The New Zealand Women of Influence Awards are an annual set of awards which recognise women who make a difference to everyday New Zealanders' lives. The Awards were first made in 2013 and were initially sponsored by Westpac Bank.[1] In 2016, Stuff NZ became a joint sponsor.
Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, winner of the 2020 Women of Influence Lifetime Achievement Award
Nominations are invited from the public. A panel selects finalists in each category, who are invited to an awards dinner at the Aotea Centre in Auckland where the recipients are announced.[2] In 2021 the awards dinner was not held due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Categories
The Awards were initially presented in seven categories; additional categories have since been introduced and as of 2020 the Awards are made in ten categories: Board and Management, Business Enterprise, Innovation and Science, Young Leader, Arts and Culture, Public Policy, Community and Not-for-profit, Diversity, Global and Rural. In addition, there is a Supreme Award, which is awarded each year, and a Lifetime Achievement Award, which has been awarded four times.[1][3]
The category Innovation and Science was titled Science, Health and Innovation until 2019. In 2021 it was renamed Innovation, Science and Health.[4] The category Young Leader was titled Emerging Leader in 2013 and 2014. The category Arts and Culture was titled Arts in 2013 and 2014. The category Community and Not-for-Profit was titled Community and Social in 2013, Community in 2014 and Community Hero in 2021.[4]
The category Social Enterprise has been awarded once, in 2014. The category Local and Regional has been awarded twice, in 2013 and in 2014.[5]
In 2021, the category Global was not awarded, a category Environment was added and the category Rural was re-named Primary Industries.[6][4]
Judges
Dame Silvia Cartwright is the head of the judging panel. On the 2020 panel with her were Sir John Kirwan, Vanisa Dhiru, Abbie Reynolds, Sinead Boucher and Gina Dellabarca.[7] In 2021 Francene Wineti replaced Sir John Kirwan on the panel.[8]
Recipients
Parris Goebel, winner of the 2015 Young Leader Award and the 2020 Arts and Culture Award
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2021
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Bronwyn Hayward, expert on expertise on sustainability, climate change and youth
|
[6]
|
Lifetime Achievement
|
Dame Silvia Cartwright, New Zealand’s first female High Court judge and second female Governor-General
|
|
Board and Management
|
Cassandra Crowley, CEO of Te Arawa Management Limited
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Jessie Wong, director of Yu Mei
|
|
Innovation, Science and Health
|
Beverley Lawton, founder and director of Centre for Women’s Health Research – Te Tātai Hauora o Hine
|
|
Young Leader
|
Kate Gatfield-Jeffries, co-founder of Young Women in Business and Law mentoring groups
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Qiane Matata-Sipu, founder and creator of NUKU
|
|
Public Policy
|
Melanie Mark-Shadbolt, Deputy Secretary Māori Rights and Interests, Ministry for the Environment
|
|
Diversity
|
Dana Youngman, television executive
|
|
Community Hero
|
Bernadette Pinnell, founder of Compass Housing Services
|
|
Primary Industries
|
Tia Potae, Whānau Ora navigator at Tokomairiro Waiora
|
|
Environment
|
Bronwyn Hayward
|
|
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2020
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Siouxsie Wiles, microbiologist and leading Covid-19 commentator
|
[9]
|
Lifetime Achievement
|
Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, New Zealand’s first female MP of Pacific Island descent
|
|
Board and Management
|
Dame Alison Paterson, businesswoman and company director
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Sonya Williams and Brooke Roberts, co-founders of Sharesies
|
|
Innovation and Science
|
Siouxsie Wiles
|
|
Young Leader
|
Aigagalefili Fepulea'i Tapua'i, climate change and social equality campaigner
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Parris Goebel, choreographer and dancer
|
|
Public Policy
|
Una Jagose, New Zealand Solicitor-General
|
|
Community and Not-for-Profit
|
Ranjna Patel, domestic violence campaigner
|
|
Diversity
|
Tupe Solomon-Tanoa'i, diplomat
|
|
Global
|
Jane Kelsey, lawyer and political scientist
|
|
Rural
|
Trish Fraser, soil scientist
|
|
Dame Jane Harding, winner of the 2019 Supreme Woman of Influence Award
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2019
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Dame Jane Harding, medical researcher
|
[10][11]
|
Board and Management
|
Abbie Reynolds, sustainable business leader
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Brianne West, sustainable beauty entrepreneur and founder of Ethique
|
|
Innovation and Science
|
Dame Jane Harding
|
|
Young Leader
|
Annika Andresen, marine conservationist
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Jennifer Ward-Lealand, actress
|
|
Public Policy
|
Debbie Sorensen, public health leader
|
|
Community and Not-for-Profit
|
Swanie Nelson, community organiser
|
|
Diversity
|
Tapu Misa, journalist
|
|
Global
|
Anne-Marie Brady, political scientist
|
|
Rural
|
Gina Mohi, environmental planner
|
|
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2018
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Jackie Clark, of The Aunties, a charity working with domestic violence survivors in South Auckland
|
[12]
|
Lifetime Achievement
|
Theresa Gattung, businesswoman and former chief executive of Telecom New Zealand
|
|
Board and Management
|
Farah Palmer, former captain of New Zealand's women's rugby union team, the Black Ferns
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Angie Judge, technology entrepreneur
|
[13]
|
Science, Health and Innovation
|
Wendy Larner, president of the Royal Society Te Apārangi
|
|
Young Leader
|
Maddison McQueen-Davies, founder of Share a Pair NZ
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Miranda Harcourt, actress
|
|
Public Policy
|
Charlotte Korte, for creating Mesh Down Under
|
[12][14]
|
Community and Not-for-Profit
|
Jackie Clark
|
|
Diversity
|
Sarah Lang, founder of Women's Infrastructure Network
|
[15]
|
Global
|
Sarah Vrede
|
|
Rural
|
Rebecca Keoghan
|
[16]
|
Hinemoa Elder, winner of the 2017 Science, Health and Innovation Award
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2017
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Cecilia Robinson, founder of My Food Bag
|
[17]
|
Lifetime Achievement
|
Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand
|
|
Board and Management
|
Anne-Maree O'Connor, investment banker
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Cecilia Robinson
|
[18]
|
Science, Health and Innovation
|
Hinemoa Elder, youth forensic psychiatrist
|
|
Young Leader
|
Sharnay Cocup, founder of the Taupiri Youth Group Trust
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Denise L'Estrange-Corbet, fashion designer
|
|
Public Policy
|
Rebecca Kitteridge, director of the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service
|
|
Community and Not-for-Profit
|
Lisa King, founder of school lunch provider Eat My Lunch
|
|
Diversity
|
Minnie Baragwanath, founder of Be. Accessible, a social change agency focusing on changing how New Zealanders view accessibility
|
|
Global
|
Siân Simpson
|
|
Rural
|
Nicola Shadbolt, agricultural businesswoman
|
|
Mavis Mullins, winner of the 2016 Rural Award
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2016
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Helen Robinson, businesswoman
|
[19]
|
Lifetime Achievement
|
Dame Rosanne Meo, businesswoman
|
|
Board and Management
|
Helen Robinson
|
|
Business Enterprise
|
Lisa King, founder of school lunch provider Eat My Lunch
|
|
Science, Health and Innovation
|
Michelle Dickinson, nanotechnologist and science educator
|
|
Young Leader
|
Alexia Hilbertidou, founder of GirlBoss NZ
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Gaylene Preston, filmwriter, director and producer
|
|
Public Policy
|
Naomi Ferguson, Commissioner of Inland Revenue
|
|
Community and Not-for-Profit
|
Catriona Williams, founder of Catwalk Trust
|
|
Diversity
|
Sue Kedgley, Wellington politician
|
|
Global
|
Lyn Provost, Auditor-General of New Zealand
|
|
Rural
|
Mavis Mullins
|
|
Year
|
Category
|
Recipient
|
Notes
|
2015
|
Supreme Woman of Influence
|
Joan Withers, for her work campaigning for more women on boards and in business
|
[3]
|
Board and Management
|
Joan Withers
|
[20]
|
Business Enterprise
|
Linda Jenkinson, entrepreneur
|
|
Science, Health and Innovation
|
Frances Valintine, education futurist
|
|
Young Leader
|
Parris Goebel, choreographer and dance
|
|
Arts and Culture
|
Victoria Spackman, creative director and business executive
|
|
Public Policy
|
Vicky Robertson, Chief Executive of the Ministry for the Environment and Secretary for the Environment
|
[5][21]
|
Community and N
|
Stacey Shortall, volunteer lawyer in women's prisons
|
|
Diversity
|
Colonel Karyn Thompson, the most senior woman in the New Zealand Defence Force
|
|
Global
|
Dame Judith Mayhew Jonas, lawyer
|
|
Rural
|
Katie Milne, first woman president of Federated Farmers
|
[5][19]
|
Mai Chen, winner of the 2013 Business Enterprise Award
See also
References