Ahead of Tania Tapsell joining our Women in Leadership Series campfire conversation in Rotorua this October, she was spotlighted as one of the 30 Women the NZ Herald admires, marking her ongoing legacy.
Tania, of Te Arawa descent and the Mayor of Rotorua – notably, the first Māori woman elected as Mayor of Rotorua — is passionate about advocating for communities and ensuring a strong local voice.
It’s this passionate voice, commemorated by NZHerald in their 130 years of Suffrage special, that we at Global Women are looking forward to hearing from as we bring our anticipated Women in Leadership series on 19th of October to Rotorua thanks to our partners ANZ and Bay of Plenty Regional Council.
NZHerald.co.nz celebrates Tania’s many strides — and counting — with the following note ahead of Suffrage Day:
“Tania Tapsell is used to being a trail-blazing role model in her region. She was elected Mayor of Rotorua in October last year and in June gave birth to a baby girl, Kahumoa. She was the first mayor to give birth in office since Vicki Buck in Christchurch in 1995. Tapsell grew up in Rotorua and joined the National Party as a teenager. She was a member of the Rotorua Youth Council at the age of 14. At the age of 21 she was elected to the Rotorua Lakes District Council. In the 2020 general election, she stood for Parliament against Labour’s Kiri Allan I East Coast but lost. Tapsell’s iwi are Te Arawa and Ngati Whakaue. Tapsell and her husband, Kanin Clancy, were married in 2020 on the top of Cecil Peak overlooking Queenstown with the helicopter pilot and photographer as the only guests and witnesses. Tapsell nominates former cabinet minister Hekia Parata as a woman she admires.”
Registrations for Women in Leadership Series — Rotorua is officially open, taking place on Thursday 19th of October, 5-7pm in Rotorua. Tania will be joining Angela Swann-Cronin, Captain for Air New Zealand and holder of many governance roles, as they talk about navigating success, building strong communities and more. Register free via Eventbrite.