Board Members

Professor Tony Parker is the Head of Massey University's Institute of Design for Industry and Environment. His academic and professional career spans over 20 years. A graduate of the Royal College of Art (London) his portfolio includes award-winning products designed for international markets. He has practised with leading industrial design consultants in London, (UK), Seymour Powell, Satherley Design and LA (London Associates UK). In his academic role Tony has championed and encouraged staff and students to pursue excellence in design and research that is recognised, acknowledged and respected internationally.

I am a Design Director of Creative Spaces and lead our Interiors team. I have been involved professionally in spatial design for over 15 years, and my academic and working career has included time in the US, UK and Pacific. I work predominantly in the commercial office interior and commercial architecture fields. I also assist design education providers where I can, as we ultimately get the benefit of the graduates they produce. 

My passion is the development of unique contemporary New Zealand spatial design/ architecture that is a true reflection of the people and cultures that make up our nation. As a member of the DINZ Council, I can contribute my own experience of managing a commercial design practice, my passion for cultural expression in design and my interest in the education and career development of young designers 

Vee graduated with a  Business Degree and Diploma in Spatial Design in 1997. This was followed with work/study experience in the United States within an architectural practice specialising in retail design.

In 1998 Vee immigrated to New Zealand and worked within architectural practices delivering the design of retail and commercial interiors prior to setting up Space Studio in 2004. With a desire to focus solely on interior design, Vee set up the design studio as an interiors specialist practice with specialist experience in the design of Retail, Workplace and Hospitality design.

With 20 years of design experience in New Zealand,  the studio has grown to 12 in total and has delivered interiors in its areas of specialty for projects within New Zealand, Australia, the Pacific and The United Arab Emirates. In leading the practice Vee is committed to ensuring the delivery of exceptional deign that meets the clients brief while providing added value in terms of design knowledge and documentation capability , quality documentation,  and impartial project management.

Vee and the studio are  focussed on delivering design to an international standard. We constantly seek to improve our knowledge and design capability through ongoing professional development, attendance at conferences, travel for research  and accessing worldwide media to  understand and view international design trends and outcomes.

We work closely with larger consultant teams on large projects and integrate within the design team as a whole to deliver cohesive architecture and interiors.

Bachelor of Business Studies, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Diploma Interior Design, Whitecliffe, Cape Town
Diploma Spatial Design, Design Institute of San Diego

Arch MacDonnell is the creative director of Inhouse, an award-winning Auckland based design studio established with his partner Jane in 1995.

A graduate of Swinburne University (Melbourne), his work spans both the corporate and arts sectors with a particular interest in arts publishing. He has collaborated with many of New Zealand's leading contemporary artists, curators and galleries to create a body of work that is as diverse as it is consistent: at its core are the same attention to details and craftmanship.

Curiously strong mints make him sneeze.

Blythe Rees-Jones is an Industrial Designer focused on integrating applied research and sustainable design
methodologies within the development of new products, services and product service systems. His research and
development work is targeted towards delivering new creative insights, greater market opportunities, and product/service
leadership to clients through effective application of design.

Blythe’s capabilities encompass skills in many disciplines from Consumer Product,Outdoor Apparel and Sporting Equipment Design, Medical and Healthcare, to Furniture, Interior and Textile Design.

Head of Department, Product Design, AUT University

Andrew has a MFA in Industrial Design from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign, USA and has worked in both the United States and New Zealand as an industrial/ product designer. Prior to coming to AUT, Andrew was the Programme Director of the Bachelor of Product Design at Unitec, New Zealand. Andrew has received a number of professional and teaching awards and his students have been recognised many times.

Andrew has a strong interest in linking design and business, in particular using Design Thinking tools, methods and processes across both disciplines. He is currently undertaking a PhD focusing on developing and evaluating Design Thinking resources to support student and professional learning.

Co-founder of Sons & Co

Christchurch

Cathy Veninga has had a lifetime commitment to the design profession both as a practising designer and as a strong advocate for design, designers and their national institute. 

While practising spatial design for many years, Cathy had work published in both New Zealand and international publications. She has also contributed articles to  magazines as well as maintaining a very close working relationship with the local design media which she recognises as critical to effective design communications.  

Over the last ten years Cathy’s commitment to raising design standards and expanding recognition of the place of designers and their work has seen her play  strong judging and management roles in the development of design award programmes; especially the Designers Institute of New Zealand’s highly-regarded BeST Design Awards.       

Since joining the Designers Institute in 1992, Cathy has progressively developed an ever-growing role in Institute affairs playing her part on the committee handling professional design issues, as design sector representative, councillor and then in 2003/04 as President. The latter post she relinquished in 2004 to become the first full time CEO of the organisation; a very significant development for the growth of New Zealand design.  

In this position Cathy has gained recognition for the Institute at many levels of national and local government as well as interfacing with design educators, significantly enhancing relationships with other international design organisations, extending the Institute’s scope to become a fully national body and greatly increasing member services.     

In 2007 Cathy was elected a Fellow of the Institute.     

Professional experience: 

• 15-year career as interior designer operating own design consultancy
• Imported and retailed French antiques·         
• Design work published nationally and internationally
• Contributed articles to national magazines

 Roles in national design awards: 

• 2001 – Judge for spatial design sector of New Zealand’s BeST Design Awards
• 2003- 2005 – Overall running of the BeST Design Awards
• Helped launch the Design in Business Awards
• Currently maintains hands-on direction of BeST Design Awards programme

Extensive contribution to the Designers Institute: 

• 1992 – Joined the Designers Institute
• 1992-1997 – On committee handling professional design issues & running design events
• 1998 – Elected to the Designers Institute Council as spatial representative
• 1999 – awarded a Citation for contribution to the Designers Institute
• 2002 – After a break rejoined Council as Vice President
• 2003-2004 – Elected first female President of the Designers Institute
• 2004 – Appointed to current role as Designers Institute CEO responsible for running the New Zealand’s 1000 strong professional organisation with very broad responsibilities including growing the Institute, generating funding, increasing membership, advancing broader recognition of design, interfacing with many national organisations, enhancing relationships with the business community as well as developing a wide range of programmes.   
• 2007 made a Fellow of the Designers Institute

International relationships with: 

• DIA
• ICOGRADA
• ICSID
• AGDA
• D&AD
• 2006 – Attended Hong Kong International Networking Roundtable 

Key national liaison roles on behalf of the Designers Institute: 

• Better by Design programme of NZ Trade and Enterprise
• Department of Building and Housing
• Ministry for the Environment
• Ministry for Economic Development

Advisory Board roles: 

• Otago Institute of Design
• Waikato Polytechnic
• Unitec
• Innovationz
• International Advisory Committee of WDC Seoul 2010

Catriona has spent time working as a Chartered Accountant in Geneva, Switzerland and has been a specialist financial presenter for the New Zealand Government's Enterprise Training Programme for the last five years and a facilitator for Advanced Business Education Limited for the last 11 years. 

Catriona acts as Treasurer for the Designers Institute of New Zealand and has extensive experience in the creative, property and agriculture sectors.  She is also a featured writer for NZBusiness magazine.