Key Staff

Our multi faceted team works closely together to provide products that are both visually appealing and technically sound. We maintain our own server farm, on a high speed connection to the Internet, which we use for prototyping, database development and client hosting.

Rachel Hamilton-Williams, General Manager (Webmistress)

Working in the design industry for 8 years, switching from print work to the World Wide Web in 1995. Experienced in web/print integration, corporate style application, HTML mark-up and design, HTML automation and client training. Rachel has a degree in Sociology from Massey University. Her primary role is to apply her considerable knowledge of the web to solving your problems. She is an excellent innovator and ideas generator, with in-depth knowledge of site architecture and design.

Simon Blake, Acting General Manager/Technical Manager

After completing his degree, BSc in Computer Science from Massey University, Simon was Internet System administrator for 6 years, with DSIR, Hort+Research, National Library and Globe.Net Internet Service Provider. Experienced in all aspects of Internet connectivity, administration and support, Simon is our best advisor on technical matters, he can provide system analysis, database design, and network support including setting up server(s) and client machines.

Dean Elliott, Account Manager/Developer

An escapee from mother England, Dean has a BA in Social Science from the University of East London and a PGCE teaching diploma from Goldsmiths University. Dean is responsible for project and account management, as well as web development.

Angela Goose, Client Support, Web Developer

Angela has worked with Katipo since its beginning, providing sound HTML production skills. She is our primary contact for clients once a major project has completed. She is responsible for much of our site maintenance work, quickly and efficiently updating content when you need an extra hand, and offering extra training and even onsite help when staff changes occur. Angela has a BSc (Hons) from London University.

Robert Lyon, Web Developer/Programmer

Robert is another Massey graduate, with a BA in psychology and history. He has been a secondary school teacher, and freelance web developer before coming to Katipo. Robert enjoys coding a website from scratch, and watching it grow.

Philip Plane, System Administrator

When we can get him down from thermals around Omarama, and out of his glider, Philip looks after the Katipo server farm. He works part time over summer, but is on deck full time during the winter for project work. Philip is vastly over qualified for the job, but as an escapee from the corporate world (Datacraft, Duty Free Shoppers) he takes full advantage of Katipo's flexible working environment to indulge in his passion for gliding. Checkout www.southernsoaring.co.nz.

Peter Sundstrom, System Administrator

Peter has been in the IT industry for over 20 years, and never grown a beard. Originally from Australia, Peter now lives in the deep south (Arrowtown). He has many years experience in Unix/Linux engineering, systems integration, firewall/security services, capacity planning, systems monitoring, Perl software development and technical documentation.

Mason James, Programmer/ System Administrator

Mason has a Bachelor of Applied Information Systems from Taranaki Polytechnic. He enjoys working on open source software. He has a wide range of experience with Linux & UNIX systems.

Rebecca Holden - Graphic Designer

Rebecca came to Katipo in 2000 after some time freelancing in the corporate sector. Rebecca has a BDes in Visual Communications Design from Victoria University and has many years experience in graphic design for print and web.

Walter McGinnis, Programmer/System Administrator

Walter hails from the US.  He cut his teeth programming at ArsDigita  in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Berkeley, California during the  dotcom boom.  He escaped the bust by moving into contracting based on  OpenACS, an open source web toolkit on top of the Oracle and  PostgreSQL databases, for the likes of Granta, The New York Review of  Books, MIT's Sloan School of Business, Project for Public Spaces, and  the US Federal Highway Administration.  He's happy to escape, yet  again, to a new life in New Zealand working for Katipo.

James Stradling, Developer

James is an avid programmer who brings further Ruby on Rails expertise to the Kete team at Katipo. Recently shifted from a Wellington based company where he was developing custom Ruby on Rails based intranet systems, James has experience helping small businesses and organisations make the most of open source software.

Kieran Pilkington, (Junior) Developer

Kieran is a keen programmer, with several years of independent programming experience using PHP and MySQL. After developing an interest in Ruby on Rails, he joined the Katipo team as a Junior Rails developer, fresh out of Natcoll Design Technology with a Diploma in Web Development. Kieran looks forward to expanding his knowledge of the Rails framework.