Ngā Pae Kaiwhakawā Judging Panels

Isabel Evans - Hautū - Te Mahau | Te Tai Raro

Deputy Secretary, Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education

Isabel is a career public servant who has led the delivery of social services in the Auckland region for many years, with an absolute commitment to supporting New Zealanders most in need. She is currently Hautū - Te Mahau | Te Tai Raro - Deputy Secretary with the Ministry of Education, a role she was appointed to from 4 October 2021. Previously Isabel was the Director of Education, Auckland.

As a senior Pacific public sector leader her achievements and leadership provide inspiration for others. She has generously given her time and experience to mentor many across the public sector. In 2018 Isabel was an inaugural recipient of the New Zealand Public Service Medal.

John Henderson

Principal Advisor Regional Development, Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora | Ministry of Social Development

John’s career spans more than 42 years of dedicated service to New Zealanders. John is currently Principal Advisor Regional Development at MSD. Prior to this role John had been the Canterbury Regional Commissioner for MSD from 2001 until 2020. John has had a career focused on serving people. In 2019 John was awarded the New Zealand Public Service Medal.

Eru Lyndon

Regional Commissioner, and Regional Public Service Lead, Northland

Te Arawhiti | The Office for Māori Crown Relations

Eru Lyndon is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Whātua, Ngāti Wai, and Ngāti Toa descent. He has led many multi-stakeholder leadership groups including the Te Hiku Iwi Social Accord, and He Poutama Taitamariki; both of which have been finalists for Te Hāpai Hapori. Eru holds a Bachelor of Laws degree, an MBA (dist. and valedictorian), was a recipient of a Leadership Development Centre Fellowship, and has completed executive programmes at IMD (Lausanne, Switzerland), Stanford and MIT (Boston, USA).

Ezra Schuster

Director of Education and Regional Public Service Lead, Bay of Plenty-Waiariki

Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health (secondment)

Ezra is passionate about community development and committed to making a positive difference for children, young people and their whānau. He has an extensive background in youth work, community development and the not-for-profit sector beginning in his hometown of Mangere, South Auckland. As Regional Public Service Commissioner, Ezra is responsible for leading a more joined up whole-of-government approach for the region and is committed to working in partnership with iwi Māori. Ezra has been seconded from his substantive role with the Ministry of Education as the Director of Education to the Manatū Hauora | Ministry of Health as the All of Government Lead for COVID Care in the Community, supporting the integration of health and welfare. In 2018 Ezra was awarded a Leadership Development Centre fellowship that took him to Oxford University for a global leadership programme and then to Swansea, Wales and Leeds. Ezra is a proud Aotearoa-born Samoan and hails from the villages of Faleapuna, Fogapoa (Safutulafai) and Matautu (Lefaga), and is a proud father of five school-aged children.

Grace Smit

Ngāti Rakaipaaka, Ngāti Matangirau

Deputy Secretary Organisational Support, Te Puni Kōkiri

Grace joined Te Puni Kōkiri in 2021, having previously held the roles of Director, Waitangi Tribunal and Director, Māori Land Court at the Ministry of Justice. With more than 20 years’ experience in the Public Service and the wider public sector, Grace has public service experience across a broad range of policy, operational and service design areas. Her varied career includes management roles with the Department of Corrections, Coronial Services and in the tertiary education sector.

Professor Gregor Coster CNZM

Gregor has recently finished four years as the inaugural Dean of the Faculty of Health at Te Herenga Waka, Victoria University of Wellington. He was appointed to establish the new faculty including undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, and to advance health research in areas such as health promotion, psychology, policy and service delivery, workplace health and safety and women’s health. Professor Coster is a highly experienced director who has served as the former chair of Counties Manukau DHB, chair of WorkSafe New Zealand and board member of the Accident Compensation Commission, Pharmaceutical Management Agency (PHARMAC), Health Workforce New Zealand and UNICEF New Zealand.

Kirsten Patterson

Chief Executive, Institute of Directors

Kirsten Patterson (known as KP) is the Chief Executive of the Institute of Directors. She is a qualified lawyer and a Distinguished Fellow of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand. She has extensive governance and leadership experience and is actively involved in community initiatives. A strong advocate of diversity, KP was one of the founding members of Global Women’s ‘Champions for Change’, a group of senior executives and directors who commit to diversity in the workplace. She is also a founding member of WiSPA, an organisation promoting women in sport, and mentors several business leaders.

Isaiah Apiata

Governmental Relationships Manager – Te Rūnanga-Ā-Iwi-Ō-Ngāpuhi

Oranga Tamariki | Ministry of Children

Isaiah has been a dedicated Public Servant since the age of 18 and works with a vision and passion to deliver better outcomes for taitamariki | young people. In his Government Relationships Manager role, he guides many young people towards positive life pathways through strengthening their cultural identity and reconnecting them with their whakapapa. Isaiah was a joint winner of the 2021 Young Leader of the Year Award.

April Kwak

Policy Analyst

Te Mana Ārai o Aotearoa| New Zealand Customs Service

April works as a Policy Analyst in the International team at the New Zealand Customs Service. She is responsible for Customs’ engagement overseas and in 2021 successfully negotiated APEC guidelines to facilitate COVID-19 vaccines distribution in the Asia Pacific region. April has had a career in both private and public sector across policy and legal fields. She is recognised for being a strong example for young people in public service and for her commitment, her drive to bring forward new ideas, and not being afraid to challenge the status quo. She proudly celebrates her ethnic and cultural diversity as a Korean New Zealander and has a passion for the inclusion of ethnic communities in the Public Service of Aotearoa. April was a joint winner of the 2021 Young Leader of the Year Award.

Piriwiritua Rurawhe

Te Iwi Morehu, Ngā Wairiki Ngāti Apa, Ngai Tahu me Ngā Puhi

Kaihautū Māori, Office of the Chief Executive, Hīkina Whakatutuki | Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment

Piri is the former Secretary General of the Ratana Church and is the Kaihautu Māori to the Chief Executive of MBIE. Piri works across MBIE to ensure there are robust enduring relationships with Māori that align to the Māori Crown Partnership and works with the Ministry to ensure Māori are included in its decisions. He is also a board member of Tūhono - The Māori Public Servants Network.

Trevor J Moeke

Horouta Takitimu Mataatua Waka Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Kahungunu

Poutiaki – Director Te Ao Maori Strategy and Performance, Te Tai Ōhanga | The Treasury

Trevor is Poutiaki - Director Te Ao Māori Strategy and Performance at the New Zealand Treasury, working from the Office of the Executive on building Māori capability and leading Crown Māori engagement, relationships and tax trade investment the Māori Economy regional development and policy.

Trevor serves as chair of the Kahungunu Assets Holding Company. Through a career in both public and private sectors, Trevor has held multiple board, chair and strategic advisor positions across investment, government, and education entities. He is a co-founder of the World Indigenous Nations Higher Education Consortium. Piki te Kaha. Piki te Ora. Piki te Wairua.

Steve Haami

Te Āti Haunui-ā-Pāpārangi

Pouārahi, Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora | Ministry of Social Development

Steve serves as a Pouārahi within the Ministry of Social Development. Dedicating over 40 years to the Public Service, he has shown a continual commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi, Te Ao Māori and the revitalisation of Te Reo Māori. Through key leadership programmes ‘Te Atatiatia’ and ‘Te Aka Matua’, Steve has guided hundreds of leaders to step into their career at MSD and wider public service. In 2021 Steve was a recipient of the New Zealand Public Service Medal.