Liz Mellish: Businesswoman, Director and Community Leader

Liz Mellish has had an accomplished business career spanning over 40 years. She has worked in various roles including banking and electricity as well as with Te Puni Kokiri, alongside running a successful fish smoking business with her husband and raising her 3 children. Liz was also heavily involved in the Treaty claim for Te Whanganui a Tara and led the cultural settlement for the tribes.In more recent years, Liz has held a number of Governance roles. She is Chair of the Palmerston North Māori Reserve Trust and has been a Trustee there since 1994. Liz is also Chair of Te Wharewaka o Poneke – which offers the chance to experience Maori culture right in Wellington’s CBD. She is also the Deputy Chair of FOMA, the Federation of Maori Authorities."It's an exciting time to be a woman. When I look around the world, the women in leadership in all spheres is just fantastic. I know there's still a glass ceiling, I know that it's not perfect, but my goodness me, from my time as a young woman to now, it's tremendously good."