Joanna Collinge

Joanna brings decades of experience working in chief executive and governance roles and advising senior leaders in other organisations, often where multiple stakeholders have differing interests.

She offers rich perspectives based on her experience in national and international arenas and on her connections with diverse communities, including iwi and Māori.

Joanna was CE of the Human Rights Commission for 10 years, developing it to become the country’s first broad-based human-rights institution.

She also managed the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions, a peak body that’s influential within the UN. Until 2020 Joanna was also Co-Chair of Oxfam New Zealand and Governance Chair on the Board of Oxfam International.

Examples of Joanna's work

• Designing initial arrangements for establishing Fire and Emergency NZ as a new Crown entity, including the strategy and roadmap to build the organisation, and also designing the Hiwa-i-te-Rangi programme to reduce harm from fire for Māori
• Applying her emergency-management expertise to support other organisations including the Natural Hazards Commission, NZ Police, and Auckland Council
• Leading a wide range of independent reviews and assessments covering governance assurance and organisational performance and change, for central and local government organisations and NGOs including Sport New Zealand, the Ministry of Social Development, Auckland Council, and the New Zealand Law Society  
• Supporting government and other organisations to develop and communicate practical and implementable strategies and to build the organisational culture and capabilities to deliver on their ambition.