The Ministry for Pacific Peoples Executive Leadership Team (ELT) is led by the Secretary for Pacific Peoples Gerardine Clifford-Lidstone.
The ELT at the Ministry reflects the diverse nature of Pacific communities, with each member contributing a broad range of skills and expertise from working with Pacific communities to navigating machinery of government and developing policy.
Gerardine became the Secretary for the Ministry for Pacific Peoples in February 2023. Gerardine brings a strong combination of public service and community networks, expertise, and experience. Gerardine brings a sound organisational development lens and is committed to making improvements to the way it delivers its services for and with Pacific peoples.
She joined the Ministry following her role as the Director of Pacific Health at the Ministry of Health. During her tenure, she led the cross-agency Pacific response to COVID-19 and the Pacific functions within Health New Zealand. Gerardine also held the role of General Manager of Child, Youth, Localities and Family Harm at the Capital and Coast District Health Board. Between 2015 and 2018, she was a self-employed consultant and a senior consultant for Pacific Perspectives Limited.
Of Samoan descent, Gerardine holds an MBA from Massey University and a Bachelor of Arts from Victoria University, and is both a Winston Churchill Fellow and Salzberg Global Seminar Fellow.
Dr Grey joined the Ministry in November 2023 after playing a leading role in the health sector during the COVID-19 response, helping communities across New Zealand to understand data and translate the impact on the disease pathway. Dr Grey has worked in various public sector roles and most recently has been Chief Clinical Advisor of Pacific Health at the Ministry of Health and co-director of Manawataki Fatu Fatu, a research programme at the University of Auckland focused on heart health equity for Māori and Pacific peoples.
Dr Grey hails from the Samoan villages of Alafua, Tafitoala, Vailima, Safune and Gataivai. She has a PhD in epidemiology and is an accomplished Pacific health researcher.
Since joining the Ministry in 2019, John has been part of the Ministry’s policy team leading the development and implementation of the Pacific Economic Development work programme, contributed to budget bids, and authored the cabinet-mandated All-of-Government Pacific Wellbeing Strategy. More recently, John has led the Pacific Aotearoa Community Outreach as part of the Ministry’s COVID-19 response work to keep Pacific communities informed and safe from the impacts of the pandemic.
John is Tongan, from the villages of Kolomotu’a, Utulau and Lakepa. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree (in education and history) and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from the University of Auckland. He also holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from the Auckland University of Technology.
Danilo has a Master of Science degree from Victoria University of Wellington. His career spans almost 15 years in the public sector. During his career he held a mix of operational and leadership roles including in workforce development and commissioning.
Originally hailing from Sao Paolo in Brazil, Danilo has lived in Wellington for the last 20 years with his wife and three children.