What does it mean to sit on a board and how do women get there?

Join WIFT NZ to explore what it takes for women to step into and reshape governance in Aotearoa New Zealand. This panel brings together leading directors and governance executives whose careers span public broadcasting, screen funding, production and Crown entity governance. The conversation will map the pathways into board roles, the responsibilities and risks of directorship, the governance challenges facing Aotearoa, and what genuine gender equity around the boardroom table looks like in practice.

Our panel includes:

Jane Wrightson CMInstD

Jane Wrightson has spent most of her working life both serving on and serving boards. She has recently concluded two terms as New Zealand’s Retirement Commissioner, leading the board-less Crown entity Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. Jane chairs the Charities Registration Board and the Workforce Development Fund, an industry training funding entity. She is a Governor of Radio NZ and chairs its Audit and Risk Committee.

Previous board appointments include chairing Experience Wellington, a Council-appointed board, and directorships with Netball NZ, Swimming NZ, and the Digital Media Trust. Her executive career included stints as chief executive of NZ On Air (Crown-apponted board); the Broadcasting Standards Authority (Governor General-appointed board) and of SPADA (elected board).

She holds an MBA with distinction, a BA in literature, is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors, and is a Distinguished Alumnus of Massey University.

Sandra Kailahi

Sandra Kailahi is an award-winning Pacific producer, journalist, director and governance leader with extensive experience across media, film, and public sector organisations. Of Tongan and New Zealand heritage, she is recognised for championing Indigenous and Pacific stories through authentic and culturally grounded storytelling.

Her screen credits include producing the acclaimed documentary For My Father’s Kingdom, the feature film Uproar, and projects including The Messiah, Meet Munch Jr., Testimony, and the bilingual Tongan drama series Brutal Lives – Mo‘ui Faingata‘a.

Alongside her creative career, Sandra has held significant governance roles, including Trustee of the New Zealand Film Commission, member of the Strong Public Media Business Case Governance Group, and Deputy Chair and Trustee of the National Pacific Radio Trust, overseeing strategic planning, financial stewardship, and organisational performance. She has also chaired the Auckland War Memorial Museum Pacific Advisory Group and served on the Museum Trust Board. She currently sits on The Cause Collective Board and the Digital Media Trust.

Sandra brings a unique perspective on leadership, governance, cultural representation, and creating pathways for diverse voices to thrive.

Lorna Travers

Lorna is a governance professional specialising in Crown entity board appointments across the arts, heritage, sports, and media sectors in Aotearoa. A Principal Advisor at Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage, she is known for clear, trusted advice that supports Ministers and boards to make confident decisions and lift governance performance.

Her work spans end‑to‑end appointment processes across three Ministerial portfolios, board capability development, and supporting Crown‑funded agencies to meet their statutory and accountability obligations. Lorna has held governance advisory and secretariat roles across the public sector, including at Fire and Emergency New Zealand and the Department of Conservation, giving her a practical understanding of appointment processes and how boards operate in complex environments.

This session will be moderated by Kelly Martin, CEO of South Pacific Pictures.

WIFT members free | Non-members $20 | Drinks and nibbles provided.