Management and leadership , Te Whakahaere

The Vice-Chancellor, supported by Massey's senior leadership team, is responsible for the day-to-day running of the university.

Our senior leadership team is headed up by the Vice-Chancellor and supported by Pro Vice-Chancellors (academic leaders of colleges) and Deputy Vice-Chancellors (academic and professional leaders of university services).

Vice-Chancellor

Appointed by the University Council the Vice-Chancellor takes on a chief executive role in the academic leadership and management of Massey.

Professor Jan Thomas

Professor Jan Thomas

Professor Jan Thomas

BSc, BVMS, MVS, PhD, MACVS, FAICD, FAIM

Professor Jan Thomas started as Vice-Chancellor of Massey in January 2017. From 2012 Professor Thomas served as Vice-Chancellor and President at the University of Southern Queensland in Australia. Before that, she held various senior executive positions at Murdoch University and the University of Notre Dame Australia from 2003.

She has a PhD in Veterinary Science from Murdoch University and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute for Company Directors. Jan has received numerous awards for her leadership in education.

Professor Thomas is Chair of the Quality Assurance Council and a member of the University Grants Committee – both based in Hong Kong.

Responsibilities:

  • Vice-Chancellor's Office
  • Massey Foundation
  • Governance and Assurance
  • Strategy and Planning

Email J.B.Thomas@massey.ac.nz

Jan on LinkedIn

Provost

Responsible for driving the development and implementation of strategies, policies and standards that underpin the delivery of quality research, enterprise and research commercialisation and learning and teaching at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University.

Professor Giselle Byrnes

Professor Giselle Byrnes

BA, MA, PhD

Professor Giselle Byrnes is an internationally-recognised historian with senior management experience in universities in Aotearoa New Zealand and Australia. Her fields of academic expertise include New Zealand colonial history, comparative and public history, the history of apology and reconciliation, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi.

Professor Byrnes has worked for the Waitangi Tribunal and taught history for a decade at Victoria University of Wellington. At the University of Waikato, she served as Professor of History, Head of Department and Pro Vice-Chancellor Postgraduate. At Charles Darwin University in Australia, she was Pro Vice-Chancellor Law, Education, Business and Arts and Pro Vice-Chancellor Community Engagement. Giselle has undergraduate degrees from the University of Waikato and a PhD from the University of Auckland.

A former Fulbright scholar to Georgetown University, Washington DC, Professor Byrnes has served as President of the New Zealand Historical Association and is engaged in sector-wide initiatives focused on equity, diversity and inclusion. She is a Board member of Massey Ventures Limited, the university’s research commercialisation company, has governance experience in the community and not-for-profit sectors, and represents Massey on several external groups and committees focused on research policy and academic quality.

Professor Byrnes has a longstanding commitment to advancing access to higher education and is a strong advocate for the critical role played by modern universities in creating social, cultural, and intellectual capital for public benefit and community wellbeing.

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the Provost
  • Academic Office – Online Learning Environment, Office of Academic Quality Reporting and Assurance, Teaching Academy, Centre for Learner Success, Curriculum Transformation Unit
  • Research Office
  • Enterprise Office
  • Graduate Research School and Ethics
  • Office of Pacific Student Success
  • University Library (all campuses)
  • Massey University Press
  • New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Centre
  • Riddet Institute Centre of Research Excellence
  • Ako Aotearoa National Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence

Email g.byrnes@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 6480

More about research, teaching and learning leadership at Massey

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Māori

Responsible for our relationships with local mana whenua, iwi and hapū, and has close links with Māori staff and students. They also play a leading role in supporting the university to honour te Tiriti o Waitangi (one of New Zealand’s founding documents), and in all areas of te ao Māori.

Close-up of Professor Meihana Durie

Professor Meihana Durie

Professor Meihana Durie

PhD

Rangitāne, Ngāti Kauwhata, Ngāti Porou, Rongo Whakaata, Ngāi Tahu

Professor Meihana Durie is Deputy Vice-Chancellor Māori at Massey and previously Head of School, Te Pūtahi-a-Toi (School of Māori Knowledge) in the College of Humanities and Social Science.

He has a teaching, research and development background in Māori education, Māori health, mātauranga Māori, te reo Māori and whānau development. Professor Durie is a past recipient of the Health Research Council Hohua Tutengaehe Postdoctoral Fellowship Award and the Sir Peter Snell Doctoral Scholar Award in Public Health and Exercise Science.

He sits on a range of boards, committees and advisory groups at Massey, and also externally in areas including Māori health and education. Professor Durie carries a number of governance and leadership roles for his iwi of Ngāti Kauwhata and hapū of Tahuriwakanui, also representing Ngāti Kauwhata and Rangitāne across a broad range of kaupapa in education, health and mātauranga.

His work is presently focused on building new pathways for Māori students and staff into Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa, strengthening linkages and connections between the university and mana whenua, iwi, and Māori communities, and supporting staff across a range of critical outcome areas contributing to Māori development.

See Meihana's bio on Māori@Massey

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the DVC Māori
  • Advisory (Māori and Iwi/Hapū Relationships)
  • Te Rau Puawai
  • Te Rau Tauawhi
  • Te Wheke a Toi

Email m.k.durie@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 6270

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Students and Global Engagement

Responsible for a range of services that support all students across any stage of their journey at the University, from prospective and current students through to student alumni. They also have oversight for the delivery of offshore programmes, and in support the development of new academic programmes.

Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly

Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly

Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly

DProf (London), OAMLP (Oxford), PGDipMgtSys and BLibs (Waikato)

Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketu, Te Arawa

Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly is Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Students and Global Engagement and University Registrar at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University.

He has worked for various institutions over the last 20 years, and has held senior positions at universities in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom, with past roles as Pro Vice-Chancellor, Director and General Manager. In addition to these institutional roles, he has worked with various commercial organisations to support their activities, including Adidas, Aston Martin, Netflix UK and Virgin Australia.

Dr McGonagle-Daly is a seasoned marketing and international strategist, and has won national and international awards in marketing, widening participation, student experience, data analytics, community public relations and fundraising. This has led him to become a popular keynote speaker at international conferences on branding, student experience, advancement, predictive analytics and strategy.

In his spare time, Dr McGonagle-Daly teaches the Massey University Master of Management (Marketing Strategy) and is available as a doctoral supervisor. He is an Elected Fellow He Pukengā of Te Mata o te Tau (Academy of Māori Research and Scholarship). Dr McGonagle-Daly is also an Associate Editor for the Journal of the Australian and New Zealand Student Services Association (JANZSSA) and serves as an annual judge for the QS Reimagine Education Awards.

Dr McGonagle-Daly has studied at London South Bank University, the University of Oxford, and the University of Waikato. His research interests focus on global partnership strategy and evaluation, marketing and analytics, and student experience.

Portfolio responsibilities:

  • Office of the DVC Students and Global Engagement (including Māori Advisory, University Sports, Stakeholders and Partnerships)
  • Office of Academic Business Development (including market research and horizon scanning)
  • Office of Alumni Relations (including global alumni chapters)
  • Office of Global Engagement (including international student recruitment, international mobility and international relations)
  • Office of Global Partnerships (including Massey Global Ltd and Massey Global Singapore Private Ltd, and all offshore delivery of programmes)
  • Office of Marketing and Communications (including marketing, communications, public relations, events and sponsorship, and future students)
  • Massey University College (including English Language and international pathway programmes in New Zealand)
  • Office of Student Experience (including student wellbeing and accommodation, student achievement and advisory, and student development and partnerships)
  • Student Registry (including admissions, enrolment, student records, awards and tuition fees)
  • Te Tumu Whakatipu (including professional and continuing education)

Committees and boards:

  • Chair of Massey Global Ltd
  • Chair of Massey Global Singapore Private Ltd
  • Chair of National Sport Committee
  • Chair of the University Globalisation Committee
  • Chair of the University Visual Arts Committee
  • Co-Chair of Pūrehuroatanga (Learner Success Plan)
  • Member of Academic Board
  • Member of the University Health and Safety Committee

Email t.mcgonagle-daly@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 9 212 7133

Deputy Vice-Chancellor: University Services

Responsible for all our corporate services, including finance, human resources, information and technology services, and estate management across the three campuses.

Shelly Turner

Shelley Turner

Shelley Turner

BA (Hons), PG Dip Bus Admin, MBS (Dist) in Management

Shelley Turner has extensive experience in senior leadership roles in the state sector, with a strong background in the development and delivery of organisation wide change, culture change and organisational leadership. Most recently, she was acting Chief Executive and Director of the Civil Aviation Authority and Deputy Chief Executive responsible for all corporate services.

Shelley has held several senior roles in the New Zealand Intelligence Community, including Deputy Director General NZSIS and General Manager of Intelligence Community Shared Services. She brings a strong HR and organisation development background from previous roles in the State Services Commission, Civil Aviation Authority and the Government Communication Security Bureau.

Shelley is a proud Massey alumnus and in addition to her academic qualifications, she has completed the Executive Fellows Programme at the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG), the Proteus Programme at the London Business School and Innovation in Government at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government.

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the DVC University Services
  • Finance and Strategic Sourcing
  • Health, Safety and Wellbeing
  • Information Technology Services
  • Estates Management
  • People and Culture

Email S.Turner3@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 6080

Pro Vice-Chancellor: College of Creative Arts

Responsible for overseeing the College of Creative Arts.

Professor Margaret Maile, Pro Vice-Chancellor Toi Rauwhārangi, College of Creative Arts

Professor Margaret Maile

Professor Margaret Maile

BA, MA, PhD

Professor Margaret Maile has held a number of senior roles in tertiary education in Australia and New Zealand and has maintained a focus on creative industries education and research, entrepreneurship and innovation. She most recently worked at the University of Technology in Sydney as the Executive Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Prior to this, she was the Head of the School of Design at Queensland University of Technology and Victoria University of Wellington.

Her professional leadership experience includes serving on the boards of the World Design Organisation, New Zealand Youth Film Festival, StartupAUS and Cicada Innovations. She is an ambassador for Good Design Australia and was a founding member of New Zealand’s design advocacy body DesignCo.

Professor Maile completed an undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in History. She then attended Bard Graduate Centre in New York where she completed a Master of Arts in Design History as well as pre-dissertation PhD studies and exams. In 2016, she graduated from Victoria University of Wellington with a PhD in Design History.

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Toi Rauwhārangi College of Creative Arts
  • Massey University National Academy of Screen Arts
  • School of Art Whiti o Rehua
  • School of Design Ngā Pae Māhutonga
  • School of Music and Screen Arts Te Rewa o Puanga
  • Centre for Screen Excellence
  • Toi Āria: Design for Public Good

Pro Vice-Chancellor: College of Health

Responsible for overseeing the College of Health.

Professor Jill McCutcheon

Professor Jill McCutcheon

Professor Jill McCutcheon

BSc, DVM, PhD, WSU

Professor Jill McCutcheon joined the College of Health with over 25 years of experience in academic administration and leading transformation in learning and teaching. Professor McCutcheon has a PhD in Exercise Physiology and Muscle Pathophysiology and a residency in Pathology from Washington State University. Her research focus has been on the role of environmental factors in glucose and insulin regulation during exercise and in metabolic disease.

She also holds a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph where she has also served as Associate Vice President Academic. From her positions at Michigan State University as Director of the International Programs and Resources and Chairperson and Professor at the Department of Pathobiology and Diagnostic Investigation, Professor McCutcheon was appointed the Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor of the College of Health at Massey University in April 2015, and became Pro Vice-Chancellor in April 2021.

Responsibilities:

  • Office for the PVC Health
  • School of Health Sciences
  • School of Nursing
  • School of Social Work
  • School of Sport, Exercise and Nutrition
  • Centre for Public Health Research
  • Research Centre for Māori Health and Development
  • SHORE Centre
  • Whariki Research Centre

Email j.l.mccutcheon@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 9082

Pro Vice-Chancellor: College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Responsible for overseeing the College of Humanities and Social Sciences.

Professor Cynthia White

Professor Cynthia White

BA, BA (Hons), DipTESL, PhD

Professor Cynthia White is an internationally-recognised scholar in applied linguistics.

She completed her honours degree in linguistics and her postgraduate qualifications in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Victoria University in Wellington and was appointed as a Junior Lecturer in 1978. She then completed projects funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Thailand and China before joining Massey as a lecturer in 1983.

Professor White's PhD, completed at Massey in 1993, was a comparative study of the strategies used by distance and classroom language learners. She has been an invited plenary speaker at international conferences in the UK, Germany, Hawai’i, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Australia and Taiwan.

In 2004 Professor White received the International TESOL Virginia French Allen Award for Scholarship and Service to the TESOL profession. Since 2012, she has been an Honorary Research Fellow at Australia’s University of New England. Since 2018, she has been a member of the Marsden Fund Council and chair of the Marsden Fund Humanities panel.

She has served as a member of the Massey University Council and as Research Director of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. Professor White has served as president of the Applied Linguistics Association of New Zealand and a member of the international committee for the International Applied Linguistics Association (AILA).

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the PVC Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Institute of Education
  • School of Humanities, Media and Creative Communications
  • School of People, Environment and Planning
  • School of Psychology
  • Te Pūtahi-a-Toi School of Māori Knowledge

Email c.j.white@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 6565

Pro Vice-Chancellor: College of Sciences

Responsible for overseeing the College of Sciences.

Professor Raymond Geor

Professor Raymond Geor

BVS, MVS, PhD

Professor Raymond Geor is an internationally-recognised veterinary science specialist with expertise in equine medicine, nutrition and sport science. He returned to Aotearoa New Zealand from North America to take up the position of Pro Vice-Chancellor College of Sciences in 2015.

Before moving to Massey, Professor Geor had spent almost 30 years in North America in various academic roles, finishing as the Professor and Chairperson in the Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences at Michigan State University.

Professor Geor graduated from Massey with a Bachelor of Veterinary Sciences in 1983, and went on to complete a large animal internship at Murdoch University Veterinary School in Perth, Australia. After two years in veterinary practice in New Zealand, Professor Geor headed to North America to take up a residency in Large Animal Internal Medicine, followed by a Master of Veterinary Sciences from the University of Saskatchewan and a PhD in Physiology from The Ohio State University.

Professor Geor also has advanced training and board certification in three disciplines administered by the American Board of Veterinary Specialties: large animal internal medicine, nutrition, and equine sports medicine and rehabilitation.

At Massey, Professor Geor has been focused on supporting the sciences to enable enhanced teaching, research and sustainability. A supporter of a balanced agricultural and food production system, Professor Geor championed pastoral and environmental research at Massey by creating the Schools of Agriculture & Environment and Veterinary Science respectively in 2017. The desire to enhance Massey’s strength in these areas, alongside our key discipline of Food Technology, has ensured the university meets the changing needs of the primary and food industries. This includes the launching of the only Animal Science degree in New Zealand in 2019, the Feast laboratory founded in 2018 and chairing the Governance Boards of both the Massey National Fieldays and New Zealand Food Awards since 2020. Professor Geor also sits on the board of Food HQ and the MacDiarmid Institute (a Centre of Research Excellence).

Professor Geor also launched the School of Built Environment in 2019 to ensure the construction sector was supplied with its future leaders. He has a focus on strengthening both domestic and international collaborative partnerships across the world, in areas such as Asia, (in particular China and Singapore), Europe and the United States. One of these partnerships with Hebei University of Technology (HEBUT) in China is a key teaching partnership within Information Sciences.

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the PVC Sciences
  • New Zealand Institute for Advanced Study
  • School of Agriculture and Environment
  • School of Built Environment
  • School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences
  • School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences
  • School of Veterinary Science
  • Massey Agriculture and Horticulture Enterprises (Massey Farms)

Email r.geor@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 6 951 7986

Pro Vice-Chancellor: Massey Business School

Responsible for overseeing the Massey Business School.

Professor Jonathan Elms

Professor Jonathan Elms

BSc (Hons), MSc, PhD

Professor Jonathan Elms is the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Massey Business School. Previously, he was the Director of Research for the Massey Business School and the Sir Stephen Tindall Chair Professor in Retail Management.

Professor Elms is of English and Danish descent, and grew up in the north of England. He was the first person in his family to attend university, and graduated with a BSc (Hons) in Marketing, a MSc in Management, and a PhD in Marketing from Lancaster University, United Kingdom. During his Masters he spent time studying at Copenhagen Business School. He joined the Institute for Retail Studies at the University of Stirling in the mid-2000s, and joined Massey in December 2014. Professor Elms has also taught and researched in Singapore, Canada, and Austria. He is an award winning educator and researcher, and is a well-demanded speaker at both national and international forums.

Professor Elms is recognised internationally for his research focusing on sociological and geographical informed approaches to retail markets and marketplace behaviours. Central to his research is an understanding of consumer experience and shopping practices in relation to technology (such as the internet, AI, VR and self-service operations) and retail design (primarily store brands), as well as the changing nature of retail markets and their implications for the choices of different consumer groups (for example, consumers with disabilities, and older shoppers).

Responsibilities:

  • Office of the PVC Business
  • Massey Executive Development
  • School of Accountancy
  • School of Aviation
  • School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing
  • School of Economics and Finance
  • School of Management

Email j.r.elms@massey.ac.nz

Phone +64 9 213 6323

Officers of the university

Our Officers are able to authorise decisions for or on behalf of the university.

Chancellor

Alistair Davis

Pro Chancellor

Angela Hauk-Willis

Vice-Chancellor

Professor Jan Thomas

Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Students and Global Engagement

Tere McGonagle-Daly

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