Mana | Movement of the People

 

Bay of Plenty – Tangi Tipene

Sharon Stevens aka Tangi Sharon Tipene

Born in Opotiki one of the most picturesque East Coast towns in New Zealand. Sharon is of Whakatohea, Ngai Tai, Whanau a Apanui, Ngati Porou, Kahungunu, Rongomaiwahine, Tainui, Te Arawa and Ngapuhi descent, and is equally proud of her European roots with her ancestry hailing from County Cork and the highlands of Scotland.

Her pride and joy are her 11 mokopuna ranging from 21 years to almost 9 months old, they are scattered through New Zealand and Australia. In 1995 Sharon lost her second son to Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia.

Throughout her career ranging from office management, a tutor for 18 years at Waiariki Polytechnic and an extensive union background, what has remained in her is the passion and love of people especially the empowerment of women in education. Recently she worked in the disability area and found the system still use draconian methods although attempts to change were not always accepted. Her eldest grandson has spina bifida and he was never raised as having a disability. She is immensely proud of his achievements as a talented musician and student at Wintec.

Sharon (Tangi Tipene) was the first Maori President of ASTE Union which represented tertiary educators from polytechnics to ACE TEO’s. She went on to merge the AUS (University staff Union) and ASTE in 2009. As a strong union advocate for workers in the tertiary sector and other areas she has spent many hours on picket lines. One of the most rewarding events was the merging of the two organisations. Maori membership within both unions enhanced the merger through their leadership of Kaumatua Huirangi Waikerepuru, Katerina Daniels and Mereiwa Broughton which must also be acknowledged.

There has been an extensive range of governance experience as well and she has led or been active as a member; Ako Aotearoa (Panel Member), New Horizons Women’s Trust (Trustee), Tertiary Education Union (Co President), ASTE (President, Vice President), NZCTU (Representative), ITUC –AP Worklife Balance Conference Singapore, Indigenous Educational International Representative Berlin, Presenter at WIPCE, Melbourne, Executive Representative for ASTE and elected Womens Chairperson COPE, Fiji, NZQA ALE Review Team, TELRG Committee Member E-Learning Reference Group, Waiariki Institute of Technology Academic Council Representative, YWCA Rotorua President, and member of marae committees.

Community Involvement  

• Fundraiser/Awards Host, NHWT Scholarship Awards, Inaugural Event, Rotorua
• Member, NZ Royal Society, Rotorua
• Presenter/Organiser, Quality Assurance Seminars; Christchurch, Auckland, Wellington
• Organiser, Breast Cancer Collection, Rotorua
• Educator, HIV AIDS, Rotorua
• Volunteer, Leukaemia Blood Foundation, Rotorua
• Volunteer, Student Services in Tertiary, Rotorua
• Masseuse, Rugby First Fifteen School Teams, Rotorua
• Member, COG’s, Rotorua
• Volunteer, Trade Aid, Rotorua

“If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything”