Ms Cindy Johns, of New Plymouth, ONZM for services to people with learning disabilities
Cindy Johns established the Taranaki branch of the New Zealand Down Syndrome Association and served on the Association’s national board, two IHC committees, and Kapiti Special Olympics for many years. She is the chair of Family Networks New Zealand. As a national advocate for IHC, she assisted with establishing People First New Zealand, an organisation for people with learning disabilities, and is its National Manager. She has promoted Easy Read, a way of writing in everyday words and images that assist understanding, to be a recognised alternate format. She is a member of the Disabled Persons Organisation Coalition. Ms Johns assists Sir Robert Martin to undertake his role as an independent expert on the United Nations committee for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities