Every system is a design choice
Why are organisations struggling to connect with customers?
Why do women retire with less wealth after decades of working?
Why do well-intentioned policies fail the people they're designed to help?
And what happens when artificial intelligence is layered over systems that were never designed for everyone in the first place?
Whatever the topic, I'm drawn to the same challenge: understanding what's really shaping people's decisions and how organisations can respond.
The biggest barriers to change are rarely people. They're the systems, assumptions and stories that shape how we live, work, spend, save and lead.
I investigate those systems. Then I translate what I find into creative campaigns, books, podcasts, keynotes, research and strategy that help organisations understand people better, make better decisions, and build a future that works for more of us.
What I Do
Investigations Research, insights and original thinking that uncover what's really happening beneath the surface.
Briefings Keynotes, podcasts and media that make complex issues accessible, memorable and hard to ignore.
Cases Strategic projects working alongside organisations to solve complex human and economic challenges.
My TedX talk features world leading research into the socio-cultural determinants of financial well-being.
Cases
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You're trying to reach, retain or better serve women as customers or employees — and the upside is real revenue, not just reputation.
I bring original research on women's financial behaviour, strategy that turns it into products and programmes, and the track record of having built platforms that actually get used.
Proof: The Table and Mercer NZ's gender equity offer · Money Money Money, translated into Chinese · 2023 Emerging Trailblazer Award
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You need evidence that holds up, and a strategy for turning that evidence into a mandate for change — not a report that sits on a shelf.
I build the research base, the stakeholder relationships, and the advocacy strategy that gets policy over the line.
Proof: National Women's Health Strategy written into Pae Ora legislation · Trade Careers — doubled women's participation in the trades in five years · Mako Mama Mangopare, the most comprehensive single-parents research in Aotearoa
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You want an audience talking about the right issue, for the right reasons, in a way they'll actually remember.
I turn hard, technical subject matter into keynotes, podcasts and media moments people share unprompted — because I built an award-winning creative agency before I built anything else.
Proof: TEDx · Shortchanged: The Pay Equity Investigation, told through a fictional detective · Women of Influence finalist, three times
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I identify where gaps are occurring and translate them into clear commercial insight: where value is being lost, and what can be done to improve retention, conversion, and long-term engagement.
My work sits at the intersection of money, behaviour, and gender — with a focus on turning overlooked patterns into measurable performance gains.
How can I help?
Research tells you what's happening. Strategy tells you what to do about it. Getting people to actually talk about it afterwards is a different skill again.
I've spent two decades doing all three: comissioning original research into women's economic lives, strategy that turns it into products, policy and programmes, and creative work that actually gets noticed and remembered.
I built an agency. Co-authored a bestseller. Helped double the number of women entering the trades. Turned a government pay equity failure into a podcast people keep recommending to their mates.
If you need the evidence, I've got it or I’ll find it. If you need it to make money, I'll help build the strategy. And if you want people talking about it — genuinely, for the right reasons — let’s talk.
What people say
"Angela brings is a trailblazer and she brings the missing piece of the financial puzzle." — Jane Wrightson, Retirement Commissioner
"Ange has an amazing way of connecting with people. She brings an intersectional feminist lens to everything she does and brings everyone along with her." — Mel Humphries, Ngāti Kahungunu
“It has been a privilege to work alongside Angela, whose commitment to kaupapa-led practice and excellence is evident in everything she does. Her expertise and practical insight have strengthened our work, ensuring we operate with integrity, clarity, and impact.Angela brings both passion and purpose to her role, combining thoughtful strategy with an ability to translate ideas into action. Her approach enables meaningful progress, not just planning for change but delivering outcomes that make a difference every day. Her contribution has elevated our work and supported us to operate at an excellence level while staying grounded in what matters most".
— Amanda Williams, Principal Advisor Women, BCITO.
“Angela, in both her professional career and private life, is a champion for women and underserved groups. I am in awe of her dedication, strategic vision, tenacity, and drive and find any opportunity to work with her. I first worked for Angela at her feminist creative agency Double Denim, and then again on the creation of the TradeCareers.co project to get more women into Trades and, most recently, on the incredible TheTableNZ platform development with Mercer NZ, supporting female financial literacy. Whether campaigning for Women's Health Strategy in parliament, empowering female financial freedom, or flexing her entrepreneurial flair, her work always pushes the envelope, reaches the right people, creates meaningful impact, and is a hell of a lot of fun along the way.”
—Tess Waters, Marketing Manager, Hanga-Ara-Rau.
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