Heart of the City - Auckland CBD

We’re a small and focused team with big aspirations for Auckland’s city centre. Find out more about each of us and what we bring to Heart of the City.

Steve Armitage - Interim Chief Executive

Steve leads Heart of the City, which champions a successful city centre economy with a vibrant and thriving heart.

Kate Cleaver - Head of Marketing

Kate is our destination marketing and events lead, managing strategy and partnerships and overseeing our campaigns and agency relationships.

Kate’s favourite thing about the city centre is that it is many things: vibe, architecture, trees against heritage buildings, festivals (Auckland Writers Festival and NZ International Film Festival are at the top of her list), cafés, restaurants, laneway bars… She could continue for days.

Natalie Cyra - Digital Marketing Specialist

Natalie looks after heartofthecity.co.nz and our destination marketing-focused social media, ensuring our content reaches our intended audience through search and advertising. 

Natalie loves wandering the lanes and side streets of the city centre and exploring all the charming eateries. "There’s always something with every turn of a corner which means no lunch break is ever the same!"

Micaela Daniel - Head of Operations

Micaela leads our operations, which includes organisational planning, delivering strategic projects, and optimising internal processes so we can all do our best work.

The theatres of the city centre are her turangawaewae, and she also loves the buskers, hare krishnas and other performers who give the streets a sense of variety. Her inside scoop on the city is that we have a huge variety of books and fashion boutiques - second hand, top of the range and unique one of a kind.

Rebecca Gaskin -Events and Sponsorship Specialist

Rebecca supports the delivery of several great events that take place in the city centre such as Artweek and Restaurant Month. She also assists with sponsorship of activations and events that bring people to the heart of the city.

Rebecca’s favorite thing about the city centre is that there is always something to see, do, eat, drink, shop, and experience. From shows at the Civic, shopping on High Street and trying out a new place in Harbour Eats, she loves how each day offers her something new to try.

Tansy Geary - Executive Assistant to CEO/Office Manager

Tansy works closely with Viv and organises meetings and minutes for our Executive Committee and AGM. She keeps our office running smoothly and is the first point of contact for accounts.

She’s inspired by the city’s buskers and arts and culture and finds a balance between Little and Friday’s must-try doughnuts from Eight Thirty on High Street and the scenic run from Britomart to the harbour bridge – perfect for sunrise photos en route.

Membership and City Management Specialist

We are currently recruiting for this role. 

Emma Jones - Marketing Manager

Emma manages our destination marketing campaigns and oversees our always on activity and projects for heartofthecity.co.nz and social media.

Her favourite thing about the city centre is the sense of discovery. "Working here, there’s always a new lunch spot to try – though it’s hard to go past Chuffed’s chicken toasted sandwich - or some cheeky shopping to do on your lunchbreak.”

Tania Loveridge - Head of Advocacy and Engagement 

Tania leads our advocacy and engagement programme to ensure what’s happening in the city centre will deliver good outcomes for business, as well as delivering special projects.

She loves how quickly she can get around the city on her e-bike or by foot, as well as the buzz from people talking about how much they love the city and its ongoing evolution. 

Erin Marander-Higgins - Social Media, EDM & Content Specialist 

Erin is the eyes and ears of the city centre, proactively seeking out new news and events to share with our audiences across our social channels and in our weekly newsletters. She helps run our destination marketing campaigns and contributes to projects and content for heartofthecity.co.nz.

Erin loves that the city centre can be experienced in so many ways. It’s not just shopping; there are adventure activities, interesting laneways and green spaces to relax in.

 

Maggie O’Halloran - Marketing Executive 

Maggie is the second set of eyes and ears for the city centre. She supports the marketing team to ensure audiences are up to speed on all they need to know about the heart of the city. For Maggie, the city's biggest drawcard is its diversity from cheap eats to fine dining, second hand shopping to designer brands, comedy to opera, there really is something for everyone.
 

Kate Powell - Communications Specialist

Kate helps spread the word about important city centre news and developments. She works to keep our members, city stakeholders and wider public ahead of the curve via hotcity.co.nz, social media and newsletters. Highlighting how city-centre businesses and their people are at the forefront of the changing city is at the heart of everything Kate does.

She loves exploring the city centre by foot and discovering previously hidden gems. As someone with an eclectic taste in food, fashion, art and culture, Kate is invigorated by the breadth of what is on offer in the heart of the city- there is always something to match her mood.

Jane Stewart - Events and Sponsorship Manager

Jane heads up our events and sponsorships, delivering Heart of the City events like American Express Restaurant Month and managing sponsorships and in-kind support for events in the city centre.

She loves how the city centre is full of new things and surprises and on the other hand it feels like home. Her insiders’ tip is to take to the streets on foot. “You see, discover and feel so much more”.

Erin Taylor - Advisor - Projects

Erin works on a range of Heart of the City projects that support businesses and a successful city centre environment. She is also involved in our advocacy work via submissions and research. 

Erin is an avid development follower and enjoys keeping tabs on the latest public spaces, tower buildings and murals around town. Her current favourite is Te Wānanga for its playful kupenga nets and harbour views.