Dame Karen Olive Poutasi (née Davidson; born 12 July 1949) is a New Zealand government official.

Early life, education and family

Poutasi was born in Ranfurly on 12 July 1949, and is the daughter of Gladys Enid Davidson (née Edmonds) and John Davidson. She was educated at

Gore High School Gore High School is one of two secondary schools in Gore, New Zealand, the other being St Peter's College, Gore. It is located on Coutts Road in the west of Gore. Notable staff *Johnny Borland – high jumper, athletics official *George Jobbern ...

between 1963 and 1967, completed medical training at the University of Otago, and studied management at Otago and at Harvard University. In 1972, she married Samelu Faapoi Poutasi, and the couple went on to have four children.

Career

She was medical superintendent of Middlemore Hospital, Auckland, until 1987, when she was appointed chief health officer at the Ministry of Health. She has served as Director General of Health at the Ministry of Health (1995 to 2006), and as chief executive officer of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (2006 to 2020). In 2019 she was seconded from the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to serve as Commissioner for the Waikato District Health Board.

Honours and awards

Poutasi received the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal in 1993. In the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours, Poutasi was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to health administration, including as Director General of Health. In the

2020 Queen's Birthday Honours The Queen's Birthday Honours for 2020 are appointments by some of the 16 Commonwealth realms of Elizabeth II, Queen Elizabeth II to Orders and decorations of the Commonwealth realms, various orders and honours to reward and highlight good works b ...

, she was promoted to Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to education and the state.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Poutasi, Karen Living people 1949 births Dames Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit University of Otago alumni Harvard University alumni New Zealand public health doctors Women public health doctors New Zealand public servants New Zealand women public servants People educated at Gore High School Recipients of the New Zealand Suffrage Centennial Medal 1993 People from Ranfurly, New Zealand