Two months into her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Te Puni Kōkiri in New Zealand’s Ministry of Maori Development, Michelle Hippolite says she is drawing upon her colleagues, her family, and her faith as she seeks to help improve the lives of Maori people.
Throughout her career, Mrs Hippolite has advised the New Zealand Government on a range of issues affecting Maori. For example: Maori economic development, Treaty of Waitangi settlements, the Seabed and Foreshore, Social Policy, Te Reo Maori, Fisheries and Maori broadcasting.
Mrs Hippolite was educated at an Anglican girls boarding school, Queen Victoria College, and from there went straight to Brigham Young University — Hawaii, where she completed a bachelor of social work degree.
After graduating she practiced this line of work for a short time before moving on to policy. With her husband Evan, they have two children, all residing in Wellington, New Zealand.
Mrs Hippolite and her family are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. For Mrs Hippolite, her faith helps her in all aspects of her life, including work, because it reminds her of the values she holds dear, such as honesty, kindness and family unity.
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Mrs Hippolite prioritizes Mondays as a day when nothing is scheduled for work in the evenings. She joins with millions of other Latter-day Saints worldwide who reserve Monday evenings as a time to spend with family. In addition, she says, “weekends are for family.”
Whenever possible Mr Hippolite accompanies Mrs Hippolite as she carries out her work responsibilities. She is adamant that she could not do this work without him. She includes her whole family in her work assignments when she is able to do so.
Read her biography at the Te Puni Kōkiri website.