Our structure
Sponsor and champions
Renee Graham, GWN Sponsor, Chief Executive - Social Wellbeing Agency
Peter Mersi, GWN Sponsor, Commissioner and Chief Executive - Inland Revenue Department
Peter Mersi is also Chief Executive co-lead with Gaye Searancke for Papa Pounamu which sets the diversity and inclusion work programme for the wider public service.
GWN also receives valuable support from CEs and senior leaders as a leadership group and individually through their agencies.
Steering Committee
Anita Edwards, Chair, Ministry of Justice – Tāhū o te Ture
Karyn Thompson, Deputy Chair, New Zealand Defence Force – Te Tauaarangi o Aotearoa
Tofilau Iris Webster, Te Kawa Mataaho – Public Service Commission
Lu Avia, Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora
Melanie Smith, Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga – Ministry of Housing and Urban Development
Monique Esplin, Crown Law – Te Tari Ture o te Karauna
Juliette Hayes, Education Review Office – Te Tari Arotake Mātauranga
Briar Wyatt, Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Sio Kihe La’a Talakai-Alatini, Ministry of Pacific People – Te Manatū mō iwi ō te Moana-nui-ā-Kiwa
Dr Jacqui Matthews, Te Puni Kōkiri – Ministry of Māori Development
Dr Fathima Iftikar, Ministry for the Environment – Manatū Mō Te Taiao
Heather Guthrie, Ministry of Primary Industries – Manatū Ahu Matua
Dr Anna Milne-Tavendale, Manatū Wāhine – Ministry for Women
Laura Olsen, New Zealand Police – Nga Pirihimana o Aotearoa
Nicola Johns, New Zealand Police – Nga Pirihimana o Aotearoa
The GWN Steering Committee also includes the Chairs of the regional networks, Sarah Leo Anderson – Te Aka Wāhine o Tāmaki Auckland GWN and Jennifer Leahy – Te Aka Wāhine o Te Waipounamu Southern GWN.
Te Puna Huihuinga Kaimahi The ELN Team
The ELN Team work to support employee-led networks to thrive by sharing their network experience and amplifying diverse perspectives across the Public Service. The team work with GWN, supporting them to build on progress around their six priorities. Focusing on these priorities will strengthen GWN and women’s networks in the Public Service and ensure positive outcomes for individual women.
The GWN team consists of three full-time staff located in Wellington, and two part-time regional coordinators in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Otautahi Christchurch.
Carin Sundstedt, ELN Programme Director
Phoebe Lockett, ELN Coordinator
Anna Robinson, ELN Senior Advisor
Vivian Lyngdoh, ELN Senior Advisor
Virginia Fordham, Auckland ELN Coordinator
Wendy Thompson, Southern ELN Coordinator