About Us
Friends of Te Papa members have supported Te Papa since its doors opened in 1998
Our Purpose
Our mission is to provide educational, informational and social events that highlight and celebrate the museum’s arts, natural science, historical, cultural, research, and scientific endeavours. We also fund Te Papa acquisitions and projects.
Our People
Friends of Te Papa is run by a small committee which is active in the day-to-day activities of the group.
Our coordinator, Rachael Brenton-Rule, is our only employee and looks after our members and organises our many events.
Our Committee
Heather Church
Heather Church was a daily journalist for more than thirty years before becoming a producer for the award-winning National Radio Nine to Noon programme hosted by Kim Hill. Since leaving radio, Heather has worked in media relations, public relations and crisis management including running her own company Munro Church Communications with her husband Mike. A career change followed when she joined recruitment company JacksonStone & Partners working mostly in communications and marketing placement for the public and private sector. Cooking has always been a joy for Heather and in 2012 and 2013 she studied Cuisine at the newly opened Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Wellington. Now retired, she loves to spend time with her three grandsons (frequently at Te Papa) host regular book club meetings and enjoy all the culture and arts that Wellington has to offer.
Mazz Scannell - President
Mazz is a skilled project coordinator and manager who builds relationships with individuals and teams. She has graduated twice from Victoria University (education and psychology) and more recently from Massey University with a Masters in Journalism and Communication.
Mazz’s attitude can be described as someone who gets on with it. She likes to make things happen.
Trevor Jeffries – Vice President
Trevor has spent much of his working life in education, with twenty years as a primary and intermediate school principal. He served as president of the combined Horowhenua Principals Association and as a trustee on the Life To The Max collaborative interagency project. He has worked as a senior leadership coach and mentor and is now retired.
Tim Steel – Treasurer
Tim was a taxation manager with a major accounting firm, a significant bank, insurance companies and fund managers.
He is currently providing taxation and accounting services to a wide variety of clients and is also the treasurer and adviser to a number of non-profit and charitable organisations.
Elizabeth McNabb – Secretary
Elizabeth is a scientist currently working in neuroscience and wellbeing. Previously she worked internationally across diverse sectors guiding innovations into the market. This experience led her to become a Life Fellow of the Royal Society for the Arts.
Dr Richard Norman
Richard Norman’s work background is in teaching and research at Victoria University’s School of Business and Government. He is has interests in heritage, museums and music, including Historic Places Wellington and Friends of Te Papa. Visits during 2023 to a variety of museums and display spaces in the United States, Britain and Netherlands have reinforced this interest, and provided a reminder of how ground-breaking Te Papa (and many New Zealand museums) are internationally in their presentation of New Zealand’s culture and history.
Ann Walker
Ann has a background in education, fundraising and event management. She brings to her new role many years of experience in stakeholder engagement and stewardship and aligned events.
In 2019 the Independent Schools of New Zealand awarded Ann an Honours Award for Service to Development & Advancement.
Ros Fogel
Ros worked for Victoria University of Wellington as the Senior Fundraising Manager responsible for Bequests and Special Projects. Her active involvement in music led to a fundraising role for the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and National Youth Orchestra. She is a member of the Orpheus Choir of Wellington and has served on the Board and committee.
Colleen Restieaux
Colleen’s background was in primary education as a teacher and principal. She is currently a coordinator with Doc Edge, a not-for-profit annual international documentary film festival. In addition to the Friend’s Committee, Colleen takes part in other voluntary work, primarily as a team member and supervisor of the Wellington City Ambassador Programme. She believes that communication, collaboration and openness to change are important qualities of life for our times.
Elizabeth Goodwin
Elizabeth is skilled at developing new projects and programmes and introducing innovative ways to reach and engage people. She has a Master of Design which focused on social co-design. Elizabeth has been connected with museums for most of her life. She was at the opening of Te Papa and marvels at the numbers and diversity of people who continue to support it. Elizabeth was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in 2022.
Tony De Lorenzo
Tony has been involved with governance of several not-for-profit arts organisations, including The Fringe Festival, The Dowse Gallery, and Downstage.
His strong business acumen and operational experience has helped these, and other not-for-profit organisations succeed over the past 20 years.
When not volunteering he works as a partner in his wife’s Wellington based interior design business.
Jill Robinson
Jill has a background in Development and Fundraising. Before working for Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Ltd she was a Senior Development Manager at VUW Foundation where she supported the fundraising campaign for the fit out of National Music Centre which will see NZSO and Te Koki, VUW’s School of Music operating in Wellington’s Town Hall opening in 2027.
Join Us
Be part of the Friends and enjoy exclusive exhibition previews, talks, tours, and workshops, plus discounts in Te Papa’s cafés and stores, free parking at events, and behind-the-scenes updates — all while supporting the museum’s collections, research, and programmes.
Image credits (from top): Te Papa Textile Conservator Rachael Collinge and Specialist Costume Mount Maker Sam Gatley restore a net and silk gown; 1820-1824; Gift of Mrs Tudor Atkinson, 1982 (PC002649) | Kat Bolstad from AUT who studies Cephalopods; Peter Graczer, Shani Pillai showing textiles from around the world; Joji Jacob | Kiwi specimen; Apteryx maxima; collected by Samuel Drew FLS; Purchased 1939 | Visitors take in the Vivienne Westwood & Jewellery exhibition at Te Papa, 2025. | Members in Te Papa's art storeroom; Friends of Te Papa | Te Papa Committee; Friends of Te Papa