Picture: From left Rhonda Kite, Co.OfWomen founder Tara Lorigan, with the other inductees Frances Valintine and Maxine Simmons. Photo credit/One-image Photography
Rhonda Kite (Te Aupōuri, Ngāi Tākoto, Ngāti Kuri) is a true entrepreneur who has focused her career on the future of creative labour, skills, and technologies.
Her three-decade-long voyage of exploration into the realm of creative production in sound and screen got its start with Kiwa Digital. Poutama is proud to have supported Rhonda with Kiwa on its pathway to business growth and international success.
Kiwa is a mixed media creative technology company founded by Rhonda with the intention of producing technologies that would contribute to the revitalisation and retention of indigenous languages.
She is a Life Member of the Māori Women’s Welfare League and served for three years on the foundation Board of Co.OfWomen, Aotearoa’s premier female success organisation, where she has also been a member since 2013. A member of the Australia New Zealand Leadership Forum, Rhonda also sits on the board of her Iwi, Te Aupouri, and is the Chair of Te Hiku Iwi Development Trust. This trust is tasked with making systemic changes in government policy in order to improve the quality of life for Māori whanau, hapu, and Iwi of the far north. In addition, she serves as a Co-Chair of Toi Mai Workforce Development Council in regard to the Reformation of Vocational Education.
The award is another prestigious nod to Kite, who was named an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2018 for services to media technology, television and film.
