05 November 2026
Sharon Shea MNZM appointed permanent Chair of the National Hauora Coalition Board
E ngā mana, e ngā reo, e ngā karangatanga maha, tēnā koutou katoa. He hōnore nui ki te whakamōhio atu he Heawahine hou tō Te Rūnanga ō te National Hauora Coalition. Ko Sharon Shea kua whakatauhia. He wahine Māori, he wahine rangatira kua eke ki te tūranga nei.
The National Hauora Coalition (NHC) has announced that NHC Trustee Sharon Shea MNZM has been selected as the permanent Chair of the NHC Board. Sharon has been serving as Acting Board Chair since August 2026.
Sharon has whakapapa to Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Hauā, Ngāti Hine and Ngāti Hako and brings extensive experience in Māori health, governance, strategy and health system leadership. Her appointment recognises the leadership and stewardship she has provided as Acting Chair, as well as her longstanding connection to NHC and the kaupapa it serves.
Their relationship with NHC goes back to its beginnings. She supported the Coalition’s establishment, helped bring Māori providers together, and contributed to the early business cases that shaped NHC. More recently, her involvement in the Whānau Ora commissioning tender and the establishment of Rangitāmiro has further strengthened her understanding of NHC, its kaupapa, and the whānau and communities it serves.
Throughout her career, Sharon has strongly advocated for Māori leadership and health equity. Her work spans Māori and Indigenous health, data sovereignty, primary care and integrated models of care, system performance, research and governance. She is Chief Executive and Director of Shea, Pita & Associates Ltd and Manawaroa Ltd, holds a range of governance roles across the health, research and charitable sectors, and is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM).
Tumu Whakarae – CEO, Rachel Brown, says Sharon brings exactly what NHC needs for its next chapter. “As NHC sets its future strategy, Sharon brings an important connection to our whakapapa and history, deep knowledge of our current kaupapa, and a strong system-wide view of the future of Māori health and primary care,” she says.
Nau mai, haere mai e Sharon. Nō mātou te maringanui, i a koe, i tēnei tūranga kua whakawhiwhia ki a koe, hei Heawahine mō tō te poari nei.
About the National Hauora Coalition
The National Hauora Coalition (NHC) works alongside whānau and communities in pursuit of its moemoeā: Mana Whānau, Whānau Ora – prosperous families living well. NHC is a partner in Te Rangitāmiro, the Whānau Ora commissioning entity that places whānau at the centre of commissioning. Mana Whānau, Whānau Ora | The National Hauora Coalition
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