Regional Commissioner wins Royal Honour
03 December 2019.
We’re proud of our Canterbury Regional Commissioner John Henderson (pictured) who is one of six New Zealanders recently awarded the Public Service Medal.
The medal honours public servants who have gone above and beyond what is expected to serve the people of New Zealand.
John’s career spans more than 41 years of dedicated service to New Zealanders. He has been our Regional Commissioner in Canterbury since 2001. Drawing on a career focused on people, John works with the social sector and wider community to deliver better outcomes for the people of Canterbury.
As a respected leader, John has been called to lead and serve New Zealanders through some of our biggest natural disasters and tragedies in recent times.
He contributed to social support and recovery efforts for the people of Canterbury after the September 2010 and February 2011 earthquakes. He was unflagging in his efforts to make sure people got the services they needed after the Pike River tragedy, the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake, and displayed exceptional fortitude in the aftermath of the Ashburton shootings as he led the response to this unprecedented event.
Today, John is the senior regional recovery officer leading the Government’s response to the social development needs of Muslim families affected by the 2019 Christchurch mosque shootings.
We’re also proud of four other MSD people who have been awarded the State Services Commissioner’s Commendation for Frontline Excellence – Firoza Shaikh, Tiana Timoteo, Jacqui Karena and Brittnee O’Brien.
Firoza’s commendation recognises the exceptional service she provided when she led the team supporting the families and communities affected by the mosques attacks in Christchurch. Brittnee has been recognised for her leadership and support of more than 400 young people each year going through the Limited Service Volunteer (LSV) programme in Auckland. Tiana and Jacqui were recognised for the outstanding service they provide through the Community Link in Courts service in Auckland.
