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.
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.
Shannon’s bi-cultural upbringing fostered a curiosity about different cultures and ways of living at a young age. This led her to spend four years traveling the world where she discovered her passion for Latin America. She lived and worked in Colombia, Mexico and Costa Rica for two years. Shannon’s professional background is in project coordination and programme development. She has led peacebuilding and education projects with a focus on student empowerment.
Now living in New Zealand, she feels closely tied to the LatAm CAPE’s mission of bringing New Zealand closer to Latin America and welcomes the opportunity to connect Kiwis with a region she is so passionate about.
Shannon speaks Spanish and Mandarin.