Mary-Jane Rivers

Mary-Jane Rivers has worked with community-led initiatives in Aotearoa and internationally for almost four decades. The importance of communities has been reinforced for her through senior management roles in local and central government, and stems back to her own family’s involvement in their local neighbourhood. She is hugely inspired by seeing the visible confidence and skill built in people through their participation in organisations, groups and communities, and how in turn those institutions are strengthened by developing people’s capacity to lead, partner, innovate and create great outcomes.  

She has been integral in international development work in Asia, Eastern Europe and Pacific countries for the World Bank, UNDP and NZ MFAT. She set up the first Women’s Refuge in the North Island, was the first CEO of the Citizens Advice Bureau NZ and worked with the Prime Minister’s Department on improving social impacts of energy developments and economic change, and developing early childhood policies. She has also facilitated conflict resolution, chaired government working parties, lectured in governance and co-authored the Grantmaker’s Toolkit - an acclaimed and comprehensive resource for grant-making. 

Mary-Jane is focused on her goal of imagining all communities as resilient and actively shaping their own futures and creating a more equal and thriving society through community-led development. This drive and passion led her to founding national organisation Inspiring Communities in 2008.

She is the recipient of a UNESCO award for contribution to adult and community education and a Duke of Edinburgh Leadership Fellowship. She has a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in Education and is currently learning Te Reo. She loves film and reading, and has completed what feels like far too many DIY house renovations in her time.