Biographies of Senior Management

Shenagh Gleisner

Shenagh Gleisner has been the Chief Executive of the Ministry of Women's Affairs for over five years. Prior to this she was in the State Services Commission, with private sector experience as a director of KPMG and a long history of management roles in the health and social sectors. Her educational qualifications span MBA, a Masters degree in public policy, a research degree in social studies, undergraduate qualifications in Maori, health economics and anthropology. She is also qualified as a music teacher. She has four children and three stepchildren. Shenagh was born in the UK but has enjoyed New Zealand for the last 21 years and takes great advantage of the New Zealand countryside, tramping and cycling.
gleisner@mwa.govt.nz

Sarah Turner

General Manager Policy: Sarah joined the Ministry of Women’s Affairs in October 2007. Beginning her working career at the Treasury, Sarah returned from her OE in 1990 to spend the next 17 years at the Ministry of Health in a variety of roles, including ten years in management positions. Sarah’s most recent roles at the Ministry of Health were on the Change Team, tasked with the restructuring of the Ministry, and managing the Office of the Director-General. Sarah’s previous experience in the areas of Child and Family Health Policy, and Primary Health Care means that she brings a strong population focus, a familiarity with many of the issues on the Ministry of Women’s Affairs work programme (such as family violence, and sexual and reproductive health), and experience working intersectorally. Sarah has an honours degree in English and is married with two children.
turner@mwa.govt.nz

Martin Sebire

General Manager Corporate: Martin joined the Ministry in 2005. He has a Degree in Commerce and Administration from Victoria University, and is also a qualified chartered accountant. Martin began his government career as a policy analyst with the housing corporation and then moved into a range of financial management positions in large government departments including Commerce, Inland Revenue and Conservation. His most recent previous position was at the Historic Places Trust where he was the Corporate Services Manager. Martin is married with four children. The Corporate Services function covers the support functions of the Ministry including human resources, communications, finance, administration, and information services.
sebire@mwa.govt.nz

Sonya Rimene

Sonya is the Kaihautū. Sonya started with the Ministry heading the Ministry’s Treaty Relationship Unit (TRU) in May 2003. She has previously had senior advisory roles in a number of other state sector organisations including the Department of Corrections, the Ministry of Education and the Department of Work and Income and has a Masters in Social Work from Victoria University. Sonya works alongside managers to assist the Ministry to implement initiatives to improve responsiveness to Māori and helps identify, establish, and maintain key relationships with iwi, Māori and Māori individuals to provide input into key policy areas. She has been instrumental in developing an internal document called the Māori Women's Relationship Tool that sits alongside the gender analysis framework. Sonya’s iwi affiliations are Rangitāne, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāi Tahu and Te Arawa.
rimene@mwa.govt.nz

Other Ministry contact information

Pamela Cohen
Director, Nominations
noms@mwa.govt.nz

Rod Scotts
Communications Manager
scotts@mwa.govt.nz

Anne Shaw
Acting Deputy Policy Manager
shaw@mwa.govt.nz

Claire Benson
Strategic Information Specialist
benson@mwa.govt.nz

Ministry of Women's Affairs
PO Box 10049
WELLINGTON 6143
Courier: Revera House, Level 2, 48 Mulgrave Street, Thorndon
Phone: 04 915 7112
Fax: 04 9161604
mwa@mwa.govt.nz

Personal tools