AGWN: A celebration of Pacific Women’s contribution to the public sector in Tāmaki Makaurau
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- 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Hosts: Te Aka Wāhine o Tāmaki - Auckland Government Women’s Network (AGWN)
Speakers:
- The keynote speaker is Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone, Secretary for Pacific Peoples and CE of the Ministry for Pacific Peoples
- Sarah Leo, Manager for Pacific Partnerships at Tātaki Auckland Unlimited will speak on behalf of AGWN.
Our inspiring panelists are:
- Ana Cullen, Pacific Lead, National Cultural Capability Team, Ara Poutama
- Iris Feilo-Naepi, Clinical Director Allied Health, Mental Health & Addiction Services, Counties Manukau
- Aiolupotea Sina Aiono, Regional Commissioner Auckland North/West and Central, Oranga Tamariki
Leading this talanoa is Liline Hewett, Senior Project Manager, Commerce Commission, and AGWN komiti member.
Register: Eventsair
Join us to celebrate Pacific Women’s contribution to the public sector in Tāmaki Makaurau.
The event is being held in partnership with the Ministry for Pacific People, and is also supported by MSD, Commerce Commission and Auckland Council. There will be music, inspiring speakers, a thought-provoking panel discussion and kai.
Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone became the Secretary for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in February 2023. Gerardine brings a strong combination of public service and community networks, expertise, and experience. Gerardine brings a sound organisational development lens and is committed to making improvements to the way it delivers its services for and with Pacific peoples.
She joined the Ministry following her role as the Director of Pacific Health at the Ministry of Health. During her tenure, she led the cross-agency Pacific response to COVID-19 and the Pacific functions within Health New Zealand. Gerardine also held the role of General Manager of Child, Youth, Localities and Family Harm at the Capital and Coast District Health Board. Between 2015 and 2018, she was a self-employed consultant and a senior consultant for Pacific Perspectives Limited.
Of Samoan descent, Gerardine holds an MBA from Massey University and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University, and is both a Winston Churchill Fellow and Salzberg Global Seminar Fellow.
Analaupulou Cullen is the Pacific Lead – Ara Poutama Aotearoa National Cultural Capability Team. Prior to this she was appointed to the role of Northern Regional Pacific Advisor in September 2018. In this role, Ana was responsible for servicing the Corrections’ Northern Region, which stretches from Pukekohe to Kaitaia.
The region comprised a total of roughly 2700 staff members, five prisons and 16 Community Corrections sites across four districts, as well as staff based at Courts in Albany, Auckland, Waitakere, Manukau and Papakura.
In her current role of Pacific Lead, Ana and her team’s priorities continue to focus on serving Pasifika people from a national level within Ara Poutama Aotearoa’s custodial care and Community Corrections supervision to develop and maintain safety and wellbeing pathways. To achieve this objective, we work to support our staff networks in building capability and strengthening our relationships with Pasifika communities.
As a lead member of the National Cultural Capability Team, Ana remains committed to the fostering of the wellbeing and development of all people within Ara Poutama through our values and the Department’s Hōkai Rangi strategy.
Before Ana took up her position she worked as Senior Advisor to the Regional Commissioner and prior to this, she was a Community Corrections District Manager for over seven years across the four districts of Te Tai Tokerau, Auckland City, Waitematā and Manukau. She has held various positions across the Department, including acting Private Secretary to Minister of Corrections in 2013. Throughout her leadership development journey, one of her significant achievements was graduating with the Tu Mau Mana Moana 2023 cohort.
A proud public servant, Ana has worked for Ara Poutama Aotearoa for the past 23 years, starting her career as a Service Manager.
Her strong belief in upholding her cultural values has enabled her to serve others respectfully, with integrity and honour.
Iris Feilo-Naepi has worked in the public health sector since she graduated as an Occupational Therapist nearly 20 years ago. Iris has worked in various teams from child and adolescent to older people’s mental health services. Plus working in two of the biggest health organisations in Auckland – Te Toka Tumai and Counties Manukau. Iris is currently employed as the Clinical Director of Allied Health in Mental Health and Addictions Services in Counties Manukau. Iris is able to bring her passion for Pacific people and occupational therapy practices together and use these to support her current role. Her dedication to Pacific health has been demonstrated throughout her working life with involvement in women's health, youth development services and branching to leadership roles. More recently, Iris participates in the Wharaurau Pacific Advisory Committee, Moana Connect Maternal/Paternal Pacific Advisory group, AUT Occupational Therapy Advisory Committee and various groups internal to Health NZ Counties Manukau. Iris is dedicated to helping others and everyone working together. Outside of work, Iris is a mother of 2 and grandmother of 4. She lives with her husband in West Auckland and travels to South Auckland on a daily basis. Her heritage is Niue Island from the villages of Alofi, Avatele and Tamakoutoga.
