Staff

Sheelagh Matear

- Executive Director

Emeritus Professor Sheelagh Matear was appointed as the Executive Director for AQA in March 2016. Prior to this she was the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Academic Quality and Student Experience at Lincoln University. Sheelagh has had extensive involvement in academic quality, overseeing the Cycles 3 and 4 academic audits of Lincoln University, membership of the Committee on Academic Programmes for 11 years and as an academic auditor and reviewer and member of many academic committees and working groups. She has previously worked at the University of Otago, University of Arizona and University of Plymouth.

Contact: director@aqa.ac.nz

Hana Meinders-Sykes

- Deputy Director

Ko Tūporoeva te maunga 
Ko Taunganui te awa 
Ko Mātaatua te waka 
Ko Orongo te marae 
Ko Ngati Te Moko te iwi 
Ko Māriri te tangata 
Ko Hana tōku ingoa  

Hana Meinders-Sykes was appointed as the Deputy Director for AQA in June 2022. She brings with her a wealth of experience in, and a high passion for, embedding Te Tiriti o Waitangi, equity and cultural safety into regulation policy. She has previously worked for the Social Workers Registration  Board, Ministry of Social Development, the Nursing Council of New Zealand, and the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand. 

Hana has whakapapa links to Atiu (Ngati Te Moko), Holland and Ireland, and was born and raised in Aotearoa New Zealand. Hana has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Te Herenga Waka | Victoria University of Wellington and a Graduate Diploma in Arts (Social Policy) from Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University. She is currently  working  towards a Master of Arts in Social Policy from Te Kunenga Ki Pūrehuroa | Massey University.