team.

Tiaan is the welcoming face you see when you visit the Museum, and she also looks after the shop.

Rachel Thwaites is a member of the Museum team taking on the role of Museum Administrator. It’s a pivotal role supporting the curator as well as organising accounts and administration. Rachel is a local girl born and bred, and is a busy community minded working Mum who is already involved in two businesses with her husband Kent, as well as in the middle of building a house! She’s proof of the old saying “if you want something done, ask a busy person”.

Rachel is of Ngapuhi and Ngati Hau descent and whakapapas to the area. She’s been working in the visitor industry and brings a friendly smile to the to team at Te Whare Taonga.

I have been in IT for approximately 30+ years. I started out working on data input and then took things further, becoming a Test Analyst then a Senior Test Analyst. After this I became a Test Manager working with on and offshore teams.  I went back to my roots as a Senior Business Analyst and after contracting all over the world I now work for Waka Kotahi.   I contracted for roughly 25 years in places such as Belgium, Frankfurt, Munich, Milan, Rome, Switzerland, Helsinki, Denmark, London and various place in the UK. I have worked for most of the major banks and financial institutions such as JP Morgan. This has included various pension systems, trading systems and insurances. I contracted for BNZ and ASB when arriving in NZ. I have also implemented various financial systems for various businesses large and small.   I enjoy working for Waka Kotahi because there is new technology being introduced constantly.

Never a dull moment and I now work from home.  I joined the Russell Centennial Trust Board in 2021 as I have a love of history, and Russell has plenty on offer.  I love Russell and have bought a small 2-acre section at Uruti Road and hope to move in before Christmas. 

Information about Tracy goes here

Marsha information goes here

Jane has worked in the UK and Europe in the ICT sector before emigrating to New Zealand in 1990. After 10 years in Auckland in the telecommunications industry, she moved to Russell Kororareka. She was a business mentor for the tall ship R. Tucker Thompson resulting in a transfer of the ship into a Charitable Trust operating youth development programmes and tourism sailings. She is now the Executive Trustee for the R. Tucker Thompson Sail Training Trust. Since moving North, she has learned Te Reo studying with Te Wanganga o Aotearea and then studying Te Tohu Huanga Maori PGDip Business at Auckland University.

Since then she has concentrated on her governance career serving on the boards of the Telecommunications Users Association; the Northland Economic Development Agency, the Regional Tourism Organisation, as well as Chair of Northtec. She was on the National Coordinating Committee of Tuia 250 is co-chair of Te Au Mārie Trust. She has served with several community organisations including 20 years with St John Ambulance. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors and is pleased to use these skills to serve the board of Russell Museum, Whare Taonga o Kororāreka.

Sue joined the Russell Museum board as a trustee in 2017 With a Bachelor of History & Anthropology  and recent studies in Te Reo and Tikanga Maori, Sue brings a multi-cultural perspective on Russell’s past and future potential, and a passion for engaging and connecting people with their past. Sue’s career has been focused on customer facing industries, (Insurance and Tourism) and she has co-owned and operated a number of small NZ businesses and currently owns and operates a local bed & breakfast. Sue has also spent a number of years involved with volunteer groups teaching English as a second language to refugees and new migrants.

Sue contributes her strong operational skills and a deep understanding of the needs of tourists and visitors gained from her years in tourism to design and drive new fundraising initiatives for the redevelopment of the Museum and Community centre. In her spare time, Sue loves spending time with her grandkids, sailing, playing tennis and participating in the Russell Gardening Club.

Tracy presently works at Pompallier Mission as a tour host and a role that she loves. Her interest in history and the arts, has always been as a hobby/passion. Living and working in Tamaki Makaurau-Auckland for 28 years, where she raised her son, now in his 30’s, she was grateful for the opportunities, galleries, libraries, educational facilities and museum she found and had access to, by living in the city.  Which included employment. She has worked across a varying sector of education, public health, family violence prevention and research;  grateful that those roles have enabled her to travel across Aotearoa and sometimes overseas.

Her childhood was growing up in Kororareka-Russell across the 60’s – 70s, returning on many occasions. With whakapapa connecting her to this area/region through her Nana’s whakapapa.  She also whakapapas to Ngati Awa, Te Whanau a Apanui and an Irish history which came through Australia.

She love’s history, especially, in its ability to reveal the multiple truths she never received in my education and formative years. It is ever evolving.  She loves this town and wishes to see a sense of equity across community knowing the Museum is very much part of ‘YOU’.

Maria is Ngati Kuta, Ngati Manu, Ngapuhi and was born in Taitokerau Northland moving to Kororāreka when she was 3 years old. Maria initially worked at Auckland hospital in administration before travelling to England. There she met her future husband and got married before returning back to New Zealand and to the hospital. She then embarked on a long and rewarding career in education, working initially at Auckland Secondary School Training College. She joined Selwyn College as Executive Officer, where she took on the role of Buildings Project Manager and leading all support staff in the College. She returned home to Russell Kororāreka on her retirement in 2011.

Her grandfather, Hamiora Maioha was instrumental in the building of this Museum and a foundation Trustee so she feels privileged to continue on his legacy.

I have had a love of history and art ever since I can remember.  As a result I have been working as an arts and heritage professional for the past 40 years.  I have developed an affinity for community museums to assist in telling and connecting stories and taonga to people and place, and not just a repository for collections.  History is what defines us as an individual, a society, and as a nation.

I initially did a couple of contracts for the Russell Museum before being offered the position of Manager Curator.  Prior to here I was the Manager of the Waipu Museum for 4 years, where I successfully nominated the Nova Scotian documentary heritage collection for UNESCO Memory of the World listing.  A consultancy I did in conducting a full audit and report of the Fiji Museum funded by relief aid from the Australia Government that brought me to New Zealand.  I spent 5 years as a consultant working mostly in tandem with local government and community museums and galleries.  I have worked for the Queensland Museum as regional Museum Development Officer for 13 years, Mary MacKillop Place Museum, the Art Gallery of NSW as Registrar of Exhibitions, and the Historic Houses Trust over the last 40 years.  All of which I have enjoyed immensely.