Kate Burke worked for 20 years in therapeutic care and protection social work in the United Kingdom and New Zealand before becoming a registered clinical psychologist in 2000.
Tell us about your partner?
Hans Heumann, Event Organiser, Grey Lynn Park Festival.
Do you have any children or grandchildren?
Yes, Holly is 33 years old, Josh is 11 and Isobelle is five.
Do you have any pets?
My dog Mozart.
What are your virtues?
Curiosity, determination, thriftiness.
What are your vices?
Opinionated, untidy, junk food.
Your best friend would say of you...
“You can trust her with a secret.”
Your mother would say of you...
“She’s kind.”
Who's your ultimate rock icon?
Bob Dylan.
What’s your secret passion?
Going to the ballet.
What's your secret talent?
Fire poi.
Where do you spend your holidays?
In England with my family.
What were you going to be when you grew up?
I haven’t grown up.
How did you come to be a psychologist?
I've always been interested in what makes people tick.
If you weren’t a psychologist you’d be?
A novelist.
Your favourite Ponsonby cafe?
Orphan’s Kitchen.
Favourite Ponsonby restaurant?
Mekong Baby.
Favourite Ponsonby store?
Augustine.
Favourite Ponsonby fashion label?
Wallace Rose.
What's inspired you recently?
Rita Paczian conducting Bach’s Musica at Auckland Town Hall.
What would be your desert island distractions?
Lots of books. The Food of Love Cookery School by Nicky Pellegrino, The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory, The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett, Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Graham, The Art of Invective by Dennis Potter, Once Upon a Lifetime by my father, David Burke.
The house is on fire and your family is safe - what do you save?
My daughter’s stuffed possum.
“I'd be lost without my...”
Pacemaker.
One thing you have learned about life is?
It’s full of surprises.
Your advice to Grey Lynn Park Festival-goers?
Honour the Kiwi Park’eha project that is the festival. Our stalls and musicians bring you crafts and music with love not branding. Think about how you show practical support for our stalls. Cash is flash, cards are hard, come hungry. Balance alcohol intake. Be kind to us, we’ll have organic and recycle bins for your waste litter. Be kind to you and have a day full of smiles.
Your advice to young Ponsonby people aspiring to work in the event industry?
Get in touch with us! We can provide unpaid work experience across a range of roles in the event industry.