This year, we celebrate a significant milestone for Leigh Rout, our Human Resources Manager, and Alison Barnett, our Northern Regional Manager, as they reach ten years with NZMS! To commemorate this occasion, we interviewed Leigh and Alison to explore their experiences, motivations, challenges, and achievements over the past decade.
Starting Their Journeys
What motivated you to join NZMS?
Leigh’s journey began with a strong passion for connecting people and fostering business growth. Initially joining NZMS as the Southern Regional Manager, she later transitioned to the Human Resources role in 2019 to support the wider team’s aspirations and professional development.
“Someone with a connection to NZMS referred me, believing the role would suit me well. They understood my professional motivation to connect people and grow a business, and thought I’d be a good fit, even though I didn’t have experience in the GLAMIR sector. I started as the Southern Regional Manager, a position I held for five and a half years before moving to my current role as Human Resources Manager in 2019. Moving into this sector was a challenge for me. While I had business experience in different fields, it took time to understand this industry. What I respect most is the great support I received from all my connections, both internally and externally, while I was learning the ropes.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
Alison’s path to NZMS was influenced by her academic background and research in Museums and Cultural Heritage at the University of Auckland. Her studies and subsequent interest in the relationships between settler museums and tangata whenua inspired her to pursue a role at NZMS.
“I started working at NZMS soon after completing a Master of Arts degree in Museums and Cultural Heritage at the University of Auckland. The degree was intended as a way to upskill in a field I loved, and I viewed it as a commitment to my career path after about 8 years in the gallery and museum sector, including 4 years at Auckland Museum managing the Auckland Museum Institute. My Master’s thesis focused on the history of three regional museums in the same district, exploring how and why they were established and how they subsequently developed.
“A key theme of my research was examining the relationship of these settler museums with tangata whenua. I interviewed museum founders, volunteers, visitors, managers, and local iwi representatives. I poured over museum archives, photographing every page of their foundational minute books to analyse at home later. I learned the importance of primary research material first-hand, discovering how different versions of history can become entrenched as I read behind-closed-doors accounts of the turmoil behind museum displays.
“It was striking to see the processes behind the development of local history displays, including repeated contemporary culture clashes when these groups attempted to locate and consult appropriately with local iwi representatives. This experience was seminal for many reasons and highlighted the value of preserving and sharing archival records.
“So, this was the background to my decision to respond to the Northern Regional Manager job ad. NZMS seemed to offer an opportunity to work across the entire GLAMIR sector, helping a range of fascinating organisations preserve and share the country’s archival record.”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
A Decade of Growth and Change
How have your goals evolved over the last 10 years at NZMS?
Initially focused on creating revenue for the Southern region, Leigh’s goals have now shifted towards enhancing team support and facilitating professional growth in her role as Human Resources Manager.
“When I first started with the company, my goal was to increase revenue and grow the team in the region to support this, which was achieved. In 2019, when I transitioned to the Human Resources role, my focus shifted to supporting the entire team with their goals and aspirations. I really enjoyed my role as Southern Regional Manager during this period, and I have always had a passion for supporting people. So when I was looking to expand my skills, NZMS supported me in moving into the HR role.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
Over the years, Alison’s role has evolved to focus more on business development and client relationships. She now leads complex projects that leverage the broad capabilities of NZMS kaimahi.
“Ten years ago, the NZMS Regional Manager role was a 50/50 combination of operations and business development, mostly involving digitisation projects. Today, it focuses largely on business development and client relationships, and service offerings have expanded significantly across each NZMS office. I enjoy exploring complex projects with our clients and find satisfaction in seeing the diverse skills our technical staff bring to the table.”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
Highlighting Key Projects
Can you share a memorable project you were involved with?
Leigh recalls a project with Te Ūaka Lyttleton Museum, where the collaboration between both teams led to a successful digitisation initiative.
“There have been many memorable projects, but if I had to pick one it would be our collaborative project with Te Ūaka Lyttelton Museum. NZMS handled the digitisation while a representative from Lyttelton Museum catalogued the collection on-site with us. This collaboration was highly effective due to the complementary team cultures of both organisations.
“Over time, NZMS has had the opportunity to base our offices within other organisations as well. I have especially fond memories of when NZMS was located in the Air Force Museum and Canterbury Museum. While we were their tenants, we were treated as extended team members!”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
A poignant story from Alison involves a client who entrusted NZMS with digitising a small family collection during a challenging personal time, illustrating the deep trust and emotional connections that often develop while working in the cultural heritage sector.
“There have been so many – our clients have such interesting material– from fascinating or rare items in large institutional collections to smaller collections passed down through families! For example, one project involved digitising the contents of a leather-bound sea chest containing diaries, political treatises, and photographs detailing the adventures of a relative who’d travelled the world 80 years ago. Sometimes artists come to us wanting good digital surrogates and colour matched print samples before they send their work away for exhibition. There is one very small job, however, that comes immediately to mind.
“One day, a man arrived on our doorstep with a small collection of family heirlooms entrusted to his care after the recent death of his father. As we talked, he admitted he had misgivings about being given responsibility for them as he didn’t feel he was in a position in his life to take proper care. He described desperately reaching out for advice from his local librarian who recommended he start by getting in touch with us to have the items digitised as a safeguard and a record he could share with his extended family.
“Along with a diary, was a small portrait from the 1700s and a broken compass. We completed the job but couldn’t reach him to let him know and then, four months later, he reappeared unannounced, apologising for the delay and explaining that he’d been released from jail that morning but his first priority had been to make his way to us, cash in hand, to settle his debt and pick up his family treasures. Something about him and his situation made an impression and I often find myself wondering how he got on after he left us. The experience also highlighted for me the pivotal role libraries and librarians play in communities as trusted advisors.”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
Technology Evolution
How have you seen digitisation technologies and processes change during your time at NZMS?
Leigh has observed a significant shift from using scanners to advanced cameras, reflecting NZMS’s growth in professional services.
“When I started at NZMS, we primarily used scanners and had a small suite of cameras. Over time, this has flipped. We’ve also significantly expanded our professional services related to digitisation, including offering large-format printing and training. Additionally, we became the New Zealand-based reseller for the community engagement platform Recollect and have partnered with various equipment companies.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
Alison discussed the increasing importance of technical standards, from increased resolution to colour management, highlighting how technological advancements have contributed to a focus on consistent, high-quality outputs.
“Technical standards and requirements are higher these days, growing with advances in technology. When I started, the main conversation revolved around resolution. At that time, we were very proud of our 60MP medium format camera. Today, NZMS has a suite of medium format cameras from 100 – 150MP, plus a large range of high quality scanners and other specialist digitisation equipment. There’s also a greater emphasis on colour management and consistent, reliable results regardless of resolution, camera model, or geography.
“Our goal is to deliver uniform results to the same client over many years without any shifts in output – from colour temperature, to crop requirements. As simple as it might sound, this requires great attention to detail and robust quality processes, which our technical staff continuously improve year-to-year.”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
Navigating Challenges
What challenges have you faced in your roles, and how did you overcome them?
During the uncertainty of COVID-19, Leigh worked with the NZMS team to develop strategies to sustain the company and rejuvenate growth.
“COVID-19 was a big challenge; it was a time of the unknown and presented a learning curve on how to pivot. It took time to move from surviving to recovering and then putting a plan in place to thrive again. We implemented a Senior Leadership Team and engaged with an external company to support us in overcoming the challenges we faced. They helped us focus on moving forward with plans that made sense for our business to grow and thrive in uncertain times.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
Finding suitable office space was a significant challenge for Alison, ensuring her team had the right environment and space to complete a wide variety of mahi.
“Northern Operations have grown and over the past 10 years, we’ve needed to move twice, as our leases expired, most recently in November 2023. Finding just the right next home took over a year during which we were working in a fairly cramped environment. We’re now happily settled in our current ‘new’ space – with room to grow!”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
Words of Wisdom
What is a piece of advice you’d give to someone starting a career in the GLAMIR sector?
Leigh encourages new entrants to seize any available opportunity and engage with the cultural heritage community.
“Take any opportunity you have to join the sector in any way you can—whether as a volunteer, in a casual role, or a fixed-term position. Additionally, join GLAMIR-related groups—you never know where connecting with others might lead. Never be afraid to contact organisations directly, even if they don’t have jobs advertised. While it may feel daunting, you never know where conversations might go.
“Do what you love and put yourself in an environment that suits you. What I like about NZMS is that it has provided the opportunity to be part of a group of people who have a passion for what they do, which is inspiring. It’s great being part of an organisation who supports people to achieve their goals outside of work and has a flexible environment to encourage this.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
According to Alison, it is important to be open to new opportunities, especially those that might initially seem outside one’s focus area.
“Maybe to be flexible — working in an aligned area like NZMS has been ideal for me and, in hindsight, I’m glad I saw the opportunity, given I had been so focused on museums and galleries until that point. I also agree with Leigh’s comment — I started my career in the GLAMIR sector working part-time for galleries, volunteering to help with artists’ exhibitions, and also training as a volunteer guide at Auckland Museum. One thing led to another over time…”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
Feedback and Future Aspirations
What activities or projects are you most excited about pursuing at NZMS?
Looking ahead, Leigh is excited to continue contributing to NZMS’s growth and success.
“Continuing to see the organisation grow and feeling I have been part of this has been very rewarding! We continue to implement policies that encourage our team’s development and explore new ways to support the GLAMIR sector.”
Leigh Rout, Human Resources Manager, NZMS.
Alison is enthusiastic about current projects with several iwi, helping them control their narratives through digitisation and online engagement.
“We’re working with several iwi at the moment. These are exciting projects, especially for me, considering my original thesis research. The iwi we work with see digitisation and online engagement as one way to take control of their narratives, creating culturally appropriate spaces for their history and facilitating access to restricted material according to their tikanga. It’s been a privilege to work alongside several of these groups and see the impact their work has on their uri, often scattered throughout the world.”
Alison Barnett, Northern Regional Manager, NZMS.
As we celebrate Leigh and Alison’s 10-year anniversary with NZMS, we recognise their journeys have been both positive and impactful. Leigh’s shift to human resources has focused on empowering and supporting our wider team, while Alison’s contributions to digitisation and client relationships have been invaluable. Their stories reflect a shared commitment to preserving Aotearoa New Zealand’s cultural heritage.
Their experiences highlight the dynamic nature of the GLAMIR sector and emphasise the importance of flexibility and forward-thinking for personal and organisational success. Their advice to new professionals—embracing opportunities, being adaptable, and engaging with the community—serves as an excellent guide for anyone aspiring to a rewarding career in this field. Leigh and Alison are always happy to talk with anyone interested in pursuing a career in the GLAMIR or cultural heritage sector — please get in touch!