Meet Our Team
GWNZ National Executive and Council 2025 - 2026
NATIONAL EXECUTIVE
National President: Otila Osborne
Vice President: Lorelle George
Secretary: (to be confirmed)
Treasurer: (Former) Professor Rachel Baskerville
International Lead: Perya Short
Advocacy Lead: Perya Short
Trust Chair: Barbara Benson
Trust Treasurer: Noza Djalolov
BRANCH PRESIDENTS
Independent Members Network (IMN) Lorelle George
Graduate Women Manawatu (GWM) Jo Innes (Acting)
Graduate Women Wellington (GWW) Janet Stribling
Graduate Women Otago (GWO) Nadja Smith
OTILA OSBORNE: GRADUATE WOMEN NZ NATIONAL PRESIDENT
My background spans over 35 years in Business Leadership, Management and Marketing, Entrepreneurship, Executive Recruitment and Event Management in NZ and Asia. In 2017 I undertook full time MBA and BCom(Hons) study with Victoria University of Wellington, currently I am completing my PhD in Marketing with Otago University. I am an international presenter, and as an AUT senior researcher (on contract) I recently co-produced a Ministry of Health Research Report with Professor Jason Landon, extending my PhD thesis on Gambling and Older Adults in New Zealand. I am also a proud mother of four adult children.
Additional accomplishments include being the Founder and Director of Inspired Women International (2010), Graduate Women Otago President 2024 - 2025, and member since 2023. I am an advocate for social justice and women's empowerment and have attended CSW the Commission on the Status of Women, United Nations since 2024. In my businesses I have provided Pro bono and consultancy services to NZ NGOs and charities. I am passionately committed to enhancing the lives of women, and girls through education, and sourcing local, national and international opportunities for knowledge sharing and social connection.
I am honored to and excited to be leading GWNZ and working alongside our inspirational and extremely accomplished team.
Feel free to contact me at president@gwnz.org.nz
PROFESSOR RACHEL BASKERVILLE (former) GWNZ TREASURER
Rachel Baskerville retired very recently from Victoria University of Wellington after thirty years of teaching accounting, but her association with Graduate Women goes further back to the 1970s when her mother, Shirley Rowe, was President of Wellington Branch. She has a passion for all things musical from pre-school to opera, and researching oral and family histories.
Graduate Women NZ are extremely grateful to Rachel for her enduring support and commitment to GWNZ and we wish her well in her future endeavours. Currently GWNZ is seeking a replacement National Treasurer.
For all enquires contact: President@gwnz.co.nz
BARBARA BENSON: GWNZ CHARITABLE TRUST CHAIR
Barbara returned to live Dunedin in 2021, bringing with her 30 plus years of involvement with Graduate Women Otago committees, activities and in particular its gowning activities. With a background in science, she has spent her working life in science education and initial teacher education.
Barbara has supported our 2024 - 2025 President Otila Osborne in her role as Immediate Past President. GWO are delighted that Barbara has returned to support the GWO President Nadja Smith in her role as GWO Vice President.
Outside of her GWO work, Barbara is busy caring for her grandchildren, gardening, politics, cooking, music and reading.Barbara is also very involved in our GWO Gowning Business, supporting Jules Gross.
GWNZ welcome Barbara onto the National Executive as the GWNZ Charitable Trust Chairperson.
Barbara can be contacted via the "Trust Chair" email trustchair@gwnz.org.nz
LORELLE GEORGE: GWNZ VICE PRESIDENT & INDEPENDENT MEMBERS CONVENOR
Lorelle became a member of Graduate Women North Shore in 2005, following completion of a BA Social Science; joined the Committee in 2017, and became Branch President in 2019. In the twelve years prior to retiring in 2016, Lorelle worked in health promotion and community engagement roles on Auckland’s North Shore, initially for a small community organisation and latterly with a PHO. Currently she continues her linkage with health through consumer representative roles with Waitemata District Health Board on their Consumer Council and an infrastructure project, and with Harbour Hospice.
Contact vicepresident@gwnz.org.nz
PERYA SHORT: GWNZ CIR & ADVOCACY LEAD
Currently I am working both as our GWNZ Advocacy Lead and our CIR International Relations representative. My experience is extensive ranging from business consultancy to NGO's, Government agencies, as well as private enterprise and international agency consultancy. My voluntary work includes advocacy and fundraising for large to small organisations in New Zealand and internationally with projects including everything from assisting with the funding for a Toy Library to Women's education projects funded by the World Bank in India, Thailand and the South Pacific. I am the former Deputy Chair of a private international destination school that’s part of a global education group plus I am currently on the Board of a conservation sanctuary in the Wellington region.
I can be contacted at Advocacy@gwnz.org.nz
VANESSA WARD: GWNZ PROJECTS
Vanessa Ward returned to Wellington after ten years of teaching East Asian (mainly Japanese) history at the University of Otago in 2017. Since then, she completed a Graduate Diploma in Publishing (Applied); spent one year as a visiting scholar at Kobe College in Nishinomiya, Japan; produced a first draft of a biography of a Japanese woman intellectual, Cho Takeda Kiyoko (1917-2018); translated her memoirs; and applied. She is passionate about language usage and social justice, and is currently enjoying being a member of a Wellington choir, and finding some types of ballroom dancing challenge her aging neural pathways. Her immediate family is in Australia. She’s hanging out to the next game of scrabble with her mother and older sister. Playing alone doesn’t quite cut it!
Contact: projects@gwnz.org.nz
DR SALLY HASELL: GWNZ CHARITABLE TRUST SECRETARY
Sally is a retired scientist. Her main focus in recent years has been in the area of food safety and food regulations. She has received a number of awards during her time working for both regulators and the food industry, in particular the dairy industry. She has been a councillor for the Royal Society of New Zealand and president of the NZ Institute of Food Science and Technology. She has always enjoyed promoting science through tutoring, science fairs and sponsoring awards. Sally joined Graduate Women in 1982, initially in Christchurch and now Wellington. She has held various committee roles in both branches, including president of Wellington Branch.
Contact trustsecretary@gwnz.org.nz
JANET STRIBLING: GRADUATE WOMEN WELLINGTON PRESIDENT
Background: I have governance experience in both sporting and education fields. I am a teacher at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu/the Correspondence School. I am passionate about women and girls achieving in a society that is equal for all.
President of Graduate Women Wellington. Member of GWW Charitable Trust & Director of Academic Dress Hire Ltd.
Contact wellington@gwnz.org.nz
DR JO INNES: GRADUATE WOMEN MANAWATU (ACTING) PRESIDENT
I have a passion for empowering women through education, our GWNZ purpose. Joining GWM in 2012, done most branch roles including President of the GWM Branch and Chair of the GWM Charitable Trust. I joined the National Executive in 2017, and was invited to lead the Membership Portfolio and GWNZ Refresh as a national/branch initiative. From 2019 to 2022, I had the honour of leading GWNZ as President of the National Executive and Chair of the Charitable Trust. As Scholarship Office I look forward to supporting applicants and the GWNZ Trustees.
Contact: scholarships@gwnz.org.nz
NADJA SMITH: GRADUATE WOMEN OTAGO PRESIDENT
I officially joined GWO at the end of 2023, however, I have worked with Graduate Women through their Regalia business since 2020. I was honoured to be voted in as Vice President in 2024 - 2025, and am thrilled to have been appointed your GWO President. My work with GWO has involved Advocacy, and co-facilitating the Young Members group.
I started my tertiary education immediately after high school, travelling to the other end of the country, to complete my BA majoring in English and History and minoring in classics. I spent seven years in high school studying Latin, which I continued for two years through my Classics minor. I continued my studies at Victoria, University of Wellington, where I completed my Masters in Information Studies, focused on library science 2024. In my spare time I am an avid sports player, supporter, umpire and coach in hockey, plus I enjoy skiing, reading, playing board games, and role-playing games, and spending time with friends & family.
Contact: president@gwnz.co.nz