The Board of Commissioners is responsible for governance. It is appointed by, and responsible to, the Minister for Tertiary Education. It comprises at least six, but not more than nine, members.
Tertiary Education Commission Chair, Sir Wira Gardiner
Sir Wira (Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Pikiao, Whakatohea and Te Whānau-ā-Apanui) was the founding chief executive of Te Puni Kōkiri and previously had senior leadership roles in the military. More recently he has worked as a consultant, and in this role he has had considerable experience in management and governance in the tertiary sector - as a Ministerial appointee on the council of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa and as chair and acting chief executive of Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi. He has also had considerable experience in iwi governance and in managing consultation on treaty issues. Sir Wira has been appointed for a three year term starting June 2010.
Ian Boyd is Chief Executive of The Forest Industries Training and Education Council (FITEC). He has had leadership roles in the forestry, agriculture and horticulture sectors. These include Joint Chief Executive and Chief Operating Officer of Fletcher Challenge Forests; Chief Executive and Resident Director for Fletcher Challenge forestry and pulp & paper interests in South America based in Santiago, Chile; Managing Director of Wrightson Limited; and General Manager of Zespri Global Supply. He is the inaugural Chairman of the Primary Sector Group of ITOs.
Jim Donovan is a businessman, company director and consultant. He has held CEO roles at Fronde (leading IT services business), Deltec Telesystems (successful international technology company) and Electra (power company) during corporatisation and industry deregulation.
As a strategy consulting partner with Ernst & Young, he advised leading technology and international businesses in the Asia Pacific region. With governance experience on various company boards, industry organisations and economic development agencies, he has a strong understanding of the needs of business in relation to the tertiary education system supporting economic growth.
Tony Hall is a member of the Lincoln University Council, Trustee and Chair of the Massey - Lincoln University Agriculture and Life Sciences Partnership for Excellence Trust, Chairman - Community Colleges New Zealand, Board Member - Core Education. He was a member of the Tertiary Education Advisory Commission and a previous Board Member of NZQA. His community work includes chairing North Canterbury Sport and Recreation Trust, founding chairman of Enterprise North Canterbury and has advisory roles with Academy of Sport South Island and Speights Coast to Coast.
Robin Hapi (Ngati Kahungunu) has a wide range of skills and experiences which includes being able to bring a Māori perspective to the deliberations of the Board.
His experience includes: a 12-year tenure as Chief Executive of the Treaty of Waitangi Fisheries Commission; Chief Executive of Aotearoa Fisheries Ltd; elected member of the Seafood Industry Council; member of the Board of Sealord for the past nine years; member of the New Zealand Fisheries Board; and member of the Government- and industry-led Food and Beverage Sector Taskforce.
He was the first Māori branch manager for the Housing Corporation, and has held senior executive positions in both Māori Affairs and the Department of Labour. He has held various positions on Māori Land Trusts in Hawkes Bay and associated with his marae, Kahuranaki.
Robin is a graduate of Massey University and holds a Master Degree in Business Administration (with distinction). He is a member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management.
Pauline Winter is the Director of Pasifika Advancement at AUT University in Auckland. She chairs the National Advisory Council on Employment for Women and the OMEGA Trust a new migrant employment initiative of the Committee for Auckland. She is the Deputy Chief Commissioner for the Transport Accident Investigation Commission and is the Director of her consultancy INTERPACIFIC Ltd. She is the former Chief Executive of Workbridge Inc, a national organisation providing employment and training for disabled people. Ms Winter was named Pacific Business Person of the Year in 1997 and was awarded a QSO in 2008.
David Do is the co-President of the New Zealand Union of Students’ Associations, representing students from universities and polytechnics.
In 2008, he became the first Asian President of the Auckland University Students Association. Prior to that, he was their Education Vice President (2007), and Welfare Officer (October 2004-2006). He finished his Honours in Politics last year at Auckland University, and has graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics and History.
Adopting the role non-voting learner participant (NVLP) on the TEC board is a way of ensuring that the student voice is heard at a high level within the tertiary education sector. David has also been on the TEC’s Learners Advisory Committee since 2007, and has been a student rep on the Auckland University Council for two years (2007-2008).
Dr Judith Johnston is an independent management consultant with senior executive level experience in both the public and private sectors. She has broad management and governance experience and currently sits on the Board of Directors for ESR, convenes a number of professional conduct committees, as well as being a member of governance and audit and risk committees for major government agencies.
She has previously been a partner at Unisys Corporation, Chief Information Officer at the Ministry of Justice and Deputy Director General at the Ministry of Health. Dr Johnston has also held roles as a Teaching Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Auckland and University of Waikato, and was Visiting Professor of Public Policy at Princeton University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Her appointment is for a three year term starting 1 September 2011.