Latin America CAPE Team
Matthew received his BA Honours (First Class) degree in History from the University of Otago in 1986 and also MA and PhD degrees in History from Duke University in 1989 and 1994. From 1993 to 2007 he taught and researched Latin American and New Zealand history at the University of Auckland, where he also co-founded and directed a Latin American Studies Programme and the New Zealand Centre of Latin American Studies.
From 2007 to 2009 Matthew was New Zealand’s first Education Counsellor for Latin America, a diplomatic role based in Chile which saw him engage with officials, providers and agents throughout Latin America.
Over the last decade Matthew has held senior international manager roles at The University of Auckland and Victoria University of Wellington, including two years as Victoria’s Acting Assistant Vice-Chancellor (International Engagement). His current work for Victoria as Principal Adviser (International Reputation) focuses on international rankings, and in 2016 he addressed the inaugural Times Higher Education Latin America Universities Summit.
From 2013 to July 2018, Matthew was the President of the Latin America New Zealand Business Council.
Matthew’s areas of expertise are higher education management, institutional reputation enhancement, and knowledge partnerships across borders.
Craig has worked for more than 25 years in government, business and NGO settings in New Zealand and internationally. He held a variety of senior and leadership roles at the Office of Ethnic Communities in the 2000's, playing a key role in the development of ethnic diversity management policies, strategies and training initiatives. Building capability in New Zealand businesses and organisations to work effectively across a super-diversity of settings and peoples and to contribute to increased productivity and a harmonious society was a particular highlight.
He was awarded two Chief Executive Awards in the 2000's to study international migration and diversity management strategies in Canada, Ireland and the UK and to attend a Summer Institute for Intercultural Communication in the USA. He was also an Establishment Board member for the Society for Intercultural Education, Training and Research, Australasia.
Craig has significant experience in Latin America having worked and travelled extensively in the region. He was the Academic Director in Chile for the School for International Training in the 1990's, co-directing a study abroad programme for US university students. Craig was also a lecturer in intercultural communication at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaiso in Chile and an intercultural business consultant.
He speaks Spanish, French, Māori and a variety of other languages.
Originally from England, Lucy formed her first connection with Latin America whilst volunteering in a Favela in Florianopolis, southern Brazil in 2006. She then moved to Wellington where she worked in the ICT industry specialising in project management; process mapping and understanding business requirements. She naturally moved into the account and business development management space where she thrived on building long-term business connections and carrying out stakeholder management and strategic negotiations.
Lucy has spent the last three years living and working in Buenos Aires, Argentina where she worked for a successful IT company managing a range of software development teams across Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, Colombia and Mexico.
By joining the Latin America CAPE team, she is able to continue her passion for intercultural communication; languages, strengthening ties between New Zealand and Latin America and working with partners and stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of projects from start to finish.
Nicole is project professional with experience in development through to implementation of public-private partnerships and multi-organisation projects, at both regional and international levels.
Before joining the Latin America CAPE team, Nicole spent the past five years working in Brazil where she developed and managed projects focused on creating cultural interchange, expanding business networks, delivering education opportunities and fostering youth employment outcomes via audiovisual based projects, events and experiences.
From concept through to realization, Nicole has delivered project initiatives to over 15,000 people resulting in demonstrable success in business and academic connectivity and creative youth moving into the workforce.
Nicole has lived and worked in New Zealand, Australia, the United States, England, Switzerland, Spain and Brazil.
