Open Society
Website of the New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists
Serving New Zealand's non-religious community since 1927
NZARH Executive

Our Council has up to nine members who are elected at the Association's Annual General Meeting. The Council meets monthly to conduct the Association's administrative affairs.


President: Elizabeth McKenzie
Elizabeth works as a scientist for a scientific consultancy company in Auckland. She has been a member of the NZARH since 1993 and has served on Council for much of that time. She was the Association librarian from 1994 until 1999. Prior to joining the NZARH, Elizabeth was an active member of the Auckland University Atheists and served on their committee and as President in 1995. In 1999, Elizabeth helped to establish the first NZARH scholarship at the University of Auckland, and in 2006 the Scholarship became available to tertiary students nationwide.

Her interests lie in philosophy of science, science education, promoting the teaching of evolution and critical thinking in schools. Her hobbies include tramping and playing german-style board games.

Vice President:Bill Cooke
Bill Cooke is Senior Lecturer at the School of Visual Arts, University of Auckland at Manukau. He has a PhD in Religious Studies from Victoria University of Wellington on the subject of the history and ideas of rationalism and humanism in New Zealand. His books include Heathen in Godzone: Seventy Years of Rationalism in New Zealand (1998); A Rebel to His Last Breath: Joseph McCabe and Rationalism (2001), The Blasphemy Depot: A Hundred Years of the Rationalist Press Association (RPA: 2003), which was published in the United States as The Gathering of the Infidels: A Hundred Years of the Rationalist Press Association (2004); and A Dictionary of Atheism, Skepticism and Humanism (2005). He has also written many articles and encyclopedia entries.

Bill was a Visiting Assistant Professor of Philosophy of the University at Buffalo (2003-2006) and a Fellow of the Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion. He is Senior Editor of Free Inquiry, the bi-monthly magazine of the Council for Secular Humanism, and Editor-in-Chief of The Open Society, the journal of the NZARH.

Secretary: John Shaw
 

Treasurer: Charles Seppings
 

Malcolm English
 

Andrew Geard
Andrew is a Embedded Software Engineer who has been a heathen since his primary school days. His interests include model trains (Z scale), playing board games and tramping. He is responsible for creating the current NZARH website.

Judith de Leeuwe
Judith joined the Association in 1999. Rationalism, humanism, and atheism were some of the first words she understood in her early childhood as both parents were active members for many years. Judith has worked for over 20 years in the motor industry. Her interests include running, tramping, motorsport, and motorcycling.

John Murphy
John has been a member of the NZARH since 1992. He is passionate about science, and physics in particular. John is interested in debunking many religious and pseudo-science interpretations of quantum theory, and was once labelled "a Jesuit for science" by a frustrated proponent of "spiritual implications" in quantum theory.

Hayden Wood
 

 Board of Trustees
The Trustees have the responsibility of safeguarding the interests of the Association in the event of the Council becoming unable to carry out its normal duties.
Elaine Cooper
Peter Hansen
Conrad Inskip
Charles Lowson
Ngaire McCarthy
Bruce Oldfield
David Ross