About us
Karen Vaughan
Director
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Education
Postgraduate Diploma in Business
Accredited Mediator
Accredited Family Dispute Resolution Provider
Cert. Te Reo Māori me ngā Tikanga
For more than 25 years, I have explored how people, organisations and systems learn and change. Working across education, workforce development, governance and organisational improvement, I've focused on understanding what helps people make sense of complex issues, translate evidence into practice, and strengthen the systems that support learning and development.
My former roles include Director on the Board of the Open Polytechnic, Head of Stakeholder Relations at the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, and Chief Researcher at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, where I led multi-year research projects in real-world settings and chaired the Ethics Committee.
My research and publications have informed significant education and workforce initiatives, including Vocational Pathways, Women in Trades, Engineering Education to Employment, the Review of NCEA, Career Information Advice and Guidance, and industry training. I have written more than 50 guides, reports, peer -reviewed articles and book chapters on vocational education, apprenticeship, career development and the future of work.
I have advised government agencies, professional associations and international workforce and career development organisations. Most recently I served on the Board of Work-Integrated Learning New Zealand and the Competence Authority of the Teaching Council. I currently serve on the Council of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists.
Connecting research, practice and people is the consistent theme in my work. I help individuals and organisations understand complex issues, work constructively with different perspectives and develop approaches that are practical, evidence-informed and sustainable.
Through Hummingbird Effect, I provide education strategy, systems design, facilitation and mediation services for individuals, teams, boards and organisations.
Andrew Kear
Director
For more than 30 years, I have worked at the intersection of vocational education, workforce development, industrial relations and organisational capability. My work has focused on designing practical systems that help people learn, develop skills and have their achievements recognised.
I was the Post Primary Teachers’ Association's Lead Advocate for more than ten years and later managed NZQA’s relationships with schools and communities during the implementation of NCEA.
As General Manager at the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO), I led the development of its workplace-based assessment system, which was subsequently adopted by other industry organisations. I established a national community of practice of more than 200 assessors and moderators, led capability-building initiatives across the sector, and co-authored the learning resources used by more than 30,000 carpentry apprentices.
As National Operations Manager at the former Department of Labour, I established systems to strengthen certification and capability within the Health and Safety Inspectorate, and advised government agencies on workforce, education and regulatory issues.
Throughout my career, I have been interested in the gap between policy and practice. Too often, systems intended to support learning, productivity and professional development become unnecessarily complex. My focus has been on creating practical, workable solutions that support both organisations and the people within them. A background in industrial relations dispute resolution has reinforced my belief that durable solutions are possible when different interests and perspectives are understood and addressed.