Kaitiakitanga

Murray Strong

Chair

Murray Strong is an independent director and Chair and has governance and senior management experience across many sectors, including tertiary education.

Murray was the IST Establishment Unit Executive Director, where he was closely involved with all workstreams, key stakeholders and the future direction. Prior to the IST Establishment Unit, Murray was Chair of New Zealand Qualifications Authority. He is currently Chair of the Centre of Digital Excellence in Dunedin and the Digital Transformation Board for the Southern District Health Board.

Kim Ngārimu

Deputy Chair

Kim Ngārimu (Te Aitanga ā Mate, Ngāti Porou) is a director of Tāua Limited, a consultancy specialising in public policy and management advice. Earlier in her career, Kim held a range of senior public sector roles in Wellington.

She is a member of the Medical Council of New Zealand and the Waitangi Tribunal, and was previously Chair of Tairāwhiti District Health Board and Deputy Chair of the IST Establishment Board. Her term of appointment is until 31 March 2023.

Tania Hodges

JP

Tania Hodges JP (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hauā, Tuwharetoa, Maniapoto, Kahungunu) is Managing Director of Digital Indigenous.Com Ltd, providing advice on governance and leadership, strategic development, change management, Māori and Iwi relationships, and community development.

She has an MBA and qualifications in social science, business research and Te Reo Māori to complement her Registered Psychiatric Nursing qualification.

Kathy Grant

Kathy Grant is currently a director of the Southern Cross Health CLT Limited, and Waitaki District Health Services Limited. She is a former Associate in the Dunedin legal practice of Gallaway Cook Allan.

Kathy was previously a member of the IST Establishment Board, a member of the University of Otago Council, Chair of Otago Polytechnic and council Chair of the Dunedin College of Education.

In 2015, the Minister of Health appointed Mrs Grant as Commissioner of Southern District Health Board following the disestablishment of the DHB.

John Brockies

John Brockies is an experienced independent director with a professional background of CEO roles in large New Zealand organisations in the public and private sectors.

He was a Ministerial appointee to the Commissioner's Advisory Panel for Unitec and was an independent member of the RoVE Programme Board.

Maryann Geddes

Maryann Geddes is based in Christchurch and is a director of Southern Lakes English College. She was previously Group Manager Risk & Compliance at Skyline Enterprises, based in Queenstown. Maryann worked for Skyline since 1994 until 2020 and was also part of the IST Establishment Board.

Other governance roles have included RNZRSA, the Tourism Industry Association, the Otago Southland Employers Association, the Aviation, Tourism and Travel Training Organisation and the Hospitality Standards Institute. Her term of appointment is until 31 March 2023.

Tagaloatele Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop

Tagaloatele Professor Peggy Fairbairn-Dunlop CNZM is Emeritus Professor at Auckland University of Technology. She has contributed to significant government and NGO policy affecting the Pacific community and has carried out a significant amount of educational research.

She has served as the National President of PACIFICA Inc, and was appointed as a Commissioner in 2017 to oversee Samoa’s national inquiry into family violence. Her CNZM was awarded in 2015 for services to education and the Pacific community.

Sam Huggard

Sam Huggard is the former National Secretary of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions 2014–2019, where he led the union movements’ work on just transitions. Sam is currently an employee of NZEI Te Riu Roa.

Sam is an experienced not-for-profit sector leader, with 20 years’ service across trade unions, the community sector, and students’ associations. His governance experience includes government, not-for-profit, academic and industry advisory bodies.

Dr Teorongonui Josie Keelan Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Tūhoe

Josie is co-chair of Komiti Māori and has worked in tertiary education for 30 years. She was Dean of Teaching and Learning, Mātauranga Māori at Unitec from 2012-2019. She is currently a Senior Research Fellow at Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga, the University of Auckland.

Prior to working in tertiary education, she held several roles in the public sector at iwi, national and international levels. The most challenging was that of Executive Secretary for her iwi authority, Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Porou when it was first established in 1985.

Heath Sawyer

Heath Sawyer (Ngati Awa, Ngati Hokopu) is co-chair of the Interim Staff Advisory Committee and a Principal Academic Staff member at Te Kuratini o Waikato (Wintec). Previously a Primary School Principal and National Facilitator for the Ministry of Education’s Managed Learning Environment team.

At Wintec, he taught on the Graduate Diploma for Information Technology in Education. He is currently supporting program and tutor development for the Centre for Trades, and Physiotherapy and is involved in a range of other projects.

Jordan Gush

Jordan Gush is a BCITO apprentice and co-chair of the Interim Learner Advisory Committee.

He was part of the Working Group brought together to formulate recommendations for the establishment of the Interim Learner Advisory Committee and has been a work-based learner representative on Te Poari Akoranga - Te Pūkenga Academic Board. He is of Samoan and NZ European descent.

Jeremy Morley

Jeremy Morley brings a wealth of experience in financial and operational management and in leading change processes. He has worked on major assignments in the tertiary education sector including assisting providers with a range of financial, operational and academic matters.  
Prior to joining Te Pūkenga Council, he was a Director at PwC New Zealand and an independent consultant to the Risk and Audit Committee of the Tertiary Education Commission.