[3] In 2020 she was appointed to the executive leadership team of Te Papa as Director of Audience and Insight.
[5] In 2022 Cairns made a comment on social media about the actions of International Committee of Museums (ICOM) in response to a Marilyn Monroe dress being worn by a celebrity.
Cairns pointed out that for museums to preserve items away from touch can mean it cuts off the cultural life of that object with its people.
[7] Verb Wellington literary festival programmed an event Wawata: Moon Dreaming with Hinemoa Elder and Cairns in 2022.
[8] Cairns is a member of a number of governance boards including Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga and Atamira Dance Company.