IN CONFIDENCE

Dame Cindy Kiro: biographical note

Dame Alcyion Cynthia (Cindy) Kiro was born in Whangārei, Northland, in 1958, the eldest of six
children. She is of Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Kahu and British descent. She also has connections
to Te Arawa in the Rotorua region.

Dame Cindy recently took up the role of Chief Executive of the Royal Society Te Apārangi. The
Royal Society advances and promotes research and scholarly activity in science, technology and the
humanities, and raises public awareness and understanding of those fields.

Dame Cindy holds a PhD in Social Policy and an MBA (Exec) in Business Administration from the
University of Auckland and Massey University, and was the first in her family to achieve a
university qualification.

Much of Dame Cindy’s career has been in the tertiary sector. She has had a distinguished career in
academic research, culminating in leadership roles at several New Zealand universities. From 2009
to 2012 she was Associate Professor and Head of School of Public Health, Massey University; from
2012 to 2014 she was Professor of Education, Head of School Te Kura Victoria University of
Wellington; between 2014 and 2018 she was firstly Te Tumu (Deputy Dean) Faculty of Education
and Social Work and subsequently Director Tai Tokerau Campus at the University of Auckland;
and between 2018 and 2021 she was Pro Vice-Chancellor Maori at the University of Auckland
before taking up her current role at the Royal Society. From 2014 to 2018 she was a member of the
Ministerial Cross Sector Forum for the Ministry of Education, and from 2018 to 2019 she chaired
the Welfare Expert Advisory Group.

In addition to her leadership in academic institutions, Dame Cindy has had extensive experience in
other roles. These roles have included membership of the National Health Committee, Public
Health Authority, Health Funding Authority and as General Manager Funding and Services
Planning and Māori Health for the Auckland District Health Board. Alongside her other roles she
was a member and chair of the National Hauora Coalition and NHC Trust Board from 2010 to
2020. From 2003 to 2009, she was Children’s Commissioner, the first woman and Māori to hold
the position.

Dame Cindy has had many roles in voluntary and community organisations, reflecting her personal
interests in supporting children, young people and disadvantaged members of society. From 2013-
2016 she was the Director of the Starpath Project, looking into the impacts of socio-economic status
on educational achievement in New Zealand.

Dame Cindy was appointed as a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (DNZM) for
services to child wellbeing and education on the New Year 2021 Honours List.

Dame Cindy is married to Richard Davies, a doctor with a low-cost general practice attached to
Auckland City Mission.  Dame Cindy is the mother of two sons, step-mother to two sons and
grandmother to two grandsons, and has a wide extended family. She speaks English and has a level
of fluency in te reo Māori, and would like to learn Spanish, a language spoken by her grandchildren.

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