Our management team
DIA's executive leadership team
- Office of the Chief Executive
- Local Government
- Organisational Strategy and Performance
- Digital Public Service
- Information and Knowledge Services
- Policy, Regulation and Communities
- Service Delivery and Operations
- Organisational Capability and Services
Other direct reports:
Kim Chambers - Director, Office of the Chief Executive
Kim Chambers
Kim Chambers is Director, Office of the Chief Executive. She supports the Chief Executive to lead the Department and undertake his leadership responsibilities across the public sector. This includes supporting the performance of the Department as a member of the Executive Leadership Team and facilitating effective relationships with other stakeholders and agencies. The Director also provides strategic advice to the Chief Executive, may lead special projects, and acts as the Chief Executive’s delegate when required.
Kim joined the Department in 2017 and previously held a senior leadership role as General Manager, Communications. Kim has 20 years’ experience, having worked in media and strategic communications roles in the private, public and local government sectors at various organisations including the Ministry of Social Development, Nelson City Council and the Ministry of Health.
Michael Lovett - Deputy Chief Executive Local Government
Michael Lovett
Michael is Deputy Chief Executive for the Local Government branch.
Michael provides capability and network intelligence to support a range of activities across central government agencies that interface with local government. His role covers the central North Island with portfolios covering digital local government, funding and financing of local government and community resilience.
Michael has worked in a variety of senior management roles in operational and policy agencies across the New Zealand public sector including the Ministry of Social Development, Ministry for the Environment and Department of Corrections. He started his career as a forensic psychologist and holds a Bachelor of Science and an Executive Master of Public Administration.
Michael has responsibility for the following portfolios: Digital Local Government Partnership; Inquiry into Funding of Local Government; Community Resilience; Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 3: Central North Island.
As Deputy Chief Executive Local Government, Michael has the following people reporting to him:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Allan Prangnell |
Partnership Director, Three Waters Review |
|
Warren Ulusele |
Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 6: Southland/Otago/West Coast |
|
Sarah Polascheck |
Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 5: Upper South Island/Canterbury |
|
Justine Smith |
Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 1: Northland/Auckland |
|
Richard Ward |
Partnership Director, Portfolios: Three Waters Review |
|
Paul Barker |
Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 4: Greater Wellington |
|
Henry Dowler |
Partnership Director, LGNZ Zone 2: Waikato/Bay of Plenty |
|
Olwyn Crutchley |
Manager Branch Development and Support |
Karl Le Quesne – Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Strategy and Performance
Karl Le Quesne
Karl is Deputy Chief Executive of the Organisational Strategy and Performance branch. Karl joined the Department in June 2017 as Director, Office of the Chief Executive, having previously held the role of Acting Deputy Secretary Early Learning and Student Achievement at the Ministry of Education. He’s held a range of jobs in the Ministry over 17 years. He has worked closely with a number of Ministers, Cabinet Committees, and senior leaders across the Education system, and has also spent time at Corrections and the Ministry of Justice.
As Deputy Chief Executive Karl has a critical role to play in setting the department’s strategic agenda and plan, stewarding the department’s performance story, providing assurance and keeping the department risk conscious but moving forward. Karl’s responsibilities include: Organisational Strategy and Planning; Enterprise Portfolio Management; Governance, Risk and Assurance; Legal Services; Machinery of Government Positioning and Crown Maori Relationships.
As Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Strategy and Performance, Karl has the following people reporting to him:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Pepi Batsos |
Director, Strategy and Performance |
|
Andrea Speir |
Chief Legal Advisor |
|
Nick Athea |
Chief Portfolio Officer |
|
Cathrine Austin |
Manager Governance Risk and Assurance |
|
Olwyn Crutchley |
Manager Branch Development and Support |
|
Julie Black |
Principal Advisor Te Aka Taiwhenua and Crown Maori Relationships |
Ann-Marie Cavanagh - Deputy Chief Executive Digital Public Service,
Deputy Government Chief Digital Officer
Ann-Marie Cavanagh
Ann-Marie is Deputy Government Chief Digital Officer and Deputy Chief Executive Digital Public Service.
Her most recent role was leading the development of the New Zealand Digital Government Strategy as Director, Digital Government Strategy.
Previous roles have included Chief Technology and Digital Services Officer at the Ministry of Health. Prior to moving to New Zealand in 2016 she was Head Digital Strategy at Novartis Pharma AG for the Medical Affairs function based in Switzerland.
She has held a number of positions in ranging from small start-up agencies, to leading global teams in implementing digital innovation. Originally from the UK and a Clinical Pharmacologist by training, Ann-Marie is based in Wellington New Zealand.
As Deputy Chief Executive Digital Public Service, Ann-Marie has the following people reporting to her:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Colin Holden |
General Manager System Strategy and Initiatives |
|
Russell Cooke |
General Manager Agency Partnerships and Capability, Government Chief Privacy Officer |
|
Jane Kennedy |
General Manager All-of-Government Services Delivery |
|
Helen Jamison |
Director Planning, Performance and Support |
|
Alan Bell |
Executive Director Digital Identity Programme |
|
Trevor Himona |
Director Te Pou Matihiko |
|
Stella Ward |
Executive Director Cloud Programme |
Hoani Lambert - Deputy Chief Executive Enterprise Partnerships
Hoani Lambert
Hoani Lambert (Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou) is Deputy Chief Executive for Enterprise Partnerships. In this role, Hoani oversees a number of important functions and entities, including the National Library, Archives New Zealand and Ministerial and Secretariat Services. He also is responsible for delivering major transformation projects and programmes including Tāhuhu – the programme that includes the upgrade and construction of new purpose-built archives facilities.
Prior to joining DIA, Hoani was the Deputy Chief Executive, Voices of Children at Oranga Tamariki – Ministry for Children, a role in which he was responsible for advocating for children and young people’s interests across the government system, ensuring their voices are at the centre of government policy, service design and delivery. He was also responsible for overseeing the Ministry’s implementation of new legislative duties in relation to the Treaty of Waitangi.
Although a specialist in communications, public relations and social marketing, Hoani has had a diverse range of professional roles. He has worked in parliament, directed biosecurity border operations and worked as a diplomat with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Hoani holds an Executive Master in Public Administration (EMPA) through the Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG).
As Deputy Chief Executive Enterprise Partnerships, Hoani has the following people reporting to him:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Epi Lima |
Executive Assistant |
|
Rachel Esson |
National Librarian Te Pouhuaki, General Manager of National Library of New Zealand |
|
Stephen Clarke |
Chief Archivist Kaipupuri Matua, General Manager of Archives New Zealand |
|
Hugh Karena |
Director Māori Relationships and Strategy |
|
Jude Huygens |
Manager Branch Development & Support |
|
Morag Ingram |
General Manager Ministerial and Secretariat Support |
|
Rob Stevens |
Portfolio Director Tāhuhu |
|
Peter Murray |
Programme Executive Tāhuhu |
|
Briget Ridden |
Programme Director |
Marilyn Little - Deputy Chief Executive Policy, Regulation and Communities
Marilyn Little
Marilyn joined the Department in 2006. She was appointed Deputy Chief Executive of Policy, Regulation and Communities in October 2017. Marilyn has held a number of roles in the Department, including Chief Archivist/General Manager of Archives NZ for three and a half years. She was previously General Manager of the Policy Group, and Director Local Government and Community Policy. Prior to her work with Internal Affairs, Marilyn held senior roles in the Office of the Auditor-General and the Department of Labour.
Marilyn has completed the Leadership Development Centre’s Advanced Leadership Programme, and holds a Master of Public Policy and a BA Honours in History.
As Deputy Chief Executive Policy, Regulation and Communities, Marilyn has the following people reporting to her:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Dr Suzanne Doig |
General Manager Policy |
|
Anita Balakrishnan |
Director Ministerial Advice, Monitoring and Operations |
|
Maarten Quivooy |
General Manager Regulatory Services |
|
Carmel Ali |
Programme Manager Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism |
|
Penny Langley |
Manager Local Government Commission |
|
Gina Smith |
Director Inquiries |
|
Karen Hope-Cross |
Manager Branch Development and Support |
Maria Robertson - Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery and Operations
Maria Robertson
Maria Robertson has held the role of Deputy Chief Executive, Service Delivery and Operations, since February 2013.
She leads a team of 900 staff in the passports, citizenship, births, deaths and marriages, community operations, charities and igovt areas.
Before this, Maria was the DCE for Service Delivery at Building and Housing where she was the deputy Chief Executive Organisational Development and Strategy.
Prior to that, Maria was the General Manager Advanced Dynamics (NZ) Ltd and Manager Performance Improvement Woodproducts at Carter Holt Harvey. She has also held senior roles in Telecom Comalco and Rio Tinto.
As Deputy Chief Executive Service Delivery and Operations, Maria has the following people reporting to her:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
| Jeff Montgomery | General Manager Services and Access, and Registrar General for Births, Deaths and Marriages |
| Russell Burnard |
General Manager Operations |
| Tiffany Scott |
Manager Branch Development and Support |
| Clare Toufexis |
General Manager Community Operations |
| Natasha Weight |
General Manager Charities Services |
| David Philp |
General Manager Te Pou Manawa |
| Lynette Tyrrell |
Director Pou Ārahi |
| Julia Wootton |
General Manager Te Ara Manaaki |
| Emily Redmond |
Change Director Wellington Accommodation Project |
Kate Wareham - Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Capability and Services Branch
Kate Wareham
Kate Wareham was appointed Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Capability and Services in June 2019. She was previously Chief Operating Officer at the Human Rights Commission. Kate has a varied public sector career having worked at the Social Investment Agency as Director Corporate and Engagement, Ministry of Business, Innovation & Employment as GM of Human Resources and at Ministry of Social Development as GM of Integrity Services and also Director of Human Resources. Kate worked at ANZ Bank in several human resources management and leadership roles.
As Deputy Chief Executive Organisational Capability and Services, Kate has the following people reporting to her:
| Name | Title |
|---|---|
|
Louise Yarrall |
General Manager Communications (Acting) |
|
Lesa Kalapu |
General Manager Human Resources |
|
Murray Davey |
General Manager Technology Services and Solutions, Chief Information Officer |
|
Sharyn Mitchell |
Chief Financial Officer |
|
Kate Maxwell |
Manager Branch Development and Support |
|
Jo Tuapawa |
General Manager Property (Acting) |
|
Karlene Symonds |
General Manager Information and Safety, Chief Security Officer |
