
About
The Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women creates relevant, purposeful and impactful research that focuses on enterprising women, gender and entrepreneurship. Through our research and education, we seek to unlock the entrepreneurial potential of women and develop the next generation of entrepreneurship scholars.
Our people

Professor Chris Woods
Director / Theresa Gattung Chair in Women in Entrepreneurship
Research themes:
- Entrepreneurship education: girls and women
- Ngā wāhine kaipakihi – Māori women in enterprise
- Enterprising women in small and medium enterprises/family businesses

Dr Janine Swail
Deputy Director / Senior lecturer and researcher
Research themes:
- Enterprising women and entrepreneurial finance

Theresa Gattung CNZM
Funder, Aotearoa Centre for Enterprising Women

Professor Anne de Bruin
Researcher
Research themes:
- Gender and social entrepreneurship

Dr Billie Lythberg
Senior lecturer and researcher
Research themes:
- Ngā wāhine kaipakihi – Māori women in enterprise

Dr Kiri Dell
Deputy Director / Senior lecturer and researcher
Research themes:
- Ngā wāhine kaipakihi – Māori women in enterprise

Dr Persephone de Magdalene
Post doctoral research fellow
Research themes:
- Gender and social entrepreneurship
- Entrepreneurship education: girls and women

Dr Susan Nemec
Research assistant
Research themes:
- Enterprising women in small and medium enterprises/family businesses

Dr Michelle Kilkolly-Proffit
Professional teaching fellow and researcher
Research themes:
- Enterprising women in small and medium enterprises/family businesses

Dr Deb Shepherd
Researcher
Research themes:
- Enterprising women in small and medium enterprises/family businesses

Claire Ryan
Master of Commerce student (Global Management and Innovation)
Research themes:
- Ngā wāhine kaipakihi – Māori women in enterprise

Lois Gregory
Master of Bioscience Enterprise student
Research themes:
- Enterprising women and entrepreneurial finance
We would like to acknowledge the generous research funding provided by the Chau Hoi Shuen Foundation.
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