Karen Raitt

About Me

“I am an experienced governance professional with over 15 years on boards across education, sport, and the arts, currently serving as an Independent Director on the Board of Rowing New Zealand and Chair of its HR and Nominations Committee. My passion lies in enabling organisations that make a positive social impact—particularly those fostering equitable access to education, sport, and the arts. I bring strengths in strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, sponsorship, governance review, and performance monitoring, underpinned by operational leadership and a deep understanding of governance-management boundaries. In my executive role as Deputy CEO of the NZ Catholic Education Office, I manage multi-million-dollar allocations for capital projects, lead strategic planning processes, and advocate nationally for 88 proprietors representing 90,000 students in state-integrated schools. My governance portfolio also includes experience chairing arts boards, founding start-ups, and delivering governance capability-building to thousands of school board trustees. With qualifications and experience in business, communication, AI for directors, and a growing understanding of Te Reo Māori, I am committed to inclusive, values-driven governance. I am now seeking further board opportunities, including in the corporate and NFP sectors, where I can contribute my strategic insight and commitment to outcomes that matter. My approach around the board table is to be collaborative and open, seeking to gain an understanding of all views. Most importantly, I believe that board members must add value at all times, and I am prepared to the commit the time necessary to ensure I understand the sector and seek ways to always make a difference. ”