Unitec’s Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab make key appointments to continue rapid growth
Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab by Unitec have expanded the depth and breadth of their team with three key additions.
Louise Webster, Craig Hilton and Lorraine Guerin will help to deliver new initiatives including 'Driving Innovation' (as an Approved Supplier of Callaghan Innovation) and an agritech focus added to the Tech Futures Lab Master of Applied Practice (Technological Futures).
Louise Webster will join Tech Futures Lab as general manager next month, providing maternity cover for Sarah Hindle.
Craig Hilton works across both organisations as national academic director, and Lorraine Guerin has joined as national operations and projects manager across both organisations.
Collectively Webster, Hilton and Guerin have decades of experience in education, digital transformation and innovation.
Webster brings more than 14 years' experience in strategic planning, market and channel development, as well as people management.
As founder and CEO of the NZ Innovation Council, Webster is embedded in New Zealand's innovation ecosystem and grew that organisation to more than 4,000 members, as well as an interactive network that now reaches over 3.4 million people in New Zealand and beyond every year.
Webster says, "I am excited about helping to build the Tech Futures Lab community and work with the team to help business leaders apply innovation and technology to grow and develop their business models, processes and business culture.
Joining from Unitec Institute of Technology, Hilton brings a variety of skills to the table as an educator, scientist and artist.
He holds a PhD in genetics and biochemistry and an MFA at the Elam School of Fine Arts.
He has worked in arts, biochemistry, higher education and technology and has held roles in academic institutions in New Zealand and the United States.
On his new role, Hilton says, "It is an immense privilege to work alongside an incredible team. We need to have robust discussions about technology in the context of our changing world. Tech Futures Lab is a great environment for these kinds of debates.
Guerin is responsible for managing key projects across both The Mind Lab and Tech Futures Lab, including building and updating digital assets and setting up new programmes.
Guerin will also assist both general managers with overall operations and anything else the team needs.
Guerin began her career in digital publishing and has held various project management roles.
She joins from Saatchi - Saatchi, where she managed a team of digital experts.
Guerin holds a Bachelor of Computing - Mathematical Sciences from the University of Waikato.
"When I saw what The Mind Lab was doing to educate teachers and kids, and Tech Futures Lab with businesses and individuals, I knew I had to get involved," Guerin says.
In addition to these appointments, last month Sarah Hindle, Tech Futures lab general manager, was appointed to the NZTech board representing SME Businesses.
Hindle will provide insight into how small to medium businesses in New Zealand are responding to the challenge and opportunity of digital disruption.
She aspires to bring a focus to agritech and the future of food in New Zealand.
Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab by Unitec have grown steadily over the past year, developing forward-thinking programmes and impacting the lives of people around the country – both educators, students and business people striving to be innovative in our fast-paced world.
