Barbara has extensive leadership and management experience leading large teams within the New Zealand education and health sectors. She has held senior public sector positions including chair of the first Mental Health Commission and Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Education where she had responsibility for special education. Barbara was Research and Evaluation Director at Cognition Education, undertaking international education sector reviews and evaluations. Barbara has been the Chief Executive of several non-government organisations including the Mental Health Foundation and Richmond Fellowship. She was the Chief Executive of Emerge Aotearoa, New Zealand’s largest national mental health, addictions, disability and social housing provider.
Barbara has been involved in Government reviews including chairing the review of the ACC Sensitive Claims pathway and she was a panel member for the 2018 He Ara Oranga Mental Health Inquiry. Barbara is in the Ministry of Health Mental Health and Addiction Assurance group and is on the Board of the Te Hiringa Mahara, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. Over the past few years Barbara has been a Gateway Reviewer for the New Zealand Treasury. She is Chair of the Global Leaders Exchange for mental health and disability, an organisation that supports leaders to learn from each other and share their experiences, knowledge and evidence base with the goal of supporting all people to live better lives.
Barbara has a doctorate in education from Macquarie University Sydney and in 2011 was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to mental health.
Fostering new knowledge and sharing it widely to continue to improve not only health services but the wider social and community context for all, is the key motivator for Barbara’s continued involvement with Whau Foundation.
