Board chair, Dr Graeme Benny, is the General Manager of the Health Group at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research Ltd.

He is a Massey University graduate with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry and microbiology and a Master of Science (Hon) in biochemistry. In addition, Graeme has a doctorate in clinical biochemistry from Auckland University.

Graeme has enjoyed a global career, working for United States-based biotechnology company Invitrogen, a New Zealand-based animal pharmaceuticals and therapeutics supplier, Counties-Manukau District Health Board, Auckland District Health Board, Metlifecare, the New Zealand Blood Service and the New Zealand Defence Force.

More recently, Graeme was Chief Executive for Careers New Zealand and Director of Health Workforce New Zealand.

Board member Dr Alison Kuiper is an independent consultant and researcher, with a strong commitment to improving educational quality for learners and teachers.

She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Honorary Senior Principal Research Fellow of The University of Sydney, Sydney School of Education and Social Work.

She has served as a board member for the New Zealand Universities Academic Audit Agency and the New Zealand National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women.

She has a bachelor's and master's degree (Hons) from the University of Canterbury, a doctorate from Lincoln University and is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.

Alison has held lecturing and management positions at Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology (now Ara Institute of Technology), Lincoln University and The University of Sydney.

Board member Dr Jennie Harré Hindmarsh is an independent consultant and part-time Ngāti Porou Hauora research coordinator focused on the fields of adult and community education; workplace and professional education; and research and evaluation.

Jennie is a graduate of Massey University, with a BA Hons (Education), as well as LSE University of London and Victoria University of Wellington graduate, where she achieved a MSc (Social Work) and a PhD (Education), Tohu Māoritanga.

Jennie has 40 years' experience in tertiary education, specialising in social services, health, culture and heritage.

Her former positions include 15 years as a university lecturer and ten years in national directorship positions, leading quality improvement strategies and providing oversight of in-service education and qualifications programmes.

Board member Greg Durkin is Group Manager, Stakeholder Engagement at the Building and Construction Industry Training Organisation (BCITO).

Former Chief Executive of the Flooring ITO, Greg has served on a number of educational boards and advisory panels for organisations such as the Industry Training Federation, New Zealand Qualifications Authority, Tertiary Education Commission and Ministry of Education.

Greg has a Diploma of Primary Teaching and bachelor's and master's degrees in education. His main research interests include the fields of cognitive psychology and experiential and workplace learning.

To date, his career has spanned the business, academic and not-for-profit sectors. He is an advocate for research into tertiary educational improvement and member of the Ako Aotearoa Tertiary Teaching Awards Panel, a position he's held since 2008.

Ngāti Kuri / Ngāti Porou / Te Aitanga a Hauiti

Board member Dr Margaret Merimeri Taurere was previously a lecturer at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi and is presently a teacher/counsellor at Te Kura Taumata o Panguru.

Margaret has enjoyed a long career in education, teaching at both primary and secondary school levels and working in Māori student recruitment and retention and for the Equity Office at the University of Auckland.

She has a doctorate in education and a master’s degree in counselling. During her career, she has developed an interest in support for Māori students in secondary and tertiary education, as well as support for Māori staff in education.

Margaret helped establish the Tertiary Education Māori Liaison Network and has worked with Māori liaison colleagues to create collaborative models for Māori student recruitment. Margaret has held national positions with the Tertiary Education Union and the Tertiary Education Commission, representing Māori interests.

Board member Dr Gabrielle Wall is a director of D&G Consulting Ltd, with a doctorate in psychology and a master's degree in applied psychology.

As director, she provides strategy, research and training services to the education and health sectors, with her research covering topics such as best practice governance, modern learning practices, critical thinking skills and culturally-responsive teaching and learning.

Gabrielle has helped the Ministry of Education develop guidelines on the relationship between property design and student learning outcomes. She is in a research partnership with Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tūāhuriri, looking at how to raise student achievement for Māori students by increasing the use of culturally-inclusive critical thinking skills.

Her background spans the farming, property development and forestry industries. She is a director of Te Namu Timber and an intern director with City Care.

Te Hikutū, Ngāti Pākau and Ngāti Korokoro; Te Kapotai, Te Uri-o-Rata and Ngāti Paeahi; Ngāti Rora; Ngāti Whēru; Ngāti Te Taonui.

Rawiri is an independent writer, researcher and advisor on Māori, Indigenous and Inter-cultural human rights. He was New Zealand’s first Professor of Indigenous Studies. Rawiri is a well-known political writer who has written over 400 newspaper and magazine articles and book chapters, winning seven writing awards.

Dr Taonui has presented at the UN Experts Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. He is a member of the Tribunal to Investigate Claims of Genocide in El Salvador.

Dr Amanda Torr is a pharmacist and an educator who has worked in a range of roles in New Zealand, Cambodia and Australia.

She holds a PhD from Victoria University of Wellington (research topic Professional Competence), a Masters degree in Pharmacy Practice (Otago University) and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Management Skills (UTS).

Amanda has held a wide range of teaching, management and governance roles in both education and pharmacy including with Open Polytechnic, WelTec, Polytechnic West (Western Australia), Waiariki Institute of Technology, Bay of Plenty Polytechnic, Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, Te Kaiawhina Ahumahi – the Social Services ITO, New Zealand Pharmaceutical Society, New Zealand College of Pharmacists and Pharmacy Council of New Zealand. She also headed up the Secretariat for the review of tertiary education in NZ (TEAC) in 2000/01 and assisted the Cambodian government to implement pharmaceutical supply reform in 2005-07.

While in Australia (alongside her role with Polytechnic West), she was a member of the development and delivery group for an AUSAID Leadership for Development programme and worked with the South West Aboriginal Land and Sea Council developing an indigenous leadership programme. She was also a member of the TEQSA data analysis and use working party.

She is currently working with Te Rūnanganui o Te Āti Awa to support its strategic development and integrated health services/whanau ora delivery, and is an education contractor.