Anne Fitisemanu: Chief Executive of TupuToa, growing Māori and Pacific leaders for a greater Aotearoa

"If we can stop and take a dive into our deepest pain, that's where you find the pearls. It's hard work, but the pearls are there."Anne Fitisemanu has been the Chief Executive for TupuToa since 2017. In that time, she has been delivering on the organisation’s vision to grow Māori and Pacific leaders for a greater Aotearoa, with exponential growth in the number of interns and partners TupuToa delivers for.Of Niuean, Samoan and European heritage, Anne has not only led the growth of TupuToa beyond Auckland to other parts of New Zealand, but also overseen the creation of international opportunities for Māori and Pacific young people.An eternal optimist, Anne’s passion for creating a more inclusive world is infectious. She is known for her energy, enthusiasm, innovation and entrepreneurship. Her career has spanned leadership roles in key sectors including health, education, local government and not-for-profits committed to equity and growing people.