Our structure

Sponsor and champions

Naomi Ferguson, GWN Sponsor, Commissioner and Chief Executive, Inland Revenue

Naomi Ferguson and Peter Mersi are Chief Executive co-leads for Papa Pounamu, a steering group of twelve public sector CEs who are driving a collaborative programme of diversity and inclusion across the public service.

GWN also receives valuable support from CEs and senior leaders as a leadership group and individually through their agencies.

Steering Committee

Ruth Shinoda, Chair, The Treasury, Wellington 

Anne Marie Taggart, Deputy Chair, New Zealand Customs Service, Wellington

Alison Lewes, Ministry of Primary Industries - Manatū Ahu Matua, Wellington

Leisa Adsett, Department of Corrections, Wellington 

Luisa Avia, Ministry of Health, Wellington

Kellie Coombes, State Services Commission, Wellington 

Monique Esplin, Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Wellington 

Erin Hartley, formerly of Department of Conservation, Christchurch

Meena Pratap, Oranga Tamariki, Wellington 

Stacey Richardson, Ministry of Justice, Wellington

GWN team

GWN's small team works to support women's networks in the wider public sector. The GWN Programme Office team provides secretariat support to the Steering Committee and delivers a programme of activities to support the vision.

The GWN team consists of three full-time staff located in Wellington, and part time coordinators for AGWN and SGWN:

Liz Chin, Programme Director

Kerri Du Pont, Senior Communications Advisor

Sofaia Kolinisau, Coordinator

Claire Richardson, Auckland GWN Coordinator

Heather Milne, Southern GWN Coordinator