Judges
behind the awards
Ngā Tohu Pou Kōhure o Aotearoa.
Get familiar with the Judges behind the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards
Meet the 10 independent, respected Executive Judges that select the 2023 finalists and winners.
They offer diversity of industry, social and cultural, entrepreneurship, and innovation backgrounds, ensuring our prestigious Awards honour the extraordinary Kiwis making New Zealand a better place.
- Bill Moran, Professional Director, Chair, Sport New Zealand
- Caren Rangi ONZM, Chair, Creative New Zealand
- Ciara McGuigan, CFO, TVNZ
- Dan Te Whenua Walker, Director, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Deputy Chair, NZ Māori Tourism, Global Co-Chair Indigenous, Microsoft
- Geoff Ensor, Former Department of Conservation Director of Commercial Partnerships
- Kendall Flutey, CEO, Banqer
- Marisa Fong, Trustee, Simplicity NZ; Director, Masimaya Consulting, Founder, Director, Arné Skincare
- Steve Jurkovich, CEO, Kiwibank
- Tess Casey, Executive Director, NZ Association of Counsellors
- Theresa Gattung CNZM, Chair, Global Women
Meet the Category Judges behind the machine. Our seven Category Judging Panels are made up of some of the brightest minds from a number of fields, offering expertise within their categories. They’re tasked with the job of whittling down the hundreds of nominees to just 10 Semi-Finalists that are representative of the best of the best within the category to go forward for Executive Judging.
Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa
2023 Category Judges
- Louise Aitken, Head Judge, Director, Thriving World
- David Downs, Consultant, 2020 Semi-Finalist
- Joanna Norris, Chief Content Officer, Stuff NZ
- Dr Matire Harwood, Senior Lecturer in Māori Health, University of Auckland
University of Canterbury Young New Zealander of the Year Te Mātātahi o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Jamie Fenton, Head Judge, Young New Zealander of the Year 2011
- Georgia Devereux, Co-Founder, The Social Club
- Shay Wright, Co Founder at Te Whare Hukahuka
- Jacinta Gulasekharam, Co-Founder, Dignity NZ, Human Centered Designer, PwC
Ryman Healthcare Senior New Zealander of the Year Te Mātāpuputu o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Meng Foon, Head Judge, Race Relations Commissioner of New Zealand
- Hon Margaret Austin
- Mark Benjamin, CEO, Standards and Monitoring Services
- Stephen Opie, CEO, Age Concern
Spark New Zealand Innovator of the Year Te Pou Whakairo o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Rachel Taulelei, Head Judge, Co-Founder, Oho
- Alexia Hilbertidou, Founder, CEO, GirlBoss New Zealand
- Kent Gardner, CEO, Evans Randall Investors
- Dave Ferguson, Co-Founder, Nuro Inc
Ministry for the Environment New Zealand Environmental Hero of the Year Te Toa Taiao o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Brent Beaven, Head Judge, Director, Predator Free 2020, DOC
- Prof Bronwyn Hayward MNZM, Professor, University of Canterbury, Director, The Sustainable Citizenship and Civic Imagination Research group
- Danielle Shanahan, Chief Executive, Zealandia, Adjunct Professor, Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington
- Tania Gerrard, General Manager, Māori and Stakeholder Relations
Mitre 10 New Zealand Community of the Year Ngā Poi Whirinaki o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Tracey Wakefield, Head Judge, Manager, Restorative Justice Services Ōtautahi Christchurch
- Cyril Howard (Ngāpuhi), Regional Manager, The Tindall Foundation
- Jennie Fenwick, Founder and Director, Te Matuku Oysters, Trustee, Save the Kiwi, Chairman, Pouteria Charitable Trust
- Sam Johnson, Former CEO and Founder, Student Volunteer Army, 2012 Young New Zealander of the Year
Kiwibank New Zealand Local Hero of the Year Te Pou Toko o te Tau
2023 Category Judges
- Dellwyn Stuart, CEO, YWCA Auckland
- Matt Brown, Co-Founder, She Is Not Your Rehab, Owner, My Fathers Barber, Ambassador, It’s Not OK Campaign
- Nick Loosley, 2020 New Zealand Local Hero of the Year, Founder, Everybody Eats
- Rachel Māia, NZ ParaClimber, Motivational Speaker
- Ranjna Patel ONZM QSM, 2021 New Zealand Innovator of the Year, Founder, Gandhi Nivas Family Violence Prevention Programme
Meet our Local Hero Regional Judges. Each region is made up of at least three Regional Judges from a variety of backgrounds – media, corporate and local government. We seek those community-minded people with their fingers on the pulse of who is creating real, tangible impact within their region. They’re entrusted with determining our Top 100 Local Hero Medallists’ who will go forward for Category Judging.
NORTHLAND TE TAI TOKERAU REGIONAL JUDGES
- Carol Peters, Councillor, Whangārei District Council
- Rachel Ward, Editor, NZME
- Tui Shortland. Councillor & Chair, Northland Regional Council
AUCKLAND TĀMAKI MAKAURAU JUDGES
- Alf Filipaina, Manukau Ward Councillor, Auckland Council
- Aroha Mane, News manager, Māori Television
- Carol McGrath, Head of Technology and Data Governance
- Darren Keane, Lead Engineer
- Melanie Earley, Auckland Reporter, Stuff
- Shane Henderson, Councillor, Auckland Council
- Ingrid Papau, Board member, Henderson-Massey Local Board
- Tori Tokalau, Senior Reporter, Stuff
- Tresa Berla Correya, Banking Specialist
WAIKATO JUDGES
- Anna Park, Councillor, Taupō District Council
- Deaan Marchioni, SME Business Join Consultant
- Roy Pilott, Te Awamutu Editorial Director
BAY OF PLENTY TE MOANA-A-TOI JUDGES
- Amy Yang, Banking assistant
- Jodie Snooks, Group sales manager, Stuff
- Ken Shirley, Councillor, Bay of Plenty Regional Council
GISBORNE TAIRĀWHITI AND HAWKE’S BAY TE MATAU-A-MĀUI JUDGES
- Heather Bosselman, Napier Senior Policy Analyst, Napier Council
- Matai Smith, Station Manager, Tūranga FM
- Rehette Stoltz, Mayor, Gisborne
TARANAKI, MANAWATŪ AND WHANGANUI JUDGES
- Jayden Devonshire, Commercial Manager, Kiwibank Taranaki
- Judith Lacy, Editor, The Manawatū Guardian
- Peter Tennet, QSO, JP, Taranaki
- Pippa Kohlhase, Bank Manager, Hastings
WELLINGTON TE WHANGANUI-A-TARA JUDGES
- Georgina Campbell, Senior Journalist, Stuff
- Jonathan Howarth, Retail Credit Manager
- Nureddin Abdurahman, Councilor, Paekawakawa/Southern Ward
TASMAN TE TAI-O-AORERE, NELSON WHAKATŪ AND MARLBOROUGH TE TAUIHU-O-TE-WAKA JUDGES
- Jo Vavasour, Banking Specialist
- Pete Rainey, Councilor, Nelson
- Sarah Board, Media Editor, Top South
WEST COAST TAI-O-POUTINI JUDGES
- Debra Norton, Hub Manager, Kiwibank West Coast
- Paul Madgwick, Editor, The Greymouth Star
- Sarah Brown, Community Development Advisor, Westland District Council
CANTERBURY WAITAHA JUDGES
- Camille Hughes, Relationship Customer Onboarding Specialist
- Hilary Muir, Host, The Breeze
- Kerry Khokhar, Bank Manager
- Rachel Parkin, Reporter, Sevensharp
- Sarah Templeton, Councillor, Heathcote Ward
- Scott Shannon, Councilor, Mt Pleasant/Temuka Ward
OTAGO ŌTĀKOU AND SOUTHLAND MURIHIKU JUDGES
- Damian Newell, Host, The Breeze
- Neil Gillespie, Deputy Mayor, Central Otago District
- Tim Cadogan, Mayor, Central Otago District
