Mr Mark Bowden, of New Plymouth, MNZM, for services to education
Mark Bowden was Principal of Opunake High School and Spotswood College in Taranaki. He was involved in an advisory panel during the writing of the New Zealand Curriculum.
He was Deputy Chairperson of Taranaki Futures, a successful education-to-employment organisation. He led changes in Outdoor Education policies and procedures in response to a tragic accident involving Spotswood College students.
He chairs the Taranaki Secondary Schools’ Principals’ Association and is Taranaki Secondary Schools’ Representative on the New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Sport Council.
Mr Bowden has been engaged as an independent panel member for principal appointments, as a mentor for principals, and in a role with the Ministry of Education’s Taranaki office.