Professor dame farah palmer

Since leaving Piopio where she grew up on a sheep and cattle farm, Farah went on to complete a PhD in Sport Sociology and reach the highest echelons in rugby – playing for a decade in the black jersey (1997-2006) and captaining the Black Ferns to 3 World Cup victories.

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After hanging up her boots, she continued to give back to education and sport (particularly rugby) in a variety of roles. 

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Most recently, Farah became the Chair of the NZ Māori Rugby Board and the first woman on the NZ Rugby Board in 2016, a director of Ihi Aotearoa Sport NZ in 2018 and Deputy Chair of the NZ Rugby Board in 2022. 

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Farah applies her learnings and networks in leadership contexts to provide insight and challenge dominant narratives related to Māori, women and girls, leadership and governance. In 2022 she took on a new role as Pou Ākonga – leading ākonga Māori success initiatives at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa – Massey University within the DVC Māori Office, and continues to enjoy being part of a high performing team, and seeing others reach their potential. 

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She keeps herself grounded by visiting the family farm back in Piopio, with her two children and partner, to give them a taste of the rural upbringing that set her up well for problem-solving, rolling your sleeves up to get stuff done, and being strategic to achieve sustainable and inter-generational wellbeing.