Dame
Karen Poutasi
DNZM
Poutasi in 2021
Director General of Health
In office
1995–2006
Preceded byChris Lovelace
Succeeded byStephen McKernan
CEO of New Zealand Qualifications Authority
In office
2006–2020
Preceded byKaren van Rooyen
Succeeded byGrant Klinkum
Personal details
Born
Karen Olive Davidson

(1949-07-12) 12 July 1949
Ranfurly, New Zealand
Spouse
Samelu Faapoi Poutasi
​
​
(m. 1972)​
Children4
EducationGore High School
Alma materUniversity of Otago
Harvard University

Dame Karen Olive Poutasi DNZM (née Davidson; born 12 July 1949) is a New Zealand government official.[1]

Early life, education and family

Poutasi was born in Ranfurly on 12 July 1949, and is the daughter of Gladys Enid Davidson (née Edmonds) and John Davidson.[2] She was educated at Gore High School between 1963 and 1967,[2] completed medical training at the University of Otago, and studied management at Otago and at Harvard University.[3]

In 1972, she married Samelu Faapoi Poutasi,[1] and the couple went on to have four children.[2]

Career

She was medical superintendent of Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, until 1987, when she was appointed chief health officer at the Ministry of Health.[4]

She has served as Director General of Health at the Ministry of Health (1995 to 2006), and as chief executive officer of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (2006 to 2020).[1][5][3] In 2019 she was seconded from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to serve as Commissioner for the Waikato District Health Board.[6] She was appointed to the board of Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand at its inception in 2022 and as chair of the board in 2023, replacing previous chair Rob Campbell.[7]

Honours and awards

Poutasi received the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993.[2]

In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Poutasi was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to health administration, including as Director General of Health.[8][9] In the 2020 Queen's Birthday Honours, she was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education and the state.[10]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Poutasi, Karen, 1949 -". Poutasi, Karen, 1949 – | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Taylor, Alister, ed. (2001). New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa 2001. Auckland: Alister Taylor Publishers. pp. 717–718. ISSN 1172-9813.
  3. 1 2 Dye, Stuart (9 January 2006). "English has warning for new NZQA boss". The New Zealand Herald. ISSN 1170-0777. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  4. ↑ Dow, Derek (1995). Safeguarding the Public Health: A History of the New Zealand Department of Health. Wellington, New Zealand: Victoria University Press. p. 211.
  5. ↑ "NZQA appoints new Chief Executive". nzqa.govt.nz. New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA). 28 February 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  6. ↑ "Commissioner appointed for Waikato DHB". Health Central. 7 May 2019. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  7. ↑ "Dame Karen Poutasi named new chair of Te Whatu Ora, replacing sacked Rob Campbell". RNZ. 27 June 2023. Retrieved 27 June 2023.
  8. ↑ "Harkness Fellowships in Health Care Policy and Practice Roadshow 2015 | School of Government". wgtn.ac.nz. Victoria University of Wellington. 6 May 2015. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  9. ↑ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2006". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 5 June 2006. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  10. ↑ "Queen's Birthday honours list 2020". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
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