BOARD / MANAGEMENT
BOARD MEMBERS
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Board Chair - Deborah HartDeborah has been the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand chair since September 2019. As Second Generation and with extensive community involvement, she is passionate about growing HCNZ and intent on ensuring that every child learns about the Holocaust.
Deborah has been appointed a NZ expert delegate to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance. A former lawyer, Deborah chairs the independent review of New Zealand’s electoral laws and she chairs the Consumer Advocacy Council which advocates for electricity consumers. She is a Panel Member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and former executive director of the Arbitrators’ and Mediators’ Institute of NZ. Deborah is mum to 3 adult boys – Nathan, Jason, and Sam, grandmother to Hadar and Shalev, and lives in Auckland with her partner John. |
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Deputy Chair - Miriam BookmanI grew up in the Auckland Jewish community, attended Kadimah School, and was involved in Bnei Akiva. My mother descends from Salonican Jews who immigrated to the UK in the 1920s. My father descends from Russian Jews who lived in a shtetl in Lithuania.
I have lived in Wellington for the past six years and am a Senior Manager in the public service. I have a passion for justice, community, and education. In my time with the Centre, I have built our policies, procedures, and strategy so that our amazing group of volunteers and staff are supported to carry out our mission. Holocaust education has an important place in New Zealand and I look forward to continuing to serve the Centre as it goes from strength to strength. |
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Treasurer - Jeremy SmithJeremy is Managing Director of Wellington-based hospitality group, Trinity, which owns hotels, restaurants and bars. Jeremy is also the National President of Hospitality New Zealand and is the Board Chair at Temple Sinai - Wellington Progressive Jewish Congregation. He has been involved in the Wellington Jewish community for many years.
Jeremy has been involved with the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand in the roles of Chair, Treasurer, and in fundraising. |
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Marcus BlomquistI have been serving on the HCNZ Board since September 2020, having assisted the Board and HCNZ in different areas.
My main areas of focus have been:
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John GoddardMy grandparents were very lucky to escape Polan after Word War ll. They emigrated to New Zealand in 1948 and decided to settle in Wellington where I was born and raised. I am living with my wife and three children in Levin.
I am a barrister, specialising in civil litigation. My work is governed by my commitment to human rights and access to justice. For three years I was the driving force behind the Residential Advisory Service through Community Law Canterbury, a service which assisted Canterbury homeowners deal with unresolved earthquake claims. I am also a convenor of a New Zealand Law Society Standards Committee. I assisted the Centre with its submission on the National Plan of Action against Racism. |
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Nicole GreensidesA History and Social Studies teacher in New Zealand since 2010, I am now HOD Social Sciences at Nga Tawa Dioscean School. I was fortunate to attend the 2015 Yad Vashem Seminar. That experience enabled me to strengthen my Holocaust pedagogy. I am very committed to Holocaust education and feel connected to the Holocaust Centre of NZ because of this experience.
I bring to the Board a willingness to help set the direction and policies of the Centre so that it may continue its growth. My interests are around the expansion of the Yad Vashem Seminar programme and helping to secure government funding for the Centre’s work. I am passionate about its mission and committed to seeing its education, bearing witness, and advocacy work thrive. |
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Rachel KorpusI have worked in the Jewish community for 30 years. Early on with Jewish youth, The Maon Trust, The Erman Trust, and was president of the Zionist Federation for 10 years.
I am particularly proud of The Hope Project. I helped create a unique opportunity for NZ students to engage with a real lived experience. The Hope Project has reached nearly 60,000 students and teachers. I worked on the March of the Living program sending students to Poland and Israel. I live in Auckland with my husband Avi and our two children, Joshua and Sara. We own and operate a nationwide fashion apparel business. I wish to serve the HCNZ board and broaden my commitment to Holocaust education with my business acumen and community networks. |
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Rivkah NathanRivkah Nathan has served on the HCNZ board since 2019/5780. Rivkah has an educational background in Philosophy, Religious Studies, Jewish Studies, and English Literature. After attending the Yad Vashem International School for Holocaust Studies Seminar (2019) Rivkah has expanded her educational attention beyond the Jewish community, to general youth outreach regarding the Holocaust, Antisemitism, and Racism.
She is actively engaged in this work within the classroom, and her community of colleagues and friends. In her spare time, she is a singer-songwriter, ultimate frisbee player, and avid tramper. Primarily, she endeavors to make her activities, contributions, and thoughts align with the ideal that the world should be a safe space for genuine connection and peace. |
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CONSTITUTION
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