About us

Our structure

The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) is headed by a Board, which is appointed by the Minister of Education. The Minister approves all policy matters relating to education in New Zealand.

NZQA is organised into four Divisions, each of which is headed by a Deputy Chief Executive. The Divisions are:

NZQA is led by its Strategic Management Team, which comprises the Chief Executive and four Deputy Chief Executives, and calls on the expertise of a number of external advisory groups.

The Chief Executive is supported by the Office of the Chief Executive.

View the Strategic Management Team brochure. (PDF, 1.3MB)

Dr Karen Poutasi - Chief Executive

Dr Karen Poutasi was appointed Chief Executive in May 2006. Previously Karen was Director General of Health, having worked for more than 25 years in senior roles in health services management. She has extensive experience in change management and organisational development. Karen is a medical graduate of Otago University and her area of specialisation is public health medicine. She has Otago and Harvard management qualifications.

Daryn Bean - Deputy Chief Executive

Office of Deputy Chief Executive Māori

Daryn Bean joined NZQA in May 2009 as Deputy Chief Executive Māori. He has extensive public sector experience at the interface of Maori development, most recently as Regional Director for Te Puni Kōkiri for Tai Tokerau. He brings high-level relationship management skills, strategy and leadership development capabilities in the areas of education, international business and community development.

From Te Arawa, Daryn holds a post-graduate degree in management and a Bachelor of Business Studies degree from Massey University.

Richard Thornton - Deputy Chief Executive

Qualifications Division

Richard joined NZQA in January 2012 having been a National Manager with the Education Review Office and a secondary school Principal for ten years prior to that. Richard has also had ten years of extensive management experience in the business sector.

Richard has a maths teaching background and has chosen to work in low decile, multi-cultural communities. He was a member of the National Executive of the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand and on the Executive of the Auckland Secondary School Principals’ Association.

Tim Fowler - Deputy Chief Executive

Quality Assurance Division

Tim Fowler joined NZQA in February 2009.

Tim has had a career in the higher education and international business sectors in both Australia and New Zealand. He brings to NZQA extensive experience in business process re-engineering, building service delivery teams and achieving outcomes through performance and relationship management systems.

Catherine Williams - Deputy Chief Executive

Strategic and Corporate Services Division

Catherine Williams joined NZQA in 2007 as Chief Information Officer and was appointed to her current role in October 2008.

She previously had a long career with National Australia Bank in a variety of strategic and change management roles internationally. She has significant experience in corporate services functions, much of it gained through her background in the management of technology.

Gwenda Jenkins - Office Manager

Office of the Chief Executive

Gwenda has been with Karen since 1989 working with her at the Wellington Hospital Board, Area Health Board and as her Personal Assistant when she was the Director-General of Health from 1995 through to 2006. She joined NZQA in June 2006.