Empowering women through education in Canterbury.
Empowering women through education in Canterbury.
Our Board.
Our board is made up of eight community-minded women with a broad spectrum of applicable skills in education, the non-profit and private sectors. These skilled women bring their wealth of experience, passion towards equality and uplifting others to work to break down barriers and enable women to succeed in education.
The board are also instrumental in supporting the Regalia Hire business arm of the organisation.
Our scholarships, awards and funding initiatives are available for all women studying in tertiary education in Canterbury.
Making a positive difference within your community.
Join the board.
We welcome anyone wanting to start their board career who has an interest in equality for women and equity in higher education to send through their expression of interest to trust@graduatewomencanterbury.co.nz
OUR MEMBERS
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BCom, Accounting (Cant)
Finance Trust Board LeadI have been an active volunteer in conjunction with my career as a non-profit accountant, firstly within Girl Guides and since 2018 I have been on the Graduate Women Canterbury Trust Board, becoming the Finance Committee Chair in 2021.
My job as a non-profit accountant allows me to bring my work experience into a volunteer role to help by guiding and providing financial information. My aim is to enable informed decision making by the Trustees to help with the Trust’s vision of a stronger community through further education for women.
Outside of work and volunteering, I enjoy cooking, gardening and spending time with my family.
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Dip.AvSci, GDEM, CPL
GWC Trust Board Member
I’m originally from Bridge Pa in Te Matau-a-Māui (Hawke’s Bay) and began my career as a commercial pilot and flight instructor, before moving into the tech sector. Both are fields where women are still underrepresented, and that experience is part of why GWC’s kaupapa matters so much to me.
More recently my work has been in digital equity, leading non-profits that help more people be connected, confident and included in an increasingly digital world, and able to move from being consumers to creators.
I’ve always believed that access to knowledge can change lives and make communities stronger. I’m proud to support GWC’s vision of barrier-free education for all wāhine in Waitaha.
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Bachelor of Education (Teaching), Dunedin College of Education
GWC Trust Board Lead
I joined the Graduate Women Canterbury Trust in 2025. Currently, I work at Ara Institute of Canterbury as the Director of the Southern Campus, based in Timaru. I have been involved in tertiary education for the past 11 years, leading both academic and student support initiatives.
Beyond tertiary education, my experience spans human resources and change management, the hospitality and tourism sector, and the Department of Conservation. Additionally, I co-own a small rural fencing business and have been active in the agriculture sector for the past 10 years.
In my spare time, I study Te Reo Māori and enjoy spending time with my dogs and whānau. Education has profoundly impacted my life, thanks to the inspiration of many strong wāhine who showed me the possibilities ahead. I am excited to be part of an organisation that champions barrier-free education for women.
Having lived in rural New Zealand for most of my life, I understand the challenges of accessing higher education. I am personally motivated to support women in rural Canterbury to achieve their educational goals.
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TTC (Wgnt.) Cert. Educational Management BA MEd MA (Adult Education)
Governance Trust Board LeadI have more than 30 years’ experience in adult education across Aotearoa New Zealand, spanning prison, tertiary, workplace and community education. I’ve designed and facilitated professional learning for educators and organisations nationwide.
I lead Leahy Learning, working as an independent learning consultant to design and deliver engaging, practical professional development. I previously served as Southern Sector Services Manager for the Centre for Tertiary Teaching Excellence, Ako Aotearoa and Teaching Standards Advisor for Adult and Community Education (ACE) Aotearoa, supporting educators to strengthen teaching practice and learner success.
I serve on the boards of the Canterbury Workers Educational Association (CWEA) and Community Research contributing to lifelong learning, education and community development.
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Bachelor of Māori Laws & Philosophy Bachelor of Te Reo Māori GWC Trust Board Chair
Kaiako Reo Māori, I am a teacher of Te Reo Māori me ōnā tīkanga and work with individuals, Governance Boards, Tūmuaki CE's, Managers, and Organisational Teams and am a self-employed contractor for services.
I was nominated as Chair at the last AGM and that during my time, I will be looking at developing policy, a new co-governance model for the future, and building stronger networks locally and with mana whenua Ngāi Tūahuriri.
My specialisation is in teaching Te Reo Māori me ōnā tīkanga kātoa, educating through the use of tools like Te Tiriti o Waitangi 1840 and He Whakapūtanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tirani 1835. I hope to educate and influence policy and constitutional change, drawing on the several tīkanga Māori legal concepts within these two historical documents.
I have a back ground in teaching kohanga reo and at Kura kaupapa. I have sat on many mārae and active self determined community groups, was the Student Representative at Te Wānanga o Raukawa, and I sat on Te Mana Whakahaere. I was a Seafarers Unionist and represented Cabin Attendants on the Interislander Ferries. More recently, I have sat on the Adult Community Education Board as a member, a Tāngata Whenua Co Chair.
My personal passion is Strategic Planning for the future generations to come. Forward thinking to benefit both Tāngata Tīriti and Tāngata whenua of this land. Advocation is a key role that I take seriously, speaking and representing the disadvantaged, marginalised, and under-represented members of our communities.
Our Why.
VISION
Our Vision is for barrier free education for all women.
OUR VALUES AND BEHAVIOURS
As an organisation:
• We make things happen
• We do the right thing
• We care for our future
• Inclusion propels us
MISSION
Our Mission is to achieve our vision through:
• Breaking down barriers and enabling women to succeed in education through strategic partnerships, while effectively issuing grants and awards.
• Making prudent financial decisions of the Trust’s capital investments.
• Promoting our work through communication, events and a wide range of partnerships, celebrating strengthening communities.
STRATEGIC GOALS
Creating an equity funding template to reach a greater cohort of women in Canterbury to enable them to access further education opportunities before 30 June 2023.
To promote our presence in the community to increase our volunteers, donations and our work by using communications including social media, our strategic partners and our own contacts and events to gain momentum over the course of the strategic timeframe.
To acknowledge and grow our understanding, confidence and use of te tiriti o Waitangi/ te reo Maori, actively incorporating te reo Maori throughout the entire organisation following the workshops of 2022.
To review our position within the next year and use research to ensure our funding targets are meeting the need of the communities we are investing in.
We celebrate success then use the profits to create future success in Canterbury.
Now that’s something to celebrate.
Our History.
GWC endorses the work of Graduate Women New Zealand (GWNZ) who also incorporate the vision of the global body, Graduate Women International (GWI), founded in 1919. GWI commands huge respect and authority throughout the world and works closely with the UN advising and making recommendations for policy matters and other stakeholders on issues relating to education, gender and human rights.
Closer to home, in 1991 the Canterbury Branch established a charitable trust to govern the operation of the Regalia Hire business. As with other similar organisations, a declining membership saw the closure of the Branch at the end of 2017.
The GWC Trust and GWC Regalia Hire continue to provide a service of academic regalia hire to Canterbury tertiary institutions and high school prize giving’s. The profits from this service are then disbursed via the Trust for scholarships, awards, grants and prizes within the region.
Although times have evolved, even today, there is still an element of gender inequality and in many cases, women still can face challenges balancing both family commitments and academic study.
You can make a difference too.