Source: University of Otago
Professor Suzanne Pitama.
She’s a bundle of positive energy from the moment you arrive at her door. “Kia ora, welcome, come on in, how are you?”
It’s a sign of her warm and inclusive management style – one she plans to maintain in her new role as Dean and Head of Campus at the University of Otago, Christchurch.
For Professor Suzanne Pitama, (Ngāti Kahungunu/Ngāti Whare), BA, MA (First Class Hons), PGDipEdPsych, PhD (Otago) NZPsS, embracing “the top job” at UOC is a chance to not just build on the legacies of those who’ve gone before, but to add her own distinctive style and mana to lead the campus to even greater heights.
“If I have an overarching aspiration in this role, it’s to keep building momentum and advancing our current and unique strengths” she says. “If you were to ask me where I saw the campus in five years’ time, I would hope to see us doing an even vaster array of research, a wider body of teaching and a drive to keep pushing forward.”
The importance of legacy and succession as a wahine Māori is something Suzanne is acutely aware of. She says other Māori leaders at Otago have impressively “lit the path” before her.
“When I think of our earliest graduates like Te Rangihiroa, the first Māori Dean of a Medical School, Professor Eru Pomare, the work in te reo Māori from Professor Poia Rewi, and mana wahine leadership from Professor Jacinta Ruru, I realise the mahi they put in, and the work laid before me now to build on their legacies.”
A registered educational psychologist, Suzanne’s been involved in Māori health research and health professional education for over 20 years. Her prime focus has been addressing Māori health inequities through medical education, health research and through membership on appropriate committees and boards – including the HRC.
Her professional commitments are many and varied, reflecting her ‘can do’ attitude and capacity for hard work.
She recently stepped down as a director on the Australia Medical Council, is a member of the New Zealand Psychologist’s Society, He Paiaka Totara (Māori psychologist roopu), Tumaia (Māori advisory group to the NZ Psychologist’s Board), Association for Medical Education Europe (AMEE) social accountability committee member and assessor, and was a member of the Ministry of Health Māori Health Action Plan Advisory group (Whakamaua) (2019-2020). She was the special editor for The Clinical Teacher in 2021 for their issue on culture and diversity in medical education and is a co-editor of The New Zealand Medical Journal.
For Otago she is the Medical School Hauora Māori faculty representative and is a member of the MBChB curriculum committee and Chairs the Hauora Māori sub-committee. She most recently headed UOC’s Māori/Indigenous Health Institute (MIHI), which focuses on developing a Māori health curriculum that positions the impacts of the determinants of health – colonisation, racism, marginalisation – as the context to Māori health inequities.
She’s received a number of awards, including the Prime Minister’s Supreme Award for Tertiary Teaching Excellence and the Indigenous Leadership Award from the Leaders in Indigenous Medical Education (Australasian) Community of Practice. Suzanne was also awarded the Joan Metge Medal for her research within the field of indigenous medical education.
It’s a long way she says from her quiet, rural upbringing in Nūhaka, Northern Hawkes Bay. Suzanne comes from a close whānau – this Christmas break, like most others, was spent with extended whānau at the beach – close to the Mahia Peninsula. She says this year was extra special, spending time with her Hamilton-based son Te Teira and his wife and getting to meet her second mokopuna – three-month-old Ruka (a brother for Hare, aged three).
Suzanne first moved down to Christchurch with husband Hare Pitama (Ngai Tahu) 20 years ago to be closer to his whānau (through his whakapapa Hare connects to the Tuahiwi, Rapaki and Ōnuku maraes). Her first appointment at the University of Otago was as a lecturer in Psychology in 2001. She later completed her PhD on the design, implementation and impact of indigenous health curricula within medical schools.
So how would she describe herself and her leadership style?
“I’m focused, values and principal-based, I think I have good integrity – what you see is pretty much what you get with me. I love being part of a team, a collective, that’s the environment I come from and which I feel works best.
“I’m not what you’d call a micro-manager. We employ the best here at UOC and the best flourish when they’re supported and are comfortable doing what they do best. I also like to foster people and create an environment where they can self-determine and make the best of themselves.”
Suzanne says she was encouraged to apply for the Dean and Head of Campus role by many UOC colleagues, whose support she values greatly.
“I was fortunate to have so many people supporting my application. They spent time encouraging me and they have aspirations for me. It will be a personal challenge for me now to meet their expectations but I am committed to giving it my all. I know they’ll will be honest with me if I’m not on the right kaupapa.”
She has three immediate goals for the campus for 2022.
“Firstly, to support our progress on some really key initiatives, incuding the implementation of a governance structure with mana whenua that aligns with Te Tiriti. Secondly to navigate and support the campus to be well-placed in our contribution to the upcoming national health reforms. Lastly, to increase UOC’s brand awareness.”
Marketing and promoting UOC in Christchurch and beyond as ‘a brand’ is a big ticket item on the new Dean’s radar – from major initiatives to the smaller and more easily achievable.
“I think we need to get UOC t-shirts to identify and unify us!” she declares. “I’m keen for design ideas, so please everyone, let me know! On a more serious note, we need to promote a brand which reflects our people and our turangawaewae – our place to stand – to carve out our identity as being a part of the University of Otago but disctintively up here in Christchurch. It’s social accountability to be involved and play an active part in our local community, so I’m keen we explore ways of advancing and enhancing that further.”
Suzanne admits COVID‑19 and the spread of omicron will be a particular challenge in these first months in the role – ensuring staff and students are able to operate as safely and positively as possible despite disruptions, yet still maintain a sense of community and connectedness.
“It’s not going to be plain sailing, but we have fantastic systems in place, two years of experience now in dealing with it and a can-do attitude among our staff and students. I will have solid experience and support from my two Deputy-Dean’s, Professor’s Tim Wilkinson and Suetonia Palmer and my new executive team who will add their fantastic skills to the mix.
“I have pretty big shoes to fill in succeeding Professor David Murdoch and am under no illusions I have a heck of a lot to learn and take on, but I’m really up for this challenge. I really want to take staff and students along on this journey with me – yet provide the leadership they need and deserve.”
