Our team
Jane Wrightson - Board Chair
Jane is the chair of the CSSITO board. Jane is also Chair of Experience Wellington, a council-controlled organisation (CCO) and a Governor of Radio NZ, chairing RNZ’s Editorial Standards Committee and Audit & Risk Committee.
She was appointed as Retirement Commissioner in 2020 and is now serving her second term, leading Crown entity Te Ara Ahunga Ora Retirement Commission. Her executive career included stints as chief executive of public media funder NZ On Air; of the Broadcasting Standards Authority, a regulator; and of the Screen Producers’ Association, an industry advocacy body.
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.
Maxine Graham - Director
Maxine is a member of Te Arataura, the Executive Committee of Te Whakakitenga responsible for overseeing the day to day operations of Waikato Tainui. She is a member of the National Iwi Chairs Forum, and holds a number of other governance roles on Maaori wellbeing and education organisations.
Maxine was the Kaiaarahi Kootuitui (Engagement Lead) for the Ministry for Women from 2019-21, leading their Mana Waahine Joint Roopuu.
Maxine is currently the Director at Puumau Limited, providing strategic advice, thought leadership, strategic facilitation and leadership development.
Maxine has a Masters in Business (1st Class Honours) from AUT University, a Bachelor of Business from AUT University and a Diploma in Te Reo Maaori from Te Waananga o Takiura.
Fiona Kingsford - Director
Fiona is the Chair of Apprenticeship Training New Zealand (ATNZ), a private training establishment and group training scheme.
She was appointed as Chief Executive of Whānau Āwhina Plunket in October 2022.
Fiona has spent 15 years working in tertiary education. She was the former CEO of Competenz, where she was instrumental in transforming the industry training organisation to one based on customer centricity, product innovation, technology adoption and enablement
She led the establishment of the Workbased Learning Division within Te Pukenga, negotiating the transition of several Industry Training Organisations into this division.
Fiona started her career in human resources moving into change and organisational development, sales and business development, strategy, mergers and transformation.
Jeremy Sole - Director
Jeremy is a professional independent director and leadership advisor, and is currently studying towards his Doctorate.
Jeremy has more than fifteen years’ experience of the tertiary education sector. He has worked at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment in workforce engagement, and led one of New Zealand’s largest private training establishments and the largest employer of apprentices in New Zealand.
He was deeply involved in the development of Workforce Development Councils being on the development review group and Interim Establishment Board of a WDC, and is a previous Board member at Independent Tertiary Education New Zealand (ITENZ).
Anika Speedy - Executive Officer
Anika Speedy has been appointed as the new Executive Officer for the Workforce Futures Fund Tahua Rāngaimahi Anamata.
Her career spans philanthropy, social enterprise, and system-level change. She has led a number of purpose-driven organisations, including serving as Chief Executive of the Booster Foundation, Manager of Match Te Puna Taurite, an innovative start-up fostering equity and collaboration in funding and General Manager of Dignity, a social enterprise advancing period equity.
Anika brings strategic agility, operational capability, and a values-driven approach to her leadership.
Ruth Harper - Administrator
Ruth brings extensive administration, Board secretariat and IT expertise to the team.
She has a strong commitment to supporting organisations that make a difference and has spent the last 10 years in the not-for-profit sector managing board processes, office operations, and IT systems.
Prior to that, she had a career in IT working for SOEs in increasingly senior roles after completing her BSc in Computer Science.