Keynote Speakers
Dr Hana O'Regan
Kia kakapa ai te manawa o te tini - so that the hearts of all beats strong: Leading for equity, leading for hope
This presentation will discuss the impact of recent policy changes in education on the Māori learner and their whānau today, and the ongoing likely impacts into the future. Within this context, we will discuss what is required to lead for hope in a time of significant challenge and controversy, in order to ensure all learners are able to envision an equitable future where all hearts beat strong
Dr Hana O’Regan is of Kāi Tahu and Pākehā (Irish, Scottish & Welsh) descent. Raised in Wellington, she moved to Te Waipounamu at 21 as a lecturer at Otago University.
Hana has worked in the areas of language revitalisation, identity and cultural development, te reo Māori and education for over 30 years. She is a published author and composer and is recognised internationally for her work in indigenous language acquisition and revitalisation. A graduate of Te Panekiretanga – Institute of Excellence in Te Reo Māori, Hana is respected for her Māori language contribution, skills and advocacy. Hana’s passion for education and community, history and equity has resulted in a career committed to working with organisations, businesses and individuals to support and enhance positive outcomes for learners and whānau.
Hana has a long history of governance and has sat on numerous national panels, reviews and advisories across education, health, Māori development and community development.
She is one of the founders of the Kāi Tahu tribal language strategy, Kotahi Mano Kāika, Kotahi Mano Wawata, which was launched by the tribe in 2000 and continues to teach te reo, karaka and composition within her Kāi Tahu community.
Hana was appointed to the Waitangi Tribunal in 2021 and held the position of Tumu Whakarae of Tātai Aho Rau Core Education from late 2020 - April 2025. In 2025 Hana returned south to work with her hapū in Murihiku as the CEO of their Māori Hauora Provider, Awarua Whānau Services.
Digby Scott
Keynote: From Hero to Host: Leading Beyond Yourself
This would explore the shift from hero leadership (egocentric, expert-driven) to host leadership (creating conditions for collective brilliance), and the evolution toward leading for lasting impact – designing systems and culture that outlast our tenure. It directly speaks to your theme of honouring the past while moving forward realistically, and connects well with the ideas in Humankind.
For 25 years, I've walked alongside leaders who sense that something's off.
The relentless pace. The constant demands. The expectations that seem impossible to meet.
You're not alone.
Working with purpose-led leaders, I've discovered a better way to create impact while sustaining what matters most.
I work with teams and individuals to shift from hero to host, creating space for leadership to emerge.
My approach isn't about following someone else's blueprint.
It's about finding your unique path while honouring your energy, your relationships, and your vision.
I reckon that's what the world needs more of.
I wonder if you do too?
Lea Vellenoweth
Doing What’s Right, Not What’s Easy
Lea Vellenoweth shares her personal journey as Tumuaki of Te Kura Matua o Wainuiomata, reflecting on what it means to lead with humility, courage, and purpose. Her leadership story is shaped by a rich and varied education journey from Horowhenua College to Marlborough Girls’ College, Outward Bound, Women’s prisons, Opotiki College, and as a founding member of Hobsonville Point Secondary School. Each step has deepened her commitment to equity, service, and transformational leadership.
Grounded in the principles of servant leadership, Lea explores the everyday acts that model care, connection, and responsibility. She speaks to the importance of walking the talk, co-constructing a clear and values-based vision with whānau, staff, and ākonga, and anchoring leadership in Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the wisdom of mana whenua.
Lea’s story is one of unexpected leadership, shaped by inspirational mentors and a deep commitment to doing what’s right, even when it’s hard. She challenges us to rethink leadership not as authority, but as service, as relationships; to create environments where people thrive, not just survive. She invites us to imagine kura where rangatahi come because they want to, not because they have to and reminds us that if we keep doing the same, we’ll keep getting the same.
Chris Duggan
Leading with Curiosity: Designing the Future by Asking Better Questions
In a time of rapid change, increasing complexity and mounting pressure on schools, one leadership capability stands out above all others: curiosity.
Curiosity is not soft. It is strategic. It is what enables leaders to honour the past without being constrained by it, to embrace the present without being overwhelmed by it, and to design the future with courage and clarity.
In this keynote, Chris Duggan explores curiosity as a deliberate leadership practice. One that fuels innovation, strengthens cultural responsiveness, builds trust, and future-proofs organisations. Drawing on her experience scaling House of Science from a local initiative to a nationwide movement, she shares practical insights into how leaders can cultivate curious cultures, empower others to experiment and learn, and make bold decisions grounded in purpose.
This session challenges leaders to shift from having all the answers to asking better questions, because the future of education will not be built by certainty, but by courageous, disciplined curiosity.
Chris Duggan MNZM is the Founder and CEO of House of Science (Te Whare o te Pūtaiao), a charitable trust delivering hands-on science and pūtaiao resource kits to primary and intermediate schools across Aotearoa New Zealand. Under her leadership, the organisation has grown from a local initiative to a nationwide network supporting hundreds of schools and thousands of teachers.
A former secondary science and chemistry teacher, Chris is passionate about building scientific literacy and future-ready learners. She is a sought-after speaker on leadership, curiosity and scaling impact, and was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to science education.
Madeleine Johnson
Beyond the Prefect Badge: Redefining Youth Leadership
Youth leadership is evolving, but are our education systems evolving with it?
This presentation will elaborate on four themes in developing youth leadership into the future. To explore how we can encourage and support youth leadership from classrooms today to how they lead into the future, we need to understand the evolving landscapes of leadership, the changing leadership demands in the employment context, how youth leadership is currently being done, and what should be done at a practical level to facilitate youth leadership that is aligned with societal changes into the future. As leadership models change from authoritarian to collaborative systems, schools are uniquely positioned in shaping how young people understand youth leadership not just as a badge awarded in their senior years, but as a developmental process that is shaped during their school career.
My name is Madeleine Johnson; I am a year 12 student at Waimea College, Nelson.
During 2024 I founded a non-profit (educatesouthsudan.org) with a group of senior students at my school. We work collaboratively as a team towards marketing, fundraising, and managing the non-profit, raising funds to support education in South Sudan.
In November 2025 I presented a paper titled “Power dynamics in international education funding” at the 30th International Council for Open and Distance Education World Conference (ICDE) at the Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, in Wellington. The paper explored inequities and challenges in education funding in developing countries like the South Sudan, and reported on my work in the non-profit mentioned above.
In 2025 I joined my local youth council (Waimea Youth Council), where in early 2026 I was elected deputy chair. I share my ideas among an awesome group of youth and strive to make the youth community flourish. In July 2025 I went to Wellington to take part in the 25th annual New Zealand Model United Nations.
I am interested in law, and earlier in 2025 I started a podcast called “Life of Law” in collaboration with a local radio station. It is due to air on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. The podcast interviews local Nelson lawyers about their experiences in their careers, with my goal being to inspire others into a career in law. After school on Mondays and Thursdays I have the pleasure of going to Pitt and Moore as an office junior to learn more about how law firms function.
I am a passionate student, and after completing my level one external exams I am slowly getting into my year-12 internal assessments, with my subjects being mathematics, English, history, psychology, economics, and Spanish. Outside of school, I enjoy playing tennis with my family at my local tennis courts and going swimming at Kaiteriteri Beach with my friends.