Anne Fitisemanu has an extensive career across the education, health, corporate and Not-For Profit sectors. She is driven by a deep-rooted commitment to create opportunities and promote equality in the workplace and beyond for people of diverse ethnicity, gender and ability. Her passion for helping others stems from her Pacific cultural background and personal experience with economic hardship.

Anne’s former role as the CEO for TupuToa focused on achieving equity through building pathways for Māori and Pacific people to access roles in corporate Aotearoa.

As the newly appointed CEO for Make A Wish (MAW) Foundation NZ, Anne is furthering her commitment to equity by ensuring the MAW Foundation serves all Aotearoa’s communities.

Anne has built a reputation for breaking down barriers and inspiring others to break through limiting beliefs to recognise anything is possible through focus, commitment and self-belief.

Anne encourages those she works with to take on leadership roles establishing solid foundations for the next generation to build on.

Anne serves on a number of NFP boards, the largest being Awhina Plunket where she was the first Pacific Peoples appointment. Anne is also a member of the Institute of Directors and a proud mother of 7 adult children and grandmother to 11.