Liana Bunting

Liana is exploring the integration of regenerative design principles into data governance in "smart cities"

Profile

Liana is a PhD candidate researching data governance, regenerative design, AI governance, "smart cities", and systems thinking. Her work takes a complex systems approach, exploring how governance models can adapt to rapid technological change while remaining ethical, resilient, and responsive to societal needs.

With over two decades in the public sector, Liana has worked across privacy, data governance, information management, and business analysis, gaining hands-on experience that shapes her research approach. She currently works as a privacy capability advisor, helping organisations navigate privacy risks and build cultures that support good privacy practices. She is passionate about bridging the gap between technology and organisational change, ensuring governance frameworks are flexible, forward-thinking, and sustainable.

Qualifications

Master of Information Management (with Distinction), Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University of Wellington

Research interests

Liana’s research focuses on regenerative data governance and how systems thinking can support adaptive and resilient governance models, particularly in "smart cities". She explores AI governance, ethical data use, and responsible integration of emerging technologies. Her work also examines the role of data in climate change adaptation and digital transformation, ensuring governance approaches remain practical, ethical, and future-ready.