Role: Education Director
Email: educdirector@holocaustcentre.org.nz

Role: Operations Manager
Email: operations@holocaustcentre.org.nz

Role: Project Manager
Email: projectmanager@holocaustcentre.org.nz

Role: Auckland Educator
Email: akleducator@holocaustcentre.org.nz

Deborah has chaired the Centre since September 2019, bringing extensive community and governance experience to the role. She is deeply committed to expanding the Centre's reach and ensuring that every child in New Zealand has access to Holocaust education. Deborah serves as a New Zealand expert delegate to the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance.

A former lawyer, her extensive governance career includes chairing Utilities Disputes Limited (UDL), undertaking the independent review of the Banking Ombudsman Scheme, and chairing the independent review of New Zealand’s electoral laws. She is also a panel member of the Human Rights Review Tribunal and the former executive director of the Arbitrators' and Mediators' Institute of New Zealand.

Deborah is mum to three adult boys and she lives in Auckland with her partner John.  More information:  www.deborahhartconsulting.co.nz

Giacomo is a Professor of History at Victoria University of Wellington and is Deputy Chair of Board. He has contributed to the Centre’s work since 2003 through public lectures, film screenings, continuing education courses, and historical consultancy. He teaches Holocaust history and has published widely on the representation of the Holocaust in cinema. His academic research focuses on how public narratives of history are constructed through media, official commemorations, monuments, museums, and school curricula. Giacomo regularly writes on the contemporary relevance of Holocaust history and antisemitism in the New Zealand media.

Gil holds an MBA in Finance and Accounting and brings international financial expertise to the board. He previously served as the Chief Financial Officer of Hadassah Academic College in Jerusalem, where he managed a substantial institutional budget encompassing cash flow, investments, and institutional fees. During a professional secondment in New Orleans, he designed and implemented a structural finance and donation framework for a non-profit organisation. Based in Wellington, Gil is an entrepreneur who founded and manages Coffix Wellington, and has a background as an IDF Armor Combat Officer.

Nicole is an experienced History and Social Studies teacher based in Whanganui. A Board member since 2022, she brings specialist knowledge of the New Zealand curriculum and NCEA frameworks. After attending the Yad Vashem Seminar in 2015, Nicole became a strong advocate for the power of Holocaust education to address antisemitism and racism while fostering an understanding of democracy and human rights. She actively supports the Centre's growth by helping to develop online, classroom-ready teaching resources.

Leora grew up within the Wellington Jewish community and is a second-generation Holocaust survivor, her father having escaped Nazi Germany as a toddler, along with his brother and parents. Based in rural South Auckland, her professional career spans the non-profit and public sectors. Leora holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Not-for-Profit Management and a Graduate Certificate in Leading Change for Good, and has held numerous community governance roles across youth, arts, and educational organisations in New Zealand and Australia.

Ben is a professional Board member, an entrepreneur, a globally recognised technology commentator and co-founder of a successful workwear and outdoor equipment brand. As the son of Holocaust survivors, his connection to the Centre’s mission is deeply personal. Ben has served on the Boards of a variety of non-profit, privately held, and publicly listed companies across New Zealand and the United Kingdom. His leadership has been recognised nationally, including receiving the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award in 2016 and being named a Chartered Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Directors in 2021.

Rachel has long been active in civic life, contributing her time to various Jewish community roles for over 30 years. She was involved with the Zionist Federation of New Zealand for a decade, including a period as President. Rachel has worked on the Hope Project bringing Holocaust survivors to schools, and March of the Living, an annual educational programme that brings students from countries around the world, including New Zealand, to Poland and then Israel, to study Holocaust history and the roots of prejudice. She currently focuses her governance expertise exclusively on supporting the strategic direction and growth of the Holocaust Centre of New Zealand.

Sehai is a public sector leader with extensive experience in strategy, policy, and operational delivery across local and central government. She currently leads City Safety for the Wellington City Council, a role she stepped into after serving as the Council's Chief of Staff. Her commitment to the Board is driven by her family history, she is the daughter of a Holocaust survivor and the granddaughter of Egon Schoenberger, who fled Nazi-occupied Europe. Sehai focuses on strengthening the Centre's regional networks and resource resilience, ensuring the organisation remains robust in a challenging global and local environment.