BoardTe Poari
Te Papa’s Board is accountable to the Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage. The Minister appoints the Board, which currently has eight members.
View minutes from Board meetings
Jackie Lloyd (Deputy Chair – Acting Chair until 30 June 2025)
Jackie Lloyd brings extensive governance experience from both private and public organisations to her role. She has a background in business transformation, human resources and leadership, as well as roles in the museum sector.
She is Chair of Naylor Love Enterprises Ltd, a director of CentrePort Ltd and Tatua Co-operative Ltd and Deputy Chair of The Lion Foundation. Previous governance roles include Chair of Experience Wellington (Wellington Museums Trust), and a director of NZ Cricket, NZ Post, Kiwi Group Holdings and AgResearch.
Jackie holds Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Bachelor of Commerce degrees from Otago University, is a graduate of the University of Virginia Executive Development Programme and is a member of Global Women. Jackie is also a Chartered Fellow and President of the Institute of Directors.
Prof. Dame Juliet Gerrard
Professor Juliet Gerrard FRSNZ, FHonFRSC trained at Oxford University and moved to Aotearoa in 1993 where her career has included roles in both Crown Research Institutes and universities. Juliet’s research background is broad and interdisciplinary, with particular interests in fundamental and applied protein science. She has held an Industry and Outreach Fellowship with Callaghan Innovation, founded a start-up company, chaired the Marsden Council, and served on the Board of Directors of Plant and Food Research.
Since Juliet’s appointment in 2018 as the Prime Minister’s Chief Science Advisor, Kaitohutohu Mātanga Pūtaiao Matua ki te Pirimia, she has worked from a base of four founding principles: rigour, inclusivity, transparency, and accessibility. She has supported the science and science advisor community to provide advice to the PM, ministers, and the public on a wide range of topics, including advice on the Christchurch mosque shootings, the response to the Whakaari | White Island eruption, and the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2019, the Office released a major report, Rethinking Plastics in Aotearoa New Zealand, which created a vision for a new relationship with plastic.
Juliet was named a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to science in the 2021 New Year Honours.
Andy Lowe
Having worked in museums since 1994, Andy has extensive museum knowledge and experience at both a management and operational level. After beginning his museum career at the National Museum of New Zealand (the precursor to Te Papa) as a model maker, his 14-year stint at Te Papa from 1994 to 2008 included working at the project office, exhibitions installation and management, and the international touring exhibitions team. He moved to the Waikato Museum in 2008.
For the past seven years he has been CE of Te Manawa Museum of Art, Science and Heritage, Palmerston North, Manawatū where he has been progressing Te Manawa’s vision of Museum without Boundaries. Formerly board Chair of the Waitakaruru Arboretum and Sculpture Park, Andy was a member of the Board of Active Minds and Museums Aotearoa and he served as advisor to the Sci+ART Board. Andy currently sits on the board of the Palmerston North Medical Museum.
Andy has qualifications in the arts, engineering, and te reo Māori. He has worked in film and theatre and is a writer and sculptor. Born in Wellington Aotearoa, Andy’s heritage is English and Spanish. His passion for language, culture, and inclusivity brings connections into multiple communities.
Prof. Jacinta Ruru
Raukawa, Ngāti Ranginui
Jacinta Ruru, 2019. Te Papa
Jacinta Ruru is an award-winning Professor of Law at the University of Otago, fellow of the Royal Society Te Apārangi, and recipient of the New Zealand’s Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for Excellence in Tertiary Teaching.
Her extensive research considers Indigenous’ peoples’ rights, interests and responsibilities to own and care for lands and waters. She holds a PhD from the University of Victoria, Canada, and has multi-disciplinary research collaborations around the world. Jacinta advocates for the flourishing of Māori research and learning and is passionate about local community solutions for building resilience.
Jacinta is a past Co-Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga New Zealand’s Centre of Māori Research Excellence and has held several governance and advisory roles including as a Minister for the Environment appointment to Kāhui Wai Māori.
In the 2022 New Year Honours, Jacinta was named a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Māori and the law.
Tama Waipara
Ruapani, Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou
Tama Waipara is a prominent artist and creative director with considerable experience in, and in-depth knowledge of, the performing arts and heritage sectors.
Tama brings over 10 years of experience creating, developing and managing arts festivals, and has held roles such as Creative Associate of the Auckland Festival Trust and Programme Leader (Māori) at the Auckland Council. Currently, Tama is the Chief Executive/Artistic Director for Te Tairawhiti Arts Festival.
David Wilks
David Wilks brings rich strategic and commercial acumen and an extensive understanding of the creative sector to the Board.
He has previously held roles as Director of the Commercial Business Unit at the Department of Conservation, General Manager of Tourism Development at Tourism New Zealand, and is currently General Manager at Wētā Workshop.
David’s diverse governance experience is reflected in his current roles as Chair of the Taupo Destination Management Plan Leadership Advisory Group, trustee of Wellington College and Director at Daffodil Enterprises Ltd.