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: Andrew Geard
Andrew is a Embedded Software Engineer who has been a heathen since his primary school days. He has been on the council of the NZARH since 1999. His interests include model trains (Z scale), playing european-style board games and tramping. He is responsible for creating the current NZARH website.

Vice President: 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.

Secretary: 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.

Treasurer: John Shaw
John was a civil engineer in local government in England for 32 years. The work involved designing, building and maintaining roads, waste disposal and various management roles. He and his wife emigrated to NZ in 1996 to join two daughters, and now, 4 grandchildren, leaving two sons in England. He joined the NZARH in May 2007.

Elizabeth McKenzie
Elizabeth McKenzie has been a member of the NZARH since 1993 and has served on Council for much of that time. 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. She was the Association librarian from 1994 until 1999. In 1999, Elizabeth initiated the idea of an NZARH scholarship for students at the University of Auckland and in 2006 the NZARH scholarship was made available to tertiary students nationwide. Elizabeth served as Secretary of the NZARH from June 2005 - June 2006 and President from June 2006 - June 2008.

Elizabeth is studying towards a PhD in Forensic Science at the University of Auckland and also works part time for a scientific consultancy and an air monitoring company. She has a general interest in the philosophy of science, science education and evolution. Her hobbies include tramping and playing european-style board games.

Toby Ricketts
Toby Ricketts is a Cantabrian and has been an NZARH member for a relativeley short time, and the newest member of the council. He formed a group of active atheists in Christchurch in 2008 and began running movie nights in 2009, and runs an aggregate blog site at www.canterburyatheists.org.nz.

Toby is married with two children and lives in Christchurch.

Hayden Wood
Hayden Wood is Editor-in-Chief of The Open Society, the journal of the NZARH.

 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.
Bill Cooke
Elaine Cooper
Peter Hansen
Conrad Inskip
Charles Lowson
Ngaire McCarthy
Bruce Oldfield