Ko Te Ahuahu te maunga
Ko Omāpere te roto
Ko Ngāti Hineira, Te Uritaniwha ngā hapū
Ko Parawhenua, ko Whakamaharatanga, ko Puketawa ngā marae
Ko Ngāpuhi, me Te Roroa aku iwi
Ko Anna-marie Ruhe taku ingoa

Anna‑marie brings over 25 years of leadership experience across the health, education, and social sectors. She has a proven ability to lead kaupapa Māori organisations, influence national policy, and deliver system-level change that advances equity and improves outcomes for whānau Māori. 

Her career reflects deep skill and integrity working at the interface of government, iwi, hāpori Māori and community, building trusted relationships and delivering tangible results:

• Te Aka Whai Ora (Māori Health Authority): As Interim GM, Workforce, Anna‑marie co-chaired the National Workforce Taskforce and successfully commissioned a $126m national workforce programme, embedding equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations at the core. 

• Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (DPMC): She led the development of Te Mauri o Rongo – The New Zealand Health Charter through a complex co‑design process with 200+ stakeholders, achieving Ministerial approval and sector‑wide endorsement. 

• Operational excellence: Deep expertise in governance support, commissioning, policy development, and financial stewardship including management of significant multi‑year budgets, oversight of complex programme delivery, and leadership of high‑performing teams across both large systems and niche, kaupapa‑driven organisations. 

• Kaupapa Māori in action: A steadfast focus on enabling whānau voice, mātauranga Māori and tikanga in strategy and operations. ensuring policy, investment, and service design reflect the lived realities and aspirations of our people.

She values balance, finding inspiration in the outdoors and joy in time spent with her whānau.

Connect with Anna-marie

Email: anna-marie@heiahurumowai.org.nz or LinkedIn