Summit MC

Michele A'Court

MC and Comedienne

She/Her

Winner of “Comedienne of the Decade” at the 2010 NZ Comedy Awards, Michèle A’Court is a stand-up comedian, writer and bestselling author.She has been on New Zealand TV screens since 1987 and still turns up all over the place. She talks a lot – sometimes on radio and TV, sometimes in pubs and clubs – and works the comedy circuit in places like San Francisco, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Brisbane, Adelaide, Auckland and Mangawhai.

Michèle has authored two books, and has been writing a weekly opinion column since 2008, initially with the Press and Stuff, and now for the iconic NZ Woman’s Weekly. She is also in demand as a social commentator on television and radio. She likes to say she has a “portfolio career” which includes work as a corporate MC and entertainer, an actor, voice artist, podcaster and freelance feature writer.

Speakers

Aiolupotea Sina Aiono
Regional Commissioner for Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children - Auckland Central North West

She / Her

Aiolupotea Sina Aiono is the Regional Commissioner for Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children - Auckland Central North West. She was appointed to this role in September 2024, having previously been Chief Advisor Pacific in the agency. Aiolupotea has also previously held leadership roles at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples and the Manukau Institute of Technology. She has served on a range of governance and advisory boards across government, local government and NGOs in her interest areas around education, health and culture and . A proud mum of 4 young adults, she is a passionately committed to wellbeing of children, young people, and empowering families and communities.

Liz Chin
Talent and Governance Lead at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities

She / Her

Liz Chin is an experienced public servant, currently the Talent and Governance Lead at the Ministry for Ethnic Communities. Prior to this Liz held various leadership roles in the public sector including Business Manager at MBIE, and Programme Director for the Government Women’s Network Te Aka Wāhine o Aotearoa and roles in local government.

Liz volunteers on the Senior Advisory Group for the Pan Asian Public Sector Network, is a job mentor for skilled migrants, and is a member of the New Zealand Red Cross (having previously served as Wellington Branch President). 

Liz has a strong interest in gender, diversity and inclusion, engagement, leadership, governance, and health and safety. She is keen to see greater inclusion and diversity in workplaces, especially in leadership roles, starting with self-leadership, curiosity, and self-empowerment. She believes we can do more together – let’s support each other! 

Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish
Māori Leader and Advocate

She / Her

From the early 1980s Ms Naida Glavish (Ngāti Whātua) has been involved in the affairs of Māori in education and health.

In 1984 as a humble toll operator Naida challenged the might of the then Post-Office Government Agency, when she continued to use the greeting ‘Kia ora’ across Aotearoa NZ when taking calls. In the face of dismissal and heightened publicity, Naida won the right to continue answering calls in Māori and has continued to campaign for the rights of her people and te reo Māori (language).

As the Chief Advisor Tikanga Māori Health for Auckland and Waitematā District Health Boards (DHBs), Ms Glavish leads the organisation in managing relationships with Mana Whenua and Iwi Māori from a tikanga (Māori cultural) perspective and provides assistance in managing Te Tiriti o Waitangi risks. In this role Ms Glavish was the catalyst behind the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between these two DHBs and Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua. She has championed appropriate cultural support for Māori patients, lead the writing, development and implementation of bicultural policies and the ‘tikanga best practice’ policy, which is used nationally across many DHBs in Aotearoa and some private sector organisations.

Ms Glavish was the Chair of the Te Runanga o Ngāti Whātua Iwi (tribe) and is involved with a range of Iwi, government and community organisations, as well as the Cultural Advisor to previous Chief Coroner, Judge Deborah Marshall and current Chief Coroner Judge Anna Tutton. She is also an advisor to the Ombudsman Office and the Chief Ombudsman Advisory Panel – Pūhara Mana Tangata. In January 2021 she was appointed by Hon Kelvin Davis, Minister for Children, to the newly established Ministerial Advisory Board for Oranga Tamariki where she to continues to serve.

She is also a Justice of the Peace and in 2018 was awarded the NZ Order of Merit (ONZM).I

In 2018 Ms Glavish was the recipient of the Queen’s Service Medal for services to Māori and the community and was awarded the title of Dame Companion of NZ Order of Merit (DNZM) and she is now Dame Rangimarie Naida Glavish DNZM. JP.

Mary Holm
Personal Finance Journalist

She / Her

Mary Holm, ONZM, has written seven books, including Rich Enough? A laid-back guide for every Kiwi, and A Richer You – how to make the most of your money. Both topped the NZ bestseller list.  She writes a personal finance Q&A column in the Weekend Herald, presents seminars, and regularly discusses personal finance with Jesse Mulligan on RNZ – the sessions are made into popular podcasts.  She holds an MBA in finance, and is a former director of the FMA and the Banking Ombudsman Scheme. She lives by the sea near Auckland.  Her website is maryholm.com 

Major General Rose King
Chief of Army

She / Her

Major General Rose King enlisted into the New Zealand Army in July 1991, graduating into the Corps of Royal New Zealand Electrical and Mechanical Engineers in June 1992.

Throughout her career Major General King has undertaken a range of regimental, staff and training appointments including postings as Chief Instructor Tactical School, S4 2nd Land Force Group (primary staff officer logistics), Officer Commanding Support Squadron Queen Alexandra’s Mounted Rifles and Commanding Officer of 2nd Combat Service Support Battalion.

As a senior officer Major General King has held a variety of appointments within Defence including Director Reserves and Youth Development, Director of Strategic Commitments, and Chief of Staff Headquarters Joint Forces New Zealand.In addition to her time with the New Zealand Defence Force, Major General King was seconded to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as the Director of Operations, Managed Isolation and Quarantine (MIQ) to joint lead New Zealand’s COVID MIQ response.

Major General King’s operational service includes the United Nations Mission of Observers Prevlaka (for 12 months), and Afghanistan as the Chief Operational Planner (CJ35) within Resolute Support Headquarters. In addition to her NZ medallic recognition she has been awarded the NATO Meritorious Service Medal, the US Meritorious Service Medal and the US Army Commendation medal.

Major General King is a graduate of the Australian Command and Staff College and the Centre of Defence and Strategic Studies, Australia. She is an inaugural fellow of the Halifax Peace with Women Fellowship.

She has a Masters of Management in Defence Studies from the University of Canberra, a Master of Arts (Strategic Studies) from Deakin University and a Bachelor of Defence Studies from Massey University.

Major General King was promoted to Brigadier in June 2021 and appointed Deputy Chief of the New Zealand Army in December 2021. She was appointed to Chief of Army in August 2024.

Major General King is married with two children and enjoys sports, the outdoors and baking.

Julia (Jules) Lynch
Regional Commissioner and Tāmaki Makaurau Regional Public Service Commissioner                        

She / Her

Of Te Arawa and Waikato-Tainui descent, Jules is a proud public servant passionate about the role of agencies working collaboratively with iwi/Māori, community and partners for collective impact and better outcomes for all New Zealanders. Jules’s breadth of experience encompasses twenty-six years with New Zealand Police, including frontline response in youth and community services, criminal investigation branch, road policing, Area Commander, and Principal Strategic Advisor to Assistant Commissioner Districts. In 2018, Jules started a three-year secondment with the Ministry of Justice as Director of Tāmaki Makaurau Justice Sector Strategy.

In August 2021, Jules was appointed the Regional Commissioner for Auckland South at the Ministry of Social Development. Jules also serves as the Regional Public Services Commissioner for Tāmaki Makaurau. 

“Every day around Tāmaki Makaurau and Aotearoa, public servants are doing magnificent work to make a difference for New Zealand and helping New Zealanders to be safe, strong and independent” – Jules Lynch 

Ehara tāku toa i te toa takitahi, engāri he toa takitini.

Megan Main
CEO - ACC                        

She / Her

With a strong background in healthcare management and delivering quality public services, Megan is passionate about leading ACC to deliver on its purpose of improving lives every day.

Prior to joining ACC, Megan held leadership roles at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment as Deputy Chief Executive of Managed Isolation and Quarantine, and Deputy Chief Executive of the Corporate, Governance and Information Group.

She was previously Chief Executive at NZ Health Partnerships and Chief Executive of Health Purchasing Victoria (Australia). Before joining the health sector, Megan held senior line management and consulting roles in a range of industries including fast-moving consumer goods, manufacturing and professional services.

Megan holds degrees in engineering and science from the University of Melbourne and an MBA from the Melbourne Business School. Megan has also completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors’ Company Directors Course.

Isis McKay
General Manager - Women's Health Action                          

She / Her

Isis has worked in reproductive and child health for over 17 years, with a background in public health and health promotion. She is passionate about advancing equity in women’s health and wellbeing, and champions whānau-centred approaches to health system design and delivery. Her work focuses on inclusive, people-led strategies that challenge mainstream definitions of wellness and support Pae Ora for women and their communities.

Prof. Gail Pacheco
Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission

She / Her

Professor Gail Pacheco is the Equal Employment Opportunities (EEO) Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission. A leading economist, she has previously been the Director of the NZ Policy Research Institute at AUT and a Commissioner at the NZ Productivity Commission. She has an extensive track record of social policy-focused research, often leading large-scale collaborations between academia, community organisations, and the public sector.

Gail has been the recipient of numerous awards. These include: the 2018 NZIER Economics Award for outstanding contributions to the advancement of economics and its applications in NZ; the AUT Medal in 2019 in recognition of her use of integrated data to inform social policy and wellbeing; and most recently, in 2025, she was awarded Life Membership of the New Zealand Association of Economists, an honour reserved for individuals who have made significant contributions to both the association and the economics profession in NZ.

Tusha Penny
Assistant Commissioner - New Zealand Police

She / Her

Since joining NZ Police in 1992, Assistant Commissioner Tusha Penny has built a distinguished career across frontline policing, criminal investigations, national leadership, and transformational change programmes. 

A passionate advocate for vulnerable communities, Tusha has led major reforms in child protection, sexual violence, and family harm. In 2011, she became NZ Police’s first National Manager of Child Protection and Sexual Violence, where she led a national change programme in response to the Commission of Inquiry. She was later promoted to National Manager, Prevention, overseeing initiatives to support victims and vulnerable whānau across Aotearoa. 

Her leadership has shaped key national programmes, including the Firearms Reform and Buyback scheme following the 15 March tragedy, and the Frontline Safety Improvement Programme. 

In 2016, Tusha became the first Māori female District Commander, leading Waitematā district. That same year she was named a finalist in the Westpac Women of Influence Awards, nominated by female Inspectors within her own leadership team. 

In 2023, Tusha took a two-year secondment as Deputy Chief Executive, Transformation at Oranga Tamariki. There, she continued her lifelong commitment to child wellbeing, leading transformational change to ensure children are safe, loved, and nurtured. Her time at Oranga Tamariki included navigation complex youth justice challenges and driving rapid change. 

Now back with Police, Tusha serves as Assistant Commissioner, Deployment, where she is responsible for the strategic delivery of frontline capability across NZ Police. Her portfolio includes the implementation of the Tactical Response Model , Data and Performance Insights, the National Intelligence Centre as well as the Royal New Zealand Police College. 

Tusha is of Ngāti Porou descent and remains a powerful advocate for kaupapa Māori leadership within policing. She is married with two adult children. 

Katie Pocock
Assistant Commander / Group Manager, Waitemata Fire District

She / Her

Katie has been involved in operational firefighting for nearly 25 years, having joined the service in 2001 when fewer than 1% of career firefighters were women. Today, that number has grown to over 6%, and Katie has played a key role in driving that change.

She has held operational leadership roles across Tāmaki Makaurau and has been a strong female voice in national initiatives, advocating for meaningful improvements in areas that directly impact women — including PPE design, pregnancy support, and safe return-to-work practices for new mums. Her leadership is grounded in a commitment to fairness, equity, and creating a workplace where everyone has the opportunity to grow, influence, and thrive. She believes that inclusive, values-driven leadership is the foundation of high-performing teams and a positive, safe culture.

In 2023, Katie led the 40-year anniversary celebration of career women in firefighting in Aotearoa (delayed from 2021 due to COVID), ensuring the stories of pioneers like Anne Barry — the first career female firefighter in the Commonwealth — and the women who followed her in the 1980s were honoured and elevated. Championing women’s voices and experiences remains a central pillar of her leadership.

Outside of work, Katie enjoys tramping, yoga, and chasing her kids around the forest on mountain bikes — though she admits they’re already faster than her downhill!

Rebecca Rolls
International Athlete and Chief Executive of the Sport Integrity Commission - Te Kahu Raunui

She / Her

Rebecca Rolls (Ngāti Porou) is a former dual New Zealand international athlete, representing the Football Ferns and White Ferns in football and cricket, respectively. Alongside her playing career, including being a member of the Football ferns squad at the London Olympics in 2012 and Rio in 2016, Rebecca transitioned to a prominent public sector and sports administration career which continues now. She currently serving as the Chief Executive of the Sport Integrity Commission - Te Kahu Raunui and has also held senior roles at the Serious Fraud Office, Corrections and Sport New Zealand, focusing on integrity, diversity, and inclusion within sports.

Paula Tesoriero
MNZM PLY. Chief Executive of Whaikaha, Ministry for Disabled People

She / Her

Paula is well-known and a respected leader in the disability community. She is disabled and has a deep knowledge of the challenges and opportunities for the disability community.

Paula is a Paralympian, winning a gold medal and two bronze medals at the 2008 Summer Paralympic Games in Beijing. 

Paula is currently the Chief Executive of Whaikaha-Ministry of Disabled People, the first Ministry of its kind in the world working to achieve better outcomes for disabled people in New Zealand. 

Paula was previously the Disability Rights Commissioner at the Human Rights Commission, a position she held since 2017. She also acted in the role of Chief Human Rights Commissioner from May 2018 – January 2019. 

Paula has served in various governance roles including as Deputy Chair of Peke Waihanga — Artificial Limb Service and Deputy Chair of Nuku Ora (previously Sport Wellington) and she served on the Board of Paralympics NZ. She is a life trustee of the Halberg Disability Sport Foundation and is an honorary advisor to the Asia New Zealand Foundation.

Tash Wharerau 
Kaitiaki Wahine Ora - Women’s Health Action 

She / Her

Tash Wharerau lives in the beautiful Bay of Islands with her tamariki and her partner, a carver. Whānau are at the heart of everything she does, and she is committed to representing their voices with tika, pono, and aroha for the wellbeing of our people and future generations. She serves as Kaitiaki Wahine Ora at Women’s Health Action and Kaiārahi Kahu Taurima at Ngāti Hine Health Trust, contributing to boards and groups focused on Wahine Health, Breastfeeding, Maternity, and Cervical Screening. Tash believes whānau hold the solutions, and her passion is to listen and share those insights where they’re needed most. He Oranga Ngākau, He Pikinga Waiora – When our hearts are well, our spirits are lifted.

Assoc. Prof. Siouxsie Wiles
Leading Microbiologist and Science Communicator

She / Her

Associate Professor Siouxsie Wiles studied medical microbiology at the University of Edinburgh, followed by a PhD in microbiology at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Oxford. She spent almost a decade at Imperial College London before relocating to Aotearoa New Zealand as a Health Research Council Hercus Fellow in 2009. Siouxsie heads up the Bioluminescent Superbugs Lab, where she and her lab are searching for new antibiotics as well as trying to understand how bacteria evolve to become more infectious. Siouxsie also has a keen interest in demystifying science. She has worked with artists and illustrators, and made a kids show about microbiology with her daughter. In 2017, she published her first book, ‘Antibiotic Resistance: The End of Modern Medicine?’.

Siouxsie has won numerous awards for her research and science communication efforts, including the UK National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research (NC3Rs) 3Rs prize, the NZ Prime Minister’s Science Prize, the NZ Prime Minister's Science Media Communication Prize, the Royal Society Te Apārangi’s Callaghan Medal, the Universities New Zealand Critic and Conscience Award, and New Zealand Tertiary Education Union Excellence Award. In 2019, she was appointed a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to microbiology and science communication.

When the pandemic arrived, Siouxsie joined forces with cartoonist Toby Morris to make the science of the pandemic clear and understandable. Their award-winning graphics have been translated into multiple languages and adapted by governments and organisations around the world. Siouxsie was named as one of the BBC’s 100 influential women of 2020 and Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year for 2021

Hend Zaki

She / Her

Dr. Hend Zaki, founder of WOCPSN and Hend Zaki Consulting, has over 15 years of experience in government, regional, and international organisations. She's experienced in issues of identity, belonging, and utilising mixed methods research to raise awareness and bring about change.  She holds a PhD in Politics and International Relations from the University of Auckland. 

Hend is dedicated to supporting and uplifting women from diverse ethnic backgrounds. She founded  the Women of Colour in the Public Sector Network (WOCPSN) and Rahma Sisters to help women connect, support one another, and thrive together.

Through Hend Zaki Consulting, she designs and delivers programmes to help leaders create inclusive environments, and support Muslims and women of colour to thrive professionally.  Originally from Egypt, she moved to New Zealand in 2015 with her family and has previously lived in the UK and the US. She speaks Arabic and English.

You can connect with her on LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/hendzaki