Vice-Chancellor professor Jan Thomas
Nominations are currently open, and Massey University is proud to once again be a sponsor of one of the 10 categories in the 2020 Women of Influence Awards – this year supporting the Community Hero Award.
Presented by Stuff and Westpac NZ, the Women of Influence programme helps share the remarkable stories of women who are making a difference to the lives of New Zealanders.
The Community Hero category celebrates women working in community projects and campaigns across the not-for-profit sector in areas such as health, local education, domestic violence, financial, literacy, and cultural or ethnic diversity.
“At Massey we strongly believe in the importance of great female leadership, from grassroots level to the global stage, and the benefit this has on communities,” Massey University Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says.
“These women of influence play a critical role in empowering people to overcome challenges, reach their goals and fulfil their potential. Massey is committed to equity and excellence and we are excited to recognise and share the stories of the amazing women helping make Aotearoa, New Zealand a better place for all.”
Launched in 2013, the awards introduced a speaker series last year that is set to return for 2020. This year the Women of Influence Speaker Series will be running as lunchtime events online across three weekly sessions starting from Thursday August 6. The free events aim to give audiences a chance to hear from and engage with a range of influential women each helping shape the future of Aotearoa, New Zealand and the wider world.
Influential women in the speaker series include broadcaster and Massey University staff member Stacey Morrison and alumna Kathryn Wilson. Stacey is based in Te Pūtahi-a-Toi, Massey’s School of Māori Knowledge, where her work explores new pathways for whānau and community-centred learning. Bachelor of Design graduate Kathryn Wilson, now CEO of Kathryn Wilson Footwear, has firmly established herself as New Zealand's premier footwear designers and is leading a fast-growing fashion brand that is in constantly high demand.
For more information and to register visit www.womenofinfluence.co.nz