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.
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.
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]
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]
Year | Category | Recipient | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Bronwyn Hayward, expert 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 | Bev 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 |
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] |
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 |
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 dancer | ||
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] |
Year | Category | Recipient | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2014 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Lesley Elliott, for her work at the Sophie Elliott Foundation, which educates New Zealanders on healthy relationships | [3] |
Board and Management | Traci Houpapa, company director | [5] | |
Business Enterprise | Dame Wendy Pye, publisher | ||
Science, Health and Innovation | Dame Margaret Brimble, chemist | [22] | |
Emerging Leader | Parris Goebel, choreographer and dancer | ||
Arts | Shona McCullagh, choreographer and founding director of the New Zealand Dance Company | ||
Community | Lesley Elliott | ||
Local and Regional | Kerry Prendergast, Wellington politician | ||
Social Enterprise | Jo-anne Wilkinson and Anne Miles |
Year | Category | Recipient | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2013 | Supreme Woman of Influence | Dame Therese Walsh, chief operating officer for the 2011 Rugby World Cup | [1] |
Board and Management | Dame Therese Walsh | ||
Business Enterprise | Mai Chen, constitutional and administrative lawyer | [5] | |
Science, Health and Innovation | Marilyn Waring, public policy scholar | ||
Emerging Leader | Mahsa Mohaghegh, founder of women's networking group She Sharp | [22] | |
Arts | Victoria Spackman, creative director and business executive | ||
Community and Social | Emeline Afeaki-Mafile'o, community leader | [5] | |
Local and Regional | Fran Wilde, Wellington politician |
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