E mihi ana rā, e mihi ana rā! He koanga ngākau, he oranga ngākau! Kua tatū te kaupapa! He ihu waka, he ihu whenua. Tihei mauriora!
The Te Pou and Blueprint board is delighted to announce the appointment of Riana Manuel as chief executive of Te Pou and Blueprint for Learning. Riana will start her new role on Thursday, 19 June 2025.
Riana’s appointment is part of planned succession following the announcement in February that current Te Pou and Blueprint chief executive, Rae Lamb, will be retiring at the end of June.
With this announcement, we recognise and honour Rae’s outstanding leadership and vision, under which Te Pou and Blueprint have experienced huge growth. Having led for six years as chief executive, and with both entities strong and in good heart, Rae announced her retirement earlier this year with a plan to spend more time with whānau and take on more governance work. Rae’s wealth of experience and knowledge, along with her compassion and drive to make a difference in the health and social sectors, will continue to be a valuable asset at governance level in Aotearoa.
Welcoming Riana Manuel: Te Pou and Blueprint chief executive
We warmly welcome Riana Manuel as the new Te Pou and Blueprint chief executive.
Sue Bidrose, Te Pou and Blueprint board chair, says the appointment is fantastic news to share. “Riana brings visionary leadership and extensive experience from working in health for the past 30 years. We are excited to have her on board to lead Te Pou and Blueprint, and join the wider the Wise Group leadership team.”
A skilled strategic leader within the Māori and wider health sectors, Riana has extensive experience leading kaupapa Māori organisations.
Prior to her appointment as the chief executive for Te Aka Whai Ora – Māori Health Authority, Riana was the CEO for both Te Korowai Hauora o Hauraki and the Hauraki PHO. A registered nurse, who still holds her practicing certificate, she has also worked as a clinical nurse director for Waikato DHB, and General Manager – Māori Health for Waikato DHB.
Throughout her career, Riana has always had a strong commitment to workforce development as part of the wider health context. It’s an area she says she is particularly interested in, and this new role extends on her previous work in the sector.
“My aim has always been to ensure people in both rural and urban areas have services appropriate to their communities. Rather than applying a universal approach to healthcare, I am deeply committed to equity and ensuring that our health systems acknowledge and apply this to the way we deliver, and therefore how people receive services,” says Riana.
“I am a mother and a grandmother, and I want to ensure we create intergenerational transformation for our tamariki and mokopuna to come.
“I believe there is more we need to do with workforce, particularly around mental health and addictions. Working as CE for Te Pou and Blueprint is a wonderful opportunity, and I very much look forward to this mahi.”
Published on: 17 April 2025