King’s Birthday Honours 2025
We are delighted to see founders and leaders from organisations the Foundation supports among this year’s appointments to The New Zealand Order of Merit, including:
Ranjna Patel, ONZM, QSM, JP - Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit For services to ethnic communities, health and family violence prevention
A leader and advocate for community wellbeing, Ranjna co-founded Gandhi Nivas, an innovative early intervention service supporting men at risk of committing family harm. She also established Mana 4 Mums to support young pregnant Māori and Pacific women in South Auckland and is a co-founder of the Swaminarayan Complex in Auckland, a multicultural community centre promoting connection and offering programmes for seniors, women, and children. She has also contributed through numerous governance roles, including with Mental Health Foundation and Indian Ink Theatre Company.
John (Johnny) Kumitau - Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit For services to the Pacific community
Johnny has contributed to the Niuean and Pacific communities in Northland for 20 years. He served as Chair of the Northland Pacific Islands Charitable Trust Board from 2002 to 2022 and has been the Chair of the Niue Community Whangārei since 2001, Co-Chair of the Multi-Ethnic Community Advisory Board and Deputy Chair of the Te Matarau Trust since 2020. As General Manager of Fale Pasifika Te Tai Tokerau Johnny leads an organisation supporting Pacific peoples across Northland, providing resources and advocating for Pacific families, particularly in rural and remote areas.
Rez Gardi - Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit For services to refugees and human rights advocacy
Rez is from a refugee background and began her international advocacy for refugees in 2016, representing New Zealand at the Global Refugee Youth Consultations at the United Nations. She co-founded and has been Co-Managing Director of Refugees Seeking Equal Access at the Table (R-SEAT) since 2021, a global refugee-led organisation focused on ensuring refugees have a seat at decision-making tables. Rez founded Empower Youth Trust in 2017, a refugee-youth-led organisation addressing educational inequity, providing mentorship, leadership training, and workshops to young people. She co-founded the Centre for Asia Pacific Refugee Studies (CAPRS) at the University of Auckland in 2020.
Peter (Pita) Tipene – Companion of the King’s Service Order For services to Māori
Pita (Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Te Tārawa) chaired the Waitangi National Trust from 2018 to 2025, having become a Trustee in 2016. He has chaired Ngāti Hine Forestry Trust for 20 years, Te Kotahitanga o Nga Hapū Ngāpuhi for 16 years and Motatau marae for 22 years. On behalf of Ngāti Hine and Ngāpuhi, he has been presenting to the Waitangi Tribunal since 2010. Pita is a member of the National Iwi Chairs. As a director of Keteriki Ltd, Pita has been involved in the transformation of the Bay of Islands Vintage Railway Trust, as well as Radio Ngati Hine. He was involved with the Hundertwasser Kawakawa Community Trust during construction of Te Hononga Centre.
Phillip (Phil) Paikea – Companion of the King’s Service Order For services to the prevention of family violence and the community
Phil (Ngāti Whātua, Te Uri O Hau) was a mentor, youth worker and family violence prevention advocate with Bream Bay Community Trust from 1995 to 2019. Nationally, he has worked with the Ministry of Social Development’s (MSD) ‘It’s Not OK’ campaign for more than 10 years and is a founder of the White Ribbon Ride. In 2019 he co-founded SafeMan SafeFamily, which provides a peer-led approach to help men address violence. Phil and his wife organised a drive-through foodbank in their community of Ruakaka during COVID-19 and have provided foster care to more than 200 children over 20 years.
Aperira (Ngahau) and Deborah (Debbie) Davis - The King’s Service Medal For services to the community
Ngahau (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Manu, Kohatutaka) and Debbie (Ngāti Pāhauwera, Ngāti Kahungunu) are the driving force behind He Iwi Kotahi Tātou Trust, a grassroots organisation transforming the rural community of Moerewa in Northland. Established in 1987, the Trust has worked on addressing challenges including housing, food security and youth engagement. Initiatives introduced include Health Homes Taitokerau, a partnership with the Community Business and Environment Centre Kaitaia, food rescue programmes, cultural and sports programmes, as well as whānau support services, school programmes and drug and alcohol programmes. Both Ngahau and Debbie have only recently stepped back from hands-on leadership of the Trust.
For the full published list go here.
