Indigenous development advocate joins NorthTec

Media release:

Prestigious academic and indigenous development advocate joins NorthTec Council
Adjunct Professor of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, Susan Cullen (Ngati Maniapoto), has joined the NorthTec Council. Ms Cullen joins the Council as the last of four independent representatives.

Ms Cullen has a long and distinguished career in educational programming, Maori, Migrant and Indigenous community advocacy and business development. During the past ten years she has been recognised for her work developing the Mahi Ora, Lifeworks and KiwiOra programmes for Te Wananga o Aotearoa and the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. She has also worked in a support role for the Australian Community College national body who have established a Lifeworks programme for marginalised communities across Australia.

Her background includes over 12 years working for Work and Income NZ in community facilitation and research with a special expertise in Maori employment issues.

With her husband she has been involved in large scale dairy farming in Southland and has a keen interest in training skills for the agricultural and trades sector.

She has many years governance experience in private enterprises in education and training, publishing, research and agribusiness.

Although based in the Central North Island, Ms Cullen looks forward to making a dedicated contribution to the development of NorthTec.

“I am delighted to be given the opportunity to contribute to NorthTec and to Northlands communities. Although I don’t live in the region, my knowledge of the area comes from years of Mahi Ora outreach. I hope to offer experience in educational governance with a special interest in trade skills, rural educational outreach and relationships with Iwi Maori. ”

Ms Cullen’s appointment complements that of Ministerial appointee and Deputy Chair Erima Henare and is indicative of NorthTec’s developing relationships with Te Wananga o Aotearoa and Te Whare Wananga o Awanuiarangi.

Ms Cullen hopes to attend a NorthTec Council planning meeting on 20 August.
NorthTec is the Tai Tokerau (Northland) region's largest provider of tertiary education, with campuses and learning centres in Whangarei, Kerikeri, Rāwene, Kaikohe and Kaitaia. NorthTec also has over 60 community-based delivery points from Coatesville in rural Rodney to Ngataki in the Far North.

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