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: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.
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.
Malcolm English
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.
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