Dame Karen Poutasi, DNZM, of Paraparaumu, for services to education and the State
Dame Karen Poutasi, of Paraparaumu, for services to education and the State
Dame Karen Poutasi was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2006 for her services to health administration. Dame Karen has worked as the Chief Executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) since 2006. After spending 30 years in the health sector, she joined the education sector at a time when there were public concerns around the implementation of NZQA’s school qualifications framework.
In her time as Chief Executive, public confidence in NZQA has increased, as has performance in school qualifications assessment.
NZQA also quality assures the non-university tertiary education sector and administers the Codes of Pastoral Care. She is currently Commissioner of the Waikato District Health Board, as of May 2019. She is also Deputy Chair of the Crown-owned company Network for Learning and chairs the New Zealand Appointment Committee for Harkness Fellowships awarded by the Commonwealth Fund of New York. She was a panel member of the Havelock North Drinking Water Inquiry from 2016 to 2017. She is a member of Global Women New Zealand and has been Chair of Basketball New Zealand. From 2007 to 2011 Dame Karen volunteered on the Board of Presbyterian Support Central.