Ngā rohe o Te Ratonga Tūmatanui Public Service in the regions

Graham MacPherson, Te Taitokerau, Te Pou Kōtui ā-Rohe o Te Ratonga Tūmatanui | Regional Public Service Commissioner 

Graham spent his formative years in Public Service in the NZ Police. He has experience in a range of key leadership roles within the Ministry of Social Development and commenced in the role of Regional Commissioner MSD, Te Taitokerau in 2021. He has recently been appointed to the role of Regional Public Service lead.  

“Te Taitokerau is a beautiful part of the country. We have so much to offer.  While we have challenges often unique to our region, we also have a history of using the power in our relationships to provide collective solutions to bettering our economy and social wellbeing.” 

Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner Auckland South

 

Ko Te Arawa me Tainui ngā waka,
Ko Tongariro te maunga,
Ko Taupō te moana,
Ko Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Waikato-Tainui me Ngāti Maniapoto ngā iwi

Jules has had wide-ranging experience over 2 decades with Ngā Pirihimana Aotearoa New Zealand Police in various operational capacities, including:

• general duties, criminal investigation branch, a role in youth and community services in Mangere
• District Manager Road Policing, Area Commander, Counties Manukau
• Principal Strategic Advisor to Assistant Commissioner Districts.

“Every day around Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa, public servants are doing great work to make a difference for New Zealand and New Zealanders. Their contribution is many and varied. There are lots of opportunities to work in partnership with communities, iwi, agencies, and other providers to enable us as a region to be more responsive to whānau needs.” 

Ministry of Health Group Manager Cross-Government

Ezra has always been passionate about community development and social justice. This came from his upbringing and living in a tight-knit Samoan Catholic community in his hometown of Mangere, South Auckland. It was those core values of tautua (service), fa’aaloalo (respect) and alofa (love) that inspired him to become a youth worker, moving onto community development, education and now health.

Ezra is a proud Aotearoa New Zealand-born Samoan and hails from the villages of Faleapuna, Fogapoa (Safotulafai) and Matautu (Lefaga). He is an even prouder dad of 5 school-aged children and husband to his wife Rachel, who is a school counsellor.

“We are trying to ‘flip the traditional script’ in our rohe. Our senior regional leadership forums are chaired by iwi, and we see ourselves as public servants to be firmly in an enabling and supporting role. We are starting to see ourselves as the harbour, which exists to support the waka (Iwi). We are not there to guide or drive the journey — that is for the waka to do.” 

Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner

Gloria began her Public Service career in 1978 and has worked in the social service sector ever since. Her current role is Regional Commissioner for the Ministry of Social Development for Taranaki, King Country and Whanganui.

Gloria was appointed as the Regional Public Service Lead in August 2019 and became the Commissioner in 2021. She has a deep understanding of Taranaki and the region’s challenges. She recognises that meaningful work contributes to strong and more resilient communities. Privately, Gloria is passionate about the feathered kiwis and is involved with the Taranaki Kiwi Trust. She spends her weekends in the bush checking traps and watching kiwi that roam the forestry block in east Taranaki she owns with her husband.

“Many of us have intergenerational links to this beautiful and unique region.  We are united in our passion to see Taranaki become an equitable and prosperous region.  Having an effective robust group of iwi, public servants and regional leaders who have relationships across the diversity of our population, we connect to the issues at the top of our communities minds.  We have the commitment and passion to enable solutions that lead to better outcomes for all.” 

Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner 

Karen is an experienced public servant, most recently working as the Regional Commissioner for the Ministry of Social Development East Coast and Regional Public Service Commissioner East Coast Region (Hawkes Bay and Tairawhiti).

Her roles involve working with others, both strategically and operationally on aligned priorities to deliver results with whanau, iwi/ Māori, and the communities of the East Coast region. She is also a daughter, wife, and mother — and granny to 4 mokopuna — which guides her strong wish to see every mokopuna, whānau and kaumatua live well.

“The Public Service in the East Coast region is well linked at a leadership level, and our teams work together cooperatively. While COVID-19 has been a significant challenge, the learnings gained reinforced the understanding that we are at our best when we work together to enable communities to lead engagement with whānau.” 

Ministry of Social Development Director Client Service Delivery 

Darlene's appointment as the acting Commissioner speaks to her direction, governance, and unwavering commitment to the public service and hapori across her role.   

 “As tangata whenua and tangata moana I am deeply committed to seeing better outcomes for people through a unified public service who are collaborating effectively across the system. If we can break down barriers for our communities we can achieve great things through partnering and supporting those who need our help the most."

Kainga Ora Regional Director East North Island

Tena koutou katoa
He uri whakaheke tēnei o Ngati Porou me Ngapuhi
I te taha o toku mama ko Te Whanau a Ruataupare me Te Whanau a Te Ao Tawarirangi
I te taha o toku papa ko Ngati Kura, Ngati Kawau ko Ngatikahu ki Whangaroa hoki
Kei Turanga au e noho ana
Ko Naomi Whitewood toku ingoa
Kei te mihi kei te mihi kei te mihi

Naomi has extensive experience in the public sector as well as holding a range of governance roles across other sectors.  She relates her career in the Public Service to leaders in her personal life which involve her late grandmother, her mother and significant others like the late Parekura Horomia and other Ngati Porou wahine like Mere Pohatu, Apryll Parata and the late Annie Aranui.  

Her commitment to driving positive change, particularly for whānau and mokopuna and contributing to outcomes for Māori reflects her reputation as a leader throughout her roles in government.

With a background in leadership and system transformation, Naomi has played a role in shaping public policy in Aotearoa. Naomi currently serves as the Regional Director for Kāinga Ora (East North Island), and has helped to deliver improvements in a range of areas including: health, whanau ora, sport and recreation, child wellbeing, social welfare and currently the housing and development sector.

Recently, Naomi was appointed as the new Regional Public Service Deputy Commissioner for Te Tairāwhiti. Her strong leadership skills, her passion and commitment for the Public Service will be invaluable in Te Tairāwhiti. Naomi aims to deliver the best possible outcomes for her community as she begins her role in this region.

Ministry of Education Regional Director

Roy’s background includes time working in the education sector as a teacher and school principal, positions on various boards, as an elected city councillor, running 2 successful businesses and as a Justice of the Peace for over 20 years.

Roy served as Director of Education for the Ministry of Education for both the Hawke’s Bay/Tairāwhiti region and then Greater Wellington. He views his position as the Regional Public Service Commissioner for Greater Wellington as a hugely demanding yet rewarding role — one that is only possible with the active support of his fellow regional colleagues.

“What has become clear is that our communities already have many of the solutions to achieve better outcomes but system structures, policy settings and a lack of agency collaboration often make doing what’s right a challenge. As part of our joined-up Public Service mahi, we want to address this challenge by strengthening our internal partnerships, building a shared understanding, and creating cross-agency efficiencies to better support our regional communities.”

Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner

Craig enjoyed a 30-year career in the transport and logistics industry. He has lived in various centres around the country and taken up a variety of senior operational, sales, general management and business leadership roles in the field.

Given his private sector work history, Craig is a relative newcomer to the Public Service. He brings with him experience in creating solutions, proactive thinking, strategic partnerships and collaborative problem-solving.

Outside of his role as Regional Public Service Commissioner, Craig is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport and Leadership New Zealand, and a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors.

“What stands out about the region, along with its unique natural environments and diverse communities, is the connectedness of our tangata and their willingness to work together, co-operating to form local solutions. This extends to the Public Service, which is joined up and working in partnership in the region with iwi, local government, economic and community leaders on supporting our communities.” 

Department of Corrections Regional Director

Ben started his career as a forensic psychologist in the Prison Service in England where he was mainly involved in the rehabilitation of prisoners and advising parole board and court decisions. After attaining a Masters in Criminology, Ben moved into a role as an Inspector with HM Inspector of Probation and was part of the multi-agency review teams established to assess Youth Offending Teams. Ben moved to Aotearoa with his partner and young family in 2009.

Ben has always been interested in why we humans think and act in the way that we do. His role as Regional Public Service Commissioner has given him many great opportunities to see the wide range of work being done in our communities to help those less able to help themselves.

“The Public Service is proactive in seeking input into priorities that sit across our rural and urban areas. This includes bringing agencies together — in particular where they may have important levers and perspectives relevant to the issues that matter to the community.” 

Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner

Steph is a proud Southerner, growing up in the small tāone of Kurow and now living in Ōtepoti.

After graduating with a BA in Political Studies from the University of Otago, Steph moved to Wellington, where she joined Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora | Ministry of Social Development in the Kilbirnie Service Centre. This gave her true insight into MSD’s core role serving our whānau and hapori across the motu.

She has held various leadership roles in the Southern and Wellington Regions, as well as MSD’s National Office — and has also been supported to gain an Executive Masters in Public Administration from Australia New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).

Steph left MSD in 2019 to take up the role of Manager Justice Services at Te Tāhū o te Tūre | Ministry of Justice in Otago and South Canterbury. Working across the Justice Sector, supporting our judiciary and enabling greater access to justice in our hapori expanded her mind and passion for the spirit of Public Service even more.

“The aronga of Te Manatū Whakahiato Ora and its values of manaaki, mahi tahi, whānau and tika me te pono resonate strongly with me personally and the RPSC kaupapa. I am committed to supporting our Māori hapori and cementing kotahitanga across Otago and Murihiku Southland and have a passion for growing the talent of our rangatahi to support kaitiakitanga.” 

Michelle (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata) has been a public servant since 2005, beginning her career with Te Puni Kōkiri as Manager for the Māori Business Facilitation Service Waikato.   In her current role as Director Māori, Kānoa Regional Economic and Development Unit at MBIE, Michelle sees the RPSC role as a fantastic opportunity to look at positive ways the public service can continue to improve the lives of the whanau and communities we serve.  Michelle will not only bring a "regional economic development" lens to the mahi, but her perspective as wahine Māori, a business owner supported by her experiences as a public servant.  Michelle is passionate about making a difference, trying new and innovative ways of doing things, underpinned by a collaborative approach that looks to leverage off our collective strengths. 

Michelle is a busy Mum of 3, resides in Kirikiriroa and continues to grow her Buy Māori Made platform of over 165, 000 members which she created in 2020 as a response to COVID.