Ms Hera White, ONZM, of Raglan, for services to Māori and tertiary education
Hera White was Head of School of Māori Studies and then Pouarāhi (Executive Director) Māori at Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec). She was a pioneer of senior executive Māori positions in the Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITP) sector. She is a key mentor and rangatira of Te Tira Manukura, an organisation of ITP Māori senior executives. She led the development of a Treaty of Waitangi framework to lead Wintec’s strategic direction and oversaw the establishment of the Māori Achievement Unit. She helped establish scholarships for Māori health students and developing leadership skills for Māori staff. She negotiated a partnership between Waikato-Tainui and Wintec to drive a new programme to increase te reo Māori fluency. Ms White was a Board member of Habitat for Humanity Central Region.