Ellen MacGregor-Reid is acting Secretary for Education until a permanent appointment is made. In her substantive role as Hautū Te Mahau – Te Poutāhū | Curriculum Centre, she is responsible for the design and development of the national curricula for New Zealand. Te Poutāhū also provides curriculum services for teachers, kaiako, leaders, ākonga, their whānau and communities.

She joined the Ministry in March 2015 and has held Deputy Secretary roles across a range of functions. Before joining the Ministry, she worked at the Treasury and held leadership positions at the Ministry of Social Development, and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet as social policy and health advisor to the Prime Minister.

Andy Jackson started at Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education in 2017.

He leads Te Pou Kaupapahere | Policy and is responsible for strategic, funding, and regulatory policy advice and analysis across the education system. It covers Early Childhood, Schooling and Tertiary Education, including Māori Medium and Pacific education.

He has over 20 years of experience in public policy and operations, and has led teams at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, and the Tertiary Education Commission. He has also worked at the Treasury on a range of economic policy issues including serving as advisor to the Treasury Secretary.

Andy holds a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Oxford, and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Public Policy from Victoria University.

Anna Welanyk leads Te Pou Ohumahi Mātauranga | Education Workforce and is responsible for education sector workforce supply and leadership, sector payroll, collective bargaining and pay equity.

She comes with years of experience leading and transforming organisations and working with communities and stakeholders. She has held senior leadership roles in the private and public sectors both in New Zealand and overseas. These include Property NSW, NSW Valuation Services, Corporate Services for Service NSW, Director of the NSW Port Authority and CEO of the Waste Asset Management Corporation.

Mere-Hēni Simcock-Rēweti leads Te Pou Tuarongo and is responsible for supporting the development of relationships between Te Tāhuhu and Māori.

She brings skills and experience in social, education, and cultural development from her work at Te Puni Kōkiri (Māori Development), Te Taura Whiri i te Reo Māori (Māori Language Commission), Ministry of Social Development, The Office for Māori Crown Relations – Te Arawhiti, and most recently, Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage.

Isabel Evans leads Te Tai Raro | North and is responsible for providing leadership and delivering services to the sector. This includes learning support, education advice and regulation functions for schools and early learning services.

Te Tai Raro | North covers sectors in:

• Te Tai Tokerau
• Tāmaki Makaurau.

Isabel holds the National Portfolio for Pacific Education, chairs the Pacific Governance Board and sits on various other boards. Isabel comes with senior leadership experience from multiple roles she has held at both the Ministry of Social Development and the Ministry of Education.

Isabel comes with experience living and working with blended cultures. Supporting Māori, Pacific and other communities has been a key part of all the roles she has held.

Jocelyn Mikaere leads Te Tai Whenua | Central and is responsible for providing leadership of staff as they deliver services to ākonga | students and the sector. This includes learning support services, education advisory services, network management and regulatory functions for schools and early learning services.

Te Tai Whenua | Central covers the following areas:

• Waikato
• Bay of Plenty, Waiariki
• Hawke’s Bay, Tairāwhiti
• Taranaki, Whanganui, Manawatū.

Te Tai Whenua has the highest number of iwi and waka represented across the 3 takiwā with over 100 iwi, this translates into having the most iwi relationships, Kōhanga Reo, Kura Kaupapa Māori and Māori Medium education pathways, and the most ākonga Māori. Engagement and relationship management is key to the work of the takiwā.

Jocelyn holds the National secondary-tertiary portfolio for Education to Employment, Chairs the Ministry Business Performance Board and sits on various cross-agency boards. Jocelyn comes with leadership experience from her working career and iwi governance. She has held roles in social and economic development in delivery, contract management, and policy across various agencies, including the Ministry of Social Development, Immigration New Zealand, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and local government.

Nancy Bell leads Te Tai Runga | South and is responsible for providing leadership and delivering services to the sector. This includes learning support, education and curriculum advice and regulation functions for schools and early learning services.

Te Tai Runga | South covers the following areas:

• Wellington
• Nelson, Marlborough, and West Coast
• Canterbury and Chatham Islands
• Otago and Southland.

Nancy has held leadership roles in early childhood and teacher education, including as chief executive of Te Rito Maioha Early Childhood New Zealand, promoting and supporting high quality educational provision through tertiary education programmes and policy advocacy. She joined Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga in 2016 where she has held several leadership roles.

Sean Teddy leads Te Pae Aronui | Operations and Integration and is responsible for connecting people, knowledge, services and regulatory processes to help shape an inclusive education system.

Sean joined Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | The Ministry of Education in 2014. He established the Government, Ministerial and Executive Services function, before moving into the Office of the Secretary as Director, and more recently as Deputy Secretary.

Before joining the Ministry, he held roles in operational, policy and corporate teams in the Ministry of Social Development.

Scotty Evans leads Te Pou Hanganga, Matihiko | Infrastructure and Digital and is responsible for providing inclusive and accessible infrastructure and facilities, as well as digital and transport services to the educational system.

With his background in engineering, he has led the development and growth of successful teams in several organisations in the public and private sector.

Rob Campbell leads Te Pou Rangatōpū | Corporate and is responsible for identifying opportunities to improve the way we work to deliver statutory and corporate functions.

He comes with experience in project and operational management in public agencies and private firms, primarily in both Aotearoa and overseas.