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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BA(Hons) (Cant), PGDipTertTchg (Otago), PhD (Cant)
Trust Board ChairI am a university professional now able to spend more time volunteering as my family grows up. After completing a PhD in the early 2000s, I taught in bridging programmes at the University of Canterbury for a decade. In the early 2010s I joined Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University, where I am now the Director, Pathways and Quality.
I joined the Graduate Women Canterbury Trust Board in 2018 and became Chair later that year. I am inspired by the Trust’s vision of barrier-free education for women, and committed to using the tools of governance to make it happen!
I volunteer for a number of other community organisations, and enjoy rainbow family life, the arts, running and yoga.
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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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BSc, GDip Sales & Marketing, PGDipTchg (Secondary)
Awards Trust Board LeadI joined Graduate Women Canterbury Trust Board in 2019. I’ve worked in tertiary education since 2009, and completed study through University of Canterbury, Ara Institute of Canterbury and Christchurch Teachers College. I was keen to be part of this group providing valuable support for women and minority groups to access and excel within tertiary education.
I am Head of Department of Creative Industries at Ara Institute of Canterbury, teach and compete at Modern Jive Dancing, and am completing my Masters of Business Administration part-time through University of Canterbury. I am also a Board member on the Grace Butler Memorial Foundation.
I bring to the Board a passion for communication, equity and driving positive change. In my spare time you will find me dancing, in the garden, walking in nature, cooking, or spending time with my friends.
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Bachelor of Māori Laws & Philosophy Bachelor of Te Reo Māori GWC Trust Board member
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.
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.
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Bachelor of Science (Otago)
Awards Trust Board member, Health and Safety LeadI completed a BSc at Otago University, majoring in Chemistry, before making the shift to administration. I am currently working at the University of Canterbury as a Senior School Administrator. I have worked in university administration for 13 years, at both VUW and UC.
I joined the Graduate Women Canterbury Trust Board in early 2020 after the opportunity was raised by a colleague. I am passionate about education and career opportunities for women, particularly in the STEM fields. I feel very privileged to be in a position where I can help support women in tertiary education as part of the GWC Awards committee. I also take a keen interest in workplace health, safety and wellbeing.
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Bachelor of Education (Teaching), Dunedin College of Education
GWC Trust Board Member
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 memberI am passionate about lifelong learning opportunities, and my current role as South Island Manager for Ako Aotearoa, means that I have the chance to teach and connect with a range of tertiary providers and educators about lifelong learning.
I have had the privilege to working for Christchurch Women’s Prison, Christchurch College of Education, the University of Canterbury and Ara Institute of Canterbury. In these roles, I worked as a lecturer on the Certificate of Adult Teaching and the Diploma of Adult Teaching and Learning qualifications as well as teaching in the Bridging Programmes and Learning Services team at Ara.
I enjoy being able to contribute to our community particularly supporting opportunities for learning. I have enjoyed my time on local and national committees for Christchurch Women’s Centre, Pillars, Literacy Aotearoa, Books In Prison Trust and ACE Aotearoa. I am currently on the board of Literacy Christchurch, Canterbury Workers Education Association (CWEA) and the Celia Lashlie Trust. I am also an active committee member for Te Aka Wāhine o te Waipounamu Southern Government Women’s Network and will take over as Chair in 2022/2023.
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.