Parekāwhia McLean (Waikato, Ngāti Maniapoto) has over 17 years experience in public policy and senior public sector management. Her expertise includes oversight and risk management of complex policy projects; working alongside and advising senior government Ministers; stakeholder relationship management; legislative reform; mentoring and coaching others; problem solving; policy development; implementation and analysis; organisational strategic planning; negotiation and facilitation; and operations management.
During her time in the public service, Parekāwhia worked in a number of agencies - Ministry of Māori Development, Women's Affairs, Ministry for the Environment, State Services Commission, Te Puni Kōkiri and the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. Parekāwhia spent over four years as a policy advisor in the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet and provided advice to three Prime Ministers (Bolger, Shipley and Clark). She also had two stints in Ministers' offices - with Hon Doug Kidd in the 1990s and then with Hon Parekura Horomia in 2001.
Parekāwhia has since provided consultancy services to a number of public, private and non governmental organisations. Some of her recent projects include:
-
Project Manager: Whakatātaka Tuarua - Māori Health Action Plan 2006-2011(Ministry of Health)
-
Organisational reviews for the Department of Labour and the Ministry of Women's Affairs
-
Coordinator: Niue Strengthened Cooperation Programme (NZAID/Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
-
Policy mentoring support and strategic planning (Te Rūnanga-o-Ngāi Tahu)
-
Strategic advice and facilitation work (Crown Forestry Rental Trust)
-
Policy advice (NZ Qualifications Authority, Ministry of Economic Development, Te Puni Kōkiri)
Parekāwhia has a MA from the University of Wisconsin, USA and a M.Soc Sc. from Waikato University. She also sits on the Board of Te Mangai Pāho (the Māori Broadcasting Funding Agency), the council of Te Wānanga-o-Aotearoa and is a trustee of
Ōrotokare: Art, Story and Motion charitable trust.