Manager Heritage Assets Central
Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga | Central Regional Office

Paulette came to Museum and Heritage studies in 2006 after completing a BA (Hons) in history from the University of Otago. Paulette had been working part-time as a visitor host, guide and volunteer at toitū Otago Settlers Museum and the Dunedin Public Art Gallery. Work placements with the New Zealand Historic Places Trust (now Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga) national policy team; the Department of Conservation Te Papa Atawhai World Heritage Team, and conservation architect, Chris Cochran, steered Paulette towards a focus outside the museum, and into the field of heritage management, assessments and conservation plans.

Paulette's dissertation - "A Fraction Too Much Friction: Contested Heritage and the Whiteley Memorial" focussed on a site of conflict due to multiple layers of heritage values. After completing her MMHS at the start of 2008, Paulette worked for a short period at Opus International Consultants as a heritage consultant, before moving to the Department of Conservation (DOC). Paulette's role at DOC allowed her to work on a wide variety of projects which involved maintaining and promoting historic heritage in and around Wellington city. It was during her time at DOC that Paulette became interested in the idea of further study. She was granted a full scholarship to undertake a PhD at Deakin University in Melbourne in 2011. Her thesis "Approaching cultural landscapes in post-settler societies: ideas, policies, practices" examined how the concept of 'cultural landscape' was being used as a tool for heritage management in protected areas in New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.

In April 2015, Paulette was the first person appointed to the position of Executive Officer for Australian Convict Sites, based at Port Arthur in Tasmania. She worked to promote the 11 Australian convict sites, which were inscribed on the World Heritage List as one serial property in 2010 - the 11 sites are located across Tasmania, New South Wales, Western Australia and Norfolk Island.

Paulette has returned to New Zealand to take up the position of Manager, Heritage Assets, in the Central Regional Office of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga