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. She brings a strong combination of public service and community networks, expertise, and experience to her role. Gerardine's leadership and organisational development lens allow the Ministry to effectively deliver services and support 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.
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.
Bernadette brings a wealth of leadership experience from across the public, private, and not-for-profit sectors, both within Aotearoa and Europe. Her work has focused on social impact, data and insights, organisational design, and public sector transformation – with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for Pacific communities. Her prior roles include Chief Executive of Nicholson Consulting, Programme Director at CreativeHQ and Head of Consulting at FutureGov(London).
Bernadette is of Samoan and Italian descent. She holds a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration (Accounting and Economics) from Victoria University of Wellington. She is also a Fellow Chartered Accountant and a barrister and solicitor of the New Zealand High Court.