Human Rights Environment
Executive Director
Executive Director
Joanna Collinge has been Executive Director of the Human Rights Commission since 2005. She came to the Commission from the UK’s Equal Opportunities Commission senior management team. Prior to that, she had extensive experience in communications, policy and management roles at Oxfam. She has an academic background in economics, politics and philosophy.
As Executive Director, Joanna has led the organisation through a period of significant change. She has worked to support the Commission meet its statutory requirements under the broadening of the Human Rights Act of 1993, and to strengthen the Commission as New Zealand’s national human rights institution. Joanna is currently developing the Commission’s role to promote, protect and monitor the new Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.