Judges
Meet the 12 independent, respected Executive Judges choosing our 2020 winners. They offer a diversity of industry, social and cultural, entrepreneurship, and innovation backgrounds, ensuring our prestigious awards honour the extraordinary Kiwis making New Zealand a better place for everyone.
Rt Hon Jim Bolger
Patron, New Zealander of the Year
Tess Casey
CEO, Neighbourhood Support NZ
Mai Chen
Managing Director, Chen Palmer; Chair Superdiversity Institute
Vanisa Dhiru
President, National Council of Women of New Zealand
Bill Dwyer
Commercial and Corporate Lawyer
Jamie Fitzgerald
CEO, Inspiring Performance
Bill Francis
Director/Author
Steve Jurkovich
CEO, Kiwibank
Miriama Kamo
Journalist and Broadcaster
Anna Lissaman
Director of People and Talent TVNZ
Joanne McCrae
Advisory Board Member, NZ Global Women & NZ Breast Cancer Foundation; Partner, Deloitte
Mere Pohatu
Regional Director, Ministry of Maori Development
Category Judges
Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year
Cameron Bennett: Media Consultant and Presenter (Head Category Judge)
Dr Lance O’Sullivan: 2016 New Zealander of the Year; Public Health Advocate
Marisa Fong: Trustee, Simplicity NZ; Director, Masimaya Ltd
Louise Aitken: CEO, Ākina Foundation
University of Auckland Young New Zealander of the Year
David Cameron: 2018 Young New Zealander of the Year; Founder/CEO LearnCoach (Head Category Judge)
Kim Swann: Membership Director - New Zealand & Queensland, PWN
Sandra Bilderbeck: Senior Advisor Governance, Oranga Tamariki - Ministry for Children
Rez Gardi: 2017 Young New Zealander of the Year; Founder/CEO Empower Youth Trust
Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year
Craig Goodall: GM, Risk, Safety & Assurance, Regional Facilities Auckland (Head Category Judge)
Stephanie Clare: CEO, Age Concern NZ
Mark Benjamin: CEO, Standards and Monitoring Services
Daniel Barnett: Area Manager, IDEA Services
TradeMe Innovator of the Year
Gary Brown: Co-founder and Trustee, Robin Hood Foundation (Head Category Judge)
Debra Hall: Member Flying Kiwi Angels; Chair, Investment Committee of Kiwinet
Marshall Couper: CEO and Director, NZ Business Partners; CEO, Loffty
Prof Ed Gane: 2017 New Zealand Innovator of the Year
Mitre 10 Community of the Year
Des Brennan: Chair, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren; Council Waikato Institute of Technolology (Head Category Judge)
Desley Simpson: Orakei Ward, Deputy Chair – Finance & Performance Committee
Cheryll Martin: GM, Volunteering Auckland
Tracey Wakefield: Director, Tamaki Community Development Trust
Kiwibank Local Hero of the Year
Alison Marshall, MNZM: Community Engagement Practice Leader, Blind Foundation (Head Category Judge)
Michelle Kitney: CEO, Volunteering New Zealand
Cecilia Sullivan-Grant MNZM: 2014 Kiwibank Local Hero; ED Kom Limited
Selwyn Cook: National Employment Ambassador, Workbridge New Zealand
