IntelligenceHQ was born out of frustration with the limited intelligence analysis training on offer in New Zealand. As experienced analysts, we were very aware of the shortcomings of the training on offer and decided to “put our money where our mouth is”.
Our founders
Zane Verran
Zane is known to many in intelligence from his time at the school of intelligence at the Royal New Zealand Police College. Bringing almost two decades of experience to the table, Zane is a versatile professional who is also recognised for his collaborative leadership style and proficiency in intelligence analysis.
His achievements include leading a geographically dispersed team of Police intelligence analysts to replicate a UK study, co-authoring a foundational assessment for the Centre for Road Safety Intelligence, and establishing valuable relationships to support the writing of comprehensive Consumer Harm reports. His diverse career spans experience in enforcement, regulatory, and corporate environments; where he regularly contributed to the forming, or reshaping, of intelligence teams.
As a co-founder of IntelligenceHQ Limited, Zane continues to champion analytical and training services, embodying a commitment to evidence-based decision-making across sectors. Skilled in analysis, coaching, and technical proficiency, he is ready to enhance intelligence efforts through strategic leadership and innovative solutions.
Andy McPhee
Andy is similarly well known to many in the intelligence community. A long time Intelligence professional with approximately 30 years of intelligence experience, Andy has worked in a number of agencies in Wellington at all levels of intelligence. He has experience in working in multi-agency and multi-disciplinary fusion cells (domestically and internationally), and has experience in law enforcement, regulation, business, and peacekeeping environments.
Some highlights from his career include being deployed to ‘Bali 1’ as the intelligence component, Peace Keeping in Timor Leste imbedded with the AFP, an Asian Organised Crime speaking tour in the Pacific on behalf of the British Foreign Office, time in Bougainville and the Solomon Islands, being on the advisory group that established the NZ Institute of Intelligence Professionals (NZIIP), establishing the intelligence team at the Commerce Commission and creating an intelligence-informed risk-based approach, and winning the NZIIP Intelligence Community award in 2017.
Our team
Trisha Welch
Trisha has over 35 years' experience as an Intelligence practitioner and Intelligence training developer and facilitator in NZ Customs Service, NZ Police (Training advisor; CLAG training advisor) and MBIE (Immigration).
She has been involved in and led the development of Intelligence and Border Security Programmes of learning for delivery across multiple agencies in NZ and the Pacific.
She is experienced in designing, developing, and evaluating training programmes, across a variety of disciplines (e.g, Intelligence, technical, and soft skill areas), which are focused, interactive, challenging and engaging. Trisha is a skilled facilitator and trainer of group and individual processes, working in a flexible style to meet the learning needs of participants, and to achieve outcomes.
Trisha’s experience and skills were recognised when she won the NZIIP Intelligence practitioner of the year award in 2017.
Trisha has a Postgraduate Diploma in Adult Education and Performance (Victoria University) and is a registered Workplace Assessor for the NZ Diploma in Intelligence Analysis. She is an accredited Belbin Interplace and Team role facilitator.
Donna McQuaid
Donna is the Director of Blackthorn, a company that specialises in short courses teaching intelligence analysts the tools and techniques relevant to their roles. She is also on the Board of the New Zealand Institute of Intelligence Professionals, a role which allows her to contribute significantly to the ongoing evolution of skills and professional norms across the intelligence profession.
A former naval officer, Donna has served with both the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy. Having completed deployments around the globe as a warfare officer, she eventually subspecialised in intelligence, with a particular interest in cultural and regional dynamics. She has also been assigned to roles in operational and strategic headquarters, and thoroughly understands the needs to cater the intelligence to the customer’s needs.
Additionally, Donna possesses a lifelong passion for instructing and guiding others. One of her career highlights was designing and delivering cultural awareness training packages for the Royal Navy and Royal Marines personnel; her work on this initiative was recognised with a commendation from the British Army’s General Officer Commanding Force Troops Command. Later in her career she was the lead instructor for the Defence Intelligence Analyst Course managed by the New Zealand Defence Force. She looks forward to continuing her training and teaching career as one of the instructors with IntelligenceHQ.
Grace Carroll
Grace is an independent contractor providing intelligence analytical and design services to the intelligence and security, and small business, sectors. Her work is distinguished by the hybrid and experimental approach she takes to her intelligence tradecraft and analytical methodology, delivery, and performance. She is particularly adept at delivering quality analysis spanning tactical, operational, and strategic domains; underpinned by her hybrid practice weaving together design, intelligence tradecraft, and critical security and intelligence studies research.
Grace developed a deep interest in intelligence analysis when serving as an inaugural intern for the NZ Institute of Intelligence Professionals (NZIIP) in 2017. These experiences cultivated a passion for the Intelligence approach to analysis and problem solutions, which has become a career commitment for her. From the NZIIP platform Grace launched her intelligence career, becoming a qualified analyst working for several agencies.
Grace’s service to the sector aims to empower analysts to embrace hybrid practice as the fuel for intelligence excellence, connected through a critical lens to Aotearoa’s cultural context. This is informed by the cultural fusion of her Samoan and Celtic ancestry, experiences, and frames of reference. Her current work focuses on bringing an analyst perspective to designing, developing, and delivering training material and analytical tradecraft, working with IntelligenceHQ to produce this.
