INGRID VAN AMSTERDAM
Author/Editor/Creative
Ingrid arrived in New Zealand in 1988 from the Netherlands for family reasons. Embracing all ethnicities and cultures, she has an interest in the arts, culture, and humanity as a whole.
In the capacity of business owner/director/author/editor and former TMEC executive, representative and ethnic women’s delegate she attended events at New Zealand Parliament and the New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils in support of Ethnic Communities.
In May 2023 Ingrid was invited to the Maldives and attended the T4P (Together for Peace) Media Awards there, organised by ABU (Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union) and UNESCO; the two-day 7th ABU Media Summit on climate action and disaster prevention; and a one-day workshop on Safe and Effective Journalism Reporting on Environmental Crimes as the result of her work done for BiograView on transformative education – an opportunity to join high-level discussions and meet and exchange ideas with political leaders, representatives of UN agencies and NGOs, climate change and disaster management experts, scientists, and media from around the world.
Author of Buying property in New Zealand, Homelands then & now, and The Death and Birth of My Mother and I, she also wrote BiograView’s kōrero – from the editor, and quiz.
Many thanks to our multicultural team of journalists/contributors from around New Zealand for sharing indigenous cultures, our heritage, and cultures new to us, enabling greater understanding and respect toward one another.
Ingrid
PHILIPPA HADLOW
Writer/Editor
Philippa Hadlow loves how the written word tells stories and evokes images. She delves into such diverse topics as architecture, the arts, and business. She relays the narratives of migrants as they cross unknown borders to embrace new lives. Much of Philippa’s personal time is spent tending a plethora of pets; some have since become famous on the pages of BiograView! Reading is a passion, too, so keep an eye out for her insightful book reviews.
Topics: Animals – Architecture/History/Archaeology – Art, Culture & Philosophy – Economy/Business – Fashion – People in the spotlight
JENNIFER LITTLE
Media/Communications/Writer
Jennifer’s writing career spans news journalism, and feature writing on arts, culture and travel – from Fiji to France. She has produced articles about humanitarian issues and humanities education as a media/communications professional in the tertiary sector. Jennifer also writes short fiction and has published a children’s sci-fi novel. She’s a passionate supporter of the arts, particularly in her hometown of New Plymouth, where she’s part of a team which runs regular Latin dance workshops and social events.
Topics: Music – People – Politics – Religion & Spirituality – Theatre/Dance/Entertainment
PAOLA ALVAREZ
Reporter
Paola is a qualified Chilean journalist with experience in live TV and radio reporting and a background in hairdressing and barbering. With Spanish as her mother tongue, love of travel, hairdressing and wanting to learn the English language led Paola to travel around the world for a number of years. Beautiful on the inside and out, Paola currently resides in New Zealand. Her main focus areas are music, concerts, community events, festivals, markets and more.
CHARLOTTE GIBLIN
Cartoonist
Charlotte Giblin is a full-time artist and art tutor living in New Plymouth. She has worked professionally in the visual arts for almost 25 years. Charlotte’s rich tapestry of experience as business owner, gallery director and arts administrator, art tutor, author, potter, painter and illustrator has woven together her passions to become the full time contemporary fine artist, art tutor and creative mentor she is today. We are delighted to share with you Charlotte’s monthly cartoons, especially created for BiograView!
EDNA HELED
Writer
Edna Heled is an artist; art therapist with an MA in Art Therapy; counsellor with a HONS Degree in Psychology; and journalist living in Auckland. With a passion for travelling, arts and mental health, her writing includes short stories, poetry, travel writing and non-fiction which, amongst other publications, have been featured in the New Zealand Herald, Short and Twisted, Flash Frontier, Fresh Ink, Backstory Australia, Landing Press, and the Poetry New Zealand Yearbook 2021.
FAIZAL KAMSAN
Writer
A Singapore born travelling chef who landed in the ‘Naki late 2019, Faizal, also known as Fiaz, has been calling Taranaki ‘home’ ever since. Cooking brought him to places and countries – experiencing dishes he could only imagine – making him always inquisitive of what is one’s comfort food. When Faizal is not behind the stove, you can find him in the gym; taking pictures of nature; or in his secret lab, creating or refining something new.
Topics: Food/Recipes/Cooking
AMOKURA PANOHO
Writer
With maternal tribal links to Te Atiawa, Taranaki, Ngāruahine Amokura regularly commutes from Auckland to Taranaki as a board member of Te Kotahitanga o Te Atiawa Trust. Her background is in Māori business and enterprise. However, she was also the inaugural chairperson for Shakti Asian Women’s Support Group, where she championed their registration to the National Women’s Refuge Collective. Amokura is able to share an indigenous view of Aotearoa for a broader audience.
Topics: Māori Culture
CHRIS PIDGEON
Writer
Chris is a passionate young writer from Whangarei, now living and studying in Auckland. Music, language, and cinema are just some of his interests. His education in both computer science and English gives him the confidence and knowledge to tell stories of our culture and our history, backed up by solid research. With a thoughtful and crafted approach to writing, he is very excited to be working with Biograview.
Topics: Science & Technology
ASSOC. PROF. GINA SALAPATA
Proverbs from around the world
Born and raised in Greece, and after having spent a decade in the US, Gina moved to New Zealand in 1995. Her interest in other cultures led her to explore the potential of proverbs to create cosmopolitan bridges and celebrate multiculturalism. The kitchen is one of Gina’s happy places where she loves experimenting with flavours from around the world. She also runs a Greek dancing group to counteract nostalgia for her home country.
KATIE STONE
Writer
Katie grew up in the Waikato and always thought she’d become the next Enid Blyton. Although yet to produce a novel, she has spent much of her life studying, travelling, and freelancing. Katie has traipsed through five continents and lived in Ireland, China, India, Vietnam, Thailand, and Taiwan. She is also a devoted runner and spends most of her spare time pounding the pavement around Auckland. We are delighted to have had Katie – a qualified naturopath and journalist – bringing her passion for people and plants to BiograView.
Topics: Health & wellness – Travel
ALINA SUCHANSKI
Writer
Alina Suchanski was born in Poland and came to New Zealand in 1982. She lives in Te Anau, Fiordland, dividing her time between growing blueberries, teaching yoga and writing. Passionate about protecting the environment, health and fitness, Alina loves music and has an interest in languages. Her hobbies include exploring the beautiful place she lives in on foot, by bike or in a kayak. Alina is excited to write about things she loves including conservation, nature, heritage, outdoor activities and most of all, people.
Topics: Environment/Conservation – Gardening practices in different countries – Heritage – Outdoor activities – People in the spotlight
HAYLEY WHITE
Writer
Hayley White is a young Pākeha Māori woman from Auckland, New Zealand. Her dream to tell people’s stories – the stories that need to be told and heard – grew into a passion for youth, Te Ao Māori, and sexuality: some of the topics Hayley has the pleasure of writing about for BiograView. We love her enthusiasm!
Topics: Astrology around the world – Fashion – Gardening practices/flowers around the world – Māori identity – Music – Sexuality in different cultures – Youth
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