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Our Committee
Nigel Costley
President
Nigel is a retired nurse, journalist, and beekeeping tutor. He says Nelson has always had a reverence for science and learning baked into the character of its citizens and history. After all, it’s the birthplace of Sir Ernest Rutherford. Nigel sees a continuing role for the Nelson Institute as a community-based enterprise fostering the cultural life of our city.
Lesley Kuykendall
Treasurer
Lesley started her working life as a geologist in the outback of Western Australia. After that she lived in California for about 40 years with a short stint back in NZ in the late 70’s where her two children were born. In California she reinvented herself as a Special Education teacher and taught for about 20 years. After retirement she returned to NZ to live in Nelson.
Paul Lunberg
Committee Member
His father was in the Royal Navy, so he lived around the world while growing up. He gained a Maths degree from Liverpool University, then worked in mines in Zambia and Western Australia before settling in Nelson in 1974 and becoming a secondary school teacher.
Paul Bieleski
Author of the Nelson Institute Review
Paul obtained a degree in Chemical Engineering. His overseas experience led him to change to computing, working for IBM for 15 years and then teaching computer science. As a student again, he did some university units in economics. Then in 1996 he formed the Anti Economist League writing newsletters and letters to the editor of newspapers. He has been producing the Nelson Institute Review since 2002.
Alec Woods
Committee Member
Alec grew up in Nelson, then shifted to Auckland to study Asian and Pacific history at the University of Auckland. He began his working life as a secondary school teacher before moving over to the fishing industry in a risk management and technical quality role. In recent years he has focused on training, advice and consultancy, with a particular interest in the fisheries of Asian and Pacific nations. Along the way he has also found time to become involved with gold mining, oil exploration and the preservation of old wooden buildings.