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A collective of practitioners
with a belief in community-centred, place-led community change
Catalyse was founded in 2014 by Denise Bijoux. Catalyse is designed to deliver on-the-ground projects as well as support local people, groups, organisations and systems to actively [re]make their places in ways that work better for them, and for the place itself. With years of experience in community development, engagement, neighbourhood regeneration, research and evaluation, our team and collaborators bring extensive lived experience as well as professional expertise to our work.
40+ Years of Combined Experience
100+ Successful Projects Delivered
70+ Effective Collaborations
Diverse Team of Experts:
Strategists, Facilitators, Activators, Creatives, Researchers, and Evaluators
Meet The Team
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
Denise Bijoux
she/her
I am curious and excited about the possibilities and potential the places we are in, the people we are with and this time on the planet offers.
Together, everyone and every place has the capacity to thrive. By working with and from our strengths, we grow positive relationships, respect and understanding as we go. This is our future. Because we are in it together on one planet. Because we have everything to lose if we don’t.
And because, together, 1+1=3
Key skills: Community engagement, community (led) development, strategic planning, research and evaluation
Background: Masters in Human Geography, Winston Churchill Fellow, International Association of Community Development (IACD) Board Member, a Regional Network Leader for PlacemakingX, Senior Associate of Powerdigm, a founder of Placemaking Aotearoa, founding Chair of Gribblehirst Community Hub and current Chair of Grow Space.
Highlight Projects: Every project offers its own unique opportunities for both creative engagement and learning but my favourite are always those that help reveal and activate hidden potential. Pavement art in Takapuna, Haere Mai and Welcome and our research, engagement and strategic work in Geraldine and Pleasant Point are recent examples.
Personal Insight: Denise is a visionary community activator with extensive experience in locally-led transformation and community building. She has worked in community development since the early 1990s in roles focused on successfully activating local change, including in her own neighbourhood.
Denise founded Catalyse in 2014 with the intention of working with others in values-based ways towards good lives for both people and place. She believes in investing in people as much as projects and sees process as just as important as outcomes. Having raised three boys in the same place for over 24 years, Denise is passionate about living good lives at the neighbourhood scale and has found that many good people and projects are often not so very far from our own doorsteps.
COMMUNICATIONS LEAD
Kate Palmer
The current currency is attention; in the future, the currency will be trust.
she/her
Key skills: Kate is a values-driven communications professional with expertise in storytelling, strategic communication, and stakeholder engagement. She excels at shaping narratives that inform, inspire, and drive meaningful change. Her strengths lie in crafting compelling messages, navigating complex conversations, and aligning communication strategies with organisational goals.
Background: With a background in journalism and magazine editing, Kate has built a diverse career across central and local government, corporate, and for-purpose sectors. She has worked with organisations such as NZTE, Southern Cross, Auckland Council, and PwC, bringing a wealth of experience in both public and private sector communications.
Highlight Projects: Kate most recently led communications and engagement at The Period Place, Aotearoa’s leading menstrual equity charity, where she helped elevate conversations around period poverty and advocacy. Her ability to connect storytelling with impact has been instrumental in shaping public narratives and driving policy discussions in the social impact space.
Personal Insight: She is deeply curious by nature and driven by purpose, believing that storytelling is a powerful tool for change. Whether refining strategy, amplifying underrepresented voices, or fostering trust through communication, Kate is passionate about using her skills to create real and lasting impact.
CREATIVE LEAD
Tauma Lobacheva
she/her
I love people and believe that empathy, connection, and the occasional shared
biscuit can go a long way.
Small things matter. One idea, one conversation, one colourful chalk drawing... it all adds up. Working with Catalyse means I get to be part of projects that bring communities a bit closer, make places a bit brighter, and leave people a bit happier — and I’m really glad to be part of that.
Key skills: Graphic and Media Design, Community Development through placemaking, Creative Engagement, Strategic Design
Background: Postgraduate Diploma Degree in Media Design from St Petersburg State University of Culture and Arts, with a nine-year tenure in graphic and media design.
Tauma's wealth of experience spans across multiple countries, including community development initiatives like the University of the Third Age in St Petersburg, Cybathlon in Switzerland, and projects aiding the integration of former refugees in Germany. As well as her work with Grow Space and Papaya Stories in Aotearoa New Zealand that reflects her innovative approach to community building. One of her projects includes an audio walk that guides people through the intricate relationship between music and 20th-century events.
Highlight Projects: Tauma has led and contributed to a range of creative, community-focused initiatives. These include placemaking and activation in the Hibiscus Coast and Bays, community development work in the Mairangi Bay area and strategic planning with the Timaru District Council. She was also the project manager of The Kūmara Awards 2024 and brings a playful lens to public space as a Chalk-Walk artist.
Personal Insight: Identifying as a global citizen, Tauma's diverse experiences from living and working in different countries fuel her creativity and passion for her work.
PROJECT SUPPORT
Daisy Mason Brown
she/her
I am driven by a passion for culture and community well-being. People, places, and social landscapes are what have always united us together in the journey of life.
Through acknowledging and utilising the power of social exchange, relationships can be built, and communities can prosper.
Key skills: Project Support, Strategy, Communications, Research, Anthropology
Background: Anthropology and History Studies
at The University of Auckland
A lifelong interest in human behaviour has led Daisy to study Anthropology and History at The University of Auckland, where she understood the value of cultural exchange. Culture applies to large-scale social differences and local levels alike. From there, she has applied her outlook to the work environment, both in and outside the office. Greeting people, listening to their stories, and building relationships are at the heart of prospering connections. Daisy aims to allow people to feel seen and heard both in a conversation and in their community through the projects she undertakes at Catalyse.
People we trust and enjoy working with to collectively make Aotearoa a flourishing and caring place.
Recent collaborators
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Our Partners Say
No nonsense way of bringing people together
Denise from Catalyse has the natural ability to cut through the hype and jargon to support individuals and communities to discover and understand the richness and abundance of their own backyards. Her no nonsense and passionate way of bringing people together is evident through the incredible projects she has been a part of and the loyalty and appreciation of those she continues to support is shown by the relationships she maintains with them. Denise has a fantastic way of reframing difficult concepts so that people feel they can see themselves as part of the solution. She is a deep thinker, listener and an inspiring practitioner. Jeder is both honoured and humbled to be able to call Denise a partner, colleague and a good mate!
— Dee Brooks
ABCD Asia Pacific
Trainer and Facilitator at Jeder Institute