Executive committee

Amy held this role previously before she started her own family. Amy has been the Marketing Manager for the University of Auckland and has a particular passion for student life. She has been contracting in the university sector in Auckland and the UK and has now joined the External Relations Team at The University of Auckland.

Kath graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1981. She has lived and worked in the UK for six years, and Canada for five years. Kath worked with two major professional services firms for fifteen years, and is currently the Director of Human Resources at the University.

Her interests include family, friends, travel, music, and curling.

I have been working in adult education since 1994, when I began at the Centre for Continuing Education in a part-time role in Educational Travel. I became programme manager for International Short Courses, then moved to manage the Lifelong Learning programme. When I was appointed Deputy Director in 2004, I was delighted to take on a more strategic role in planning and innovation. I also line-manage our thriving Professional Development, Lifelong Learning and International Short Courses programmes.

As a Director of Carmel College Auckland Ltd, and a member of the Board of Trustees for the school, I take a keen interest in education at secondary school level, and as a grandmother I like to keep in touch with pre-school education.

Renee Liang (BHB, MBChB, MCW, PG Dip Arts) is a poet, playwright, paediatrician and fiction writer. She is a graduate and researcher at the University. Renee is involved in organising community arts events such as artistic blind-dating initiative Metonymy and Funky Oriental Beats (FOB), a platform for Kiwi-Asian performing artists. She is a regular contributor to The Big Idea, a website linking NZ's arts community. In her own writing, Renee has been published in the New Zealand Listener, JAAM, Blackmail Press, Tongue in your Ear, Sidestream and Magazine. Her plays Lantern, The Bone Feeder and The First Asian AB have toured centres in the North Island, and she has also had short plays produced for a number of festivals. Renee works as a locum consultant paediatrician. As a scientist, Renee is part of the core group of researchers for landmark longitudinal study Growing Up In NZ, which seeks to benefit all NZ children by finding out what impacts on their development. For her activities in arts, medicine and science, Renee was named a Sir Peter Blake Emerging Leader in 2010.
 

Amanda Lyne is the Alumni Relations Manager for The University of Auckland. She has worked for the University in the Alumni Relations Office for over ten years. Amanda was conferred with a Bachelors and Masters degree in Arts and completed her Postgraduate Diploma in Business (Marketing) in 2009.

Richard Northey, BSc MA ONZM is a former Vice-Chair of the University of Auckland Society. He is an Auckland University graduate in science (chemistry) and in arts, with an MA with 1st class honours in political studies. He has been a lecturer in political studies and in planning at Auckland University. Richard Northey is an Auckland City Councillor, chairing its Accountability and Performance Committee. He is a National Councillor of Local Government New Zealand and chairs its Auckland/ Northland Zone, the Auckland Community Housing Trust, the Auckland District Council of Social Services, and the Labour Party’s Local Government Sector Council. He is a Trust Board Member of the Auckland Observatory and Planetarium and is the Patron of the Ellerslie Theatrical Society and of the Onehunga Ladies’ Benevolent Society and the Onehunga Fencible and Historical Society.

Jennie was born and educated in Hawkes Bay. On leaving school she went to Christchurch to do her General Nursing Training where she met and married her husband. They came to Auckland in 1961. Jennie's working experiences have included being a manager of a Group Medical Practice and a Branch Manager of a privately owned furniture business. Jennie's University adventure did not begin until 2000 when she enrolled in the New Start programme and graduated with a BA in May 2005. While living in West Australia and looking after her two teenage grandchildren for twelve months in 2006 Jennie completed an BA Hons degree in History as an extramural student. Her goal now is to complete her MA thesis by July 2009. Jennie's interests are widespread but certainly family, friends, books, classical music and Rotary are her priorities.

Christine O’Brien is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Auckland University Press, where she has worked since 1997. Qualified in Law, English Literature and Training Development, she completed The University of Auckland’s Women in Leadership Programme in 2010 and is a member of the University’s Auckland Writers & Readers Festival liaison committee.

Christine is in her second term as a local body elected representative and is Deputy Chair of the Mangere–Otahuhu Local Board. She is a resident member of the community network, the Otahuhu Steering Group, and has a history of volunteer work for social services, such as Youthline and the Women’s Refuge, as well as for literary festivals and events.

Sylvia Rosevear is an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist who graduated from the Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences in 1981.

She is the President of the Medical Alumni Group. Sylvia is also on the committee as a University Alumna.

Eva Tollemache has been on the Executive Alumni Committee for eight years, and enjoys the opportunity to keep in touch with the University and meet new people.

Eva is an Occupational Therapist who has previously worked in both London and near San Francisco. She is currently working as O.T. Manager at Ranfurly Veteran’s Care, Auckland. This is a stimulating position, which includes supervising staff, teaching students, carrying out cognitive assessments for residents, organizing the activity programme and liaising with the wider community.

Eva also has a great interest in the media industry, especially news broadcasting. She has completed two television presenting courses and in 2007 read the news for “Darpan. The Mirror”, on Triangle Television for 6 months. Eva plays both the piano and flute, and uses music as a therapeutic medium in her occupational therapy practice.

In 1994 Eva completed her BA degree, majoring in English. She also studied Italian, Art History, Acoustics and Politics. She has just finished a Tai Chi course, and is now a qualified instructor of Modified Tai Chi. Her interests include travel, music, films, reading and education.
 

Rachel Yang is a graduate from University of Auckland Business School, Bachelor of Commerce majoring Accounting and Finance. She works for the Inland Revenue Department, and completing her Postgraduate Diploma in Business majoring Commercial Law.

She is the Volunteer Coordinator/President of Chinese Alumni group under University of Auckland Alumni Relation. She is also the Treasurer of New Zealand Chinese Writers’ Association, Committee of Auckland Chinese Postgraduate Students’ Association Inc, Committee of New Zealand Chinese Youth Federation, Committee of United Chinese Association of New Zealand, Committee of The Peaceful Reunification of China Association of New Zealand, and Committee of New Zealand Chinese Federation of Literacy & Art Circle Inc.