Glenis Philip-Barbara

Co-founder, Rau Aroha

Glenis Philip-Barbara is of Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Uepōhatu decent and connects to a range of Marae on the East Coast of the North Island.  A committed advocate for Māori culture and language, Glenis has remained engaged and active in sustaining and supporting the growth and development of Māori communities and initiatives.

Glenis was formerly the Chief Executive of the Māori Language Commission where she established a focus on community led language regeneration, a research centre for language revitalisation and strengthened the overall business performance of the organisation. As the Associate Deputy Chief Executive for Child, Youth and Family, she was responsible for leading innovation, change and corporate support services while supporting the establishment and growth of strategic relationships with iwi partners.

Glenis has held a number of key roles in tertiary education spanning teaching, research, senior leadership and governance.  Glenis’s primary strength is in strategy and co-design, in particular the alignment of organisational intent with the needs and aspirations of the people it serves.