Communications / Technology / Applied AI / Community
Communications, technology and applied AI.
Practical solutions. Stronger communities.
Based in Northland, New Zealand, I work across communications, technology, applied AI and community projects, with a focus on solving practical problems and helping people and organisations communicate more effectively.
About
I'm Gareth Russell, based in Northland, New Zealand.
My background spans marketing, communications, multimedia, digital technology, business development and community-sector work. Much of what I do sits somewhere between communications and technology: finding practical ways to solve problems, improve systems and make information easier for people to understand.
These days, my work includes Hospice Mid-Northland, practical applications of artificial intelligence, and building Context Check NZ, an independent public-interest project focused on evidence, context and factual claims.
I'm interested in useful technology, good information and work that makes a practical difference.
Useful work begins with the people it is meant to serve.
Clear, workable responses to real needs and problems.
Information people can understand, check and use.
Learning how better tools and systems can help.
Focus areas
Three areas that define much of my current work and interest.
01
I work across marketing, communications, fundraising, events and community engagement, particularly within purpose-driven and community organisations.
Good communication isn't just about promotion. It is about helping people understand what matters, making information accessible and building genuine connections between organisations and their communities.
02
Artificial intelligence has become a significant part of how I work.
My focus is practical application rather than AI theory: understanding what current tools can actually do, building useful systems with them, improving workflows and learning how people and organisations can use AI effectively without losing human judgement and accountability.
Practical AI in more detail
03
I am the founder of Context Check NZ, an independent New Zealand public-interest project examining factual claims, the evidence behind them and the context needed to understand them.
People should be able to see where information came from, what important context may be missing and how a conclusion was reached.
About the projectCurrent work
I work as Marketing Communications Manager at Hospice Mid-Northland, supporting work across marketing, communications, fundraising, digital systems, events and community engagement.
Hospice Mid-Northland provides specialist palliative care and support for people with life-limiting illness and their whānau throughout the Mid-Northland community.
Visit Hospice Mid-NorthlandApplied AI
My focus is on practical AI use for people and organisations, with human oversight kept firmly in the process.
I don't approach AI as a replacement for people. When properly directed and checked, it can dramatically expand what individuals and small organisations are capable of doing.
Founder
I founded Context Check NZ to examine factual claims, the evidence behind them and the context needed to understand them.
The independent public-interest project is built around a simple idea: people should be able to see not only whether evidence supports a claim, but also where the information came from, what important context may be missing and how the conclusion was reached.
Visit Context Check NZ
Context Check NZ is an independent project and is separate from my employment and the other organisations I work with.
Selected work & background
Earlier in my career I founded Garmedia and worked across multimedia, web, advertising, marketing and digital solutions for businesses and organisations.
I identify practical problems and find or build the technology needed to solve them, including AI-assisted development, organisational systems, workflow automation and digital platforms.
My professional background includes advertising, marketing, content, digital communications, fundraising and community engagement across a range of organisations and sectors.
My current interests sit at the intersection of people, information and technology: practical AI, better digital systems, community-sector work and Context Check NZ.
Connect
If you've found GarethRussell.com through Context Check NZ, Hospice Mid-Northland, an event, a speaking engagement or one of my other projects, you're welcome to connect.