Education Payroll Limited is led by a chief executive and management team and run by a board of directors. The management team has been selected for their experience and expertise in relevant management positions. The board reports to two shareholding Ministers: the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Education.
Lara Ariell
Chief Executive
Lara has enjoyed broad range of senior leadership, finance, strategy, planning, business support and change management roles in a variety of organisations across the public service.
She was previously the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Inland Revenue, leading their Enterprise Support Services transformation workstream.
Lara also held CFO and corporate services roles with the Ministry of Social Development, Callaghan Innovation, the Tertiary Education Commission, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Education, and Te Papa Tongarewa, the Museum of New Zealand. She started her career working in receivership and insolvency with accountancy firm Price Waterhouse and then McCallum Petterson and Co.
She has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey University and is a Chartered Accountant Fellow (FCA).
Kirsten Campbell
Executive Principal Advisor
Kirsten has had a variety of professional experiences, from ill-fated toe-dips into military training and policy analysis, to clothing design and landscaping, before finding her professional home in the governance field. She is an experienced people leader, mentor and governance manager with a background in professional executive assistance and strategic business partnering.
Kirsten joined Education Payroll in August 2024. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology from Victoria University.
Gerard Aberdeen
Hautū Digital and Technology
Gerard has over 20 years’ senior leadership experience across the private and public sector, working on both the vendor and client side of business. He is an experienced business and technology leader, able to think and act strategically. His previous General Manager and Chief Information Officer roles have involved sponsoring and providing governance over large technology programmes, as well as running large operational systems.
He has recent experience as a Programme Director, delivering large complex and challenging transformation programmes, with significant business change management components. Gerard is passionate about developing fantastic teams and supporting individuals to grow and develop in their roles.
Gerard is originally from London and now calls Wellington home. He has an MSc Computing from the University of Wales and an MBA from Massey University.
Jannie Foo
Hautū Finance and Performance
Jannie has worked in the public sector in New Zealand for over 20 years. Jannie is an experienced leader, able to think and act strategically. Her focus has been on strategic leadership and driving organisational improvement.
Recently, she has led back-office transformation operations at Inland Revenue and the Ministry of Social Development, concentrating on enhancing financial systems, operational efficiencies, and effectiveness. Jannie joined Education Payroll in August 2024.
Jannie has a Bachelor of Commerce and Administration from Victoria University and is a certified Product Owner and Chartered Accountant.
Blaire Hunt
Hautū Payroll Service Delivery
Blaire began her career at EPL 10 years ago and over that time has worked in most areas of the schools’ payroll. The understanding she has of payroll from both a customer and internal viewpoint, is invaluable to our Executive Leadership Team.
Blaire has first-hand experience of the inner workings of EPL. Initially as a payroll advisor supporting school administrators and principals, Blaire moved to managing teams of payroll advisors and is now leading Payroll Service Delivery. Blaire’s experience gives her a practical and measured perspective which she brings to Education Payroll’s strategic decision-making.
Stephanie White
Hautū People and Culture
Stephanie has worked in organisational development and human resource roles, with both a strategic and operational focus, across the public service.
Her previous role was Manager of Organisation Development Programmes for the New Zealand Defence Force, before joining Education Payroll in September 2021.
Stephanie is passionate about enhancing organisational performance through its people, ways of working and effective business practices. Stephanie has a Master of Arts in Organisational Psychology from Massey University.
Naomi Ferguson
QSO
EPL Board Chair
Naomi has more than 35 years’ senior leadership experience in the public sector in New Zealand and the UK and took on the Education Payroll Board Chair role in November 2022. She led Inland Revenue between 2012 and 2022, leading the successful delivery of the highly complex Business Transformation Programme during her tenure. She is widely recognised as an effective leader of significant change programmes in large and complex organisations.
Naomi is passionate about diversity and inclusion and was co-Chair of Papa Pounamu, a trustee of Diversity Works New Zealand, and sponsor of the Government Women’s Network. She was awarded the Women of Influence Public Policy award in 2016 in recognition of her work in this area.
Naomi previously served on the Board of Health NZ Te Whatu Ora and the Risk and Assurance Committee for the Ministry of Justice.
She has a Master of Arts from Glasgow University. She is also a member of the Institute of Directors.
Liz Maguire
EPL Board Director
Liz Maguire is the Chief Digital Officer at the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), where she leads the strategic development and implementation of digital initiatives aimed at transforming New Zealand’s land transport infrastructure and services. With a background in digital innovation and technology leadership, Liz is instrumental in driving NZTA’s digital strategy, focusing on enhancing user experiences, operational efficiency, and data-driven decision-making.
Liz is a seasoned leader who brings significant experience with leadership of large transformation programmes, payments, and digital technology.
She is the former Head of Digital and Transformation at ANZ Bank in New Zealand and was a member of ANZ NZ’s executive leadership team for 4 years.
Liz has a Bachelor of Commerce in Management Studies and Labour Relations from the University of Auckland and she is a member of the NZ Institute of Directors.
David Skinner
EPL Board Director
David is an executive director of Gravelroad Consulting specialising in infrastructure and public policy risk economics. He has had a management career in telecommunications, electronic banking, and defence.
Previous positions include Managing Director of Netway, Hypercom, and Chief Operating Officer positions in Clear Communications. He has lived and worked previously in the UK, Europe, and Australia.
He holds a Bachelor of Engineering from Canterbury University and a Master of Business Administration from Auckland University and is an associate fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management.
Mads Moller
EPL Board Director
Mads brings over 30 years of experience as a technology entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer of his tech startups, along with C-suite leadership roles at companies such as IBM, Broadcom, Vodafone, and Google. He has over three decades of experience in governance, serving as a director or chair across companies in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the UK, and the USA.
Currently, Mads serves as an independent director or chair for: Quotable Value Ltd, OrbViz Ltd, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra, FuseIT Ltd, Yärken Ltd, Multorum Ltd, Vertical Group A/S (Norway), VMC Ltd and his own companies.
Mads holds a Master of Business Administration in International Marketing Strategies from Copenhagen Business School and another in International Strategy and Corporate Finance from London Business School.
Deidre Shea
MNZM
EPL Board Director
Deidre has held a variety of leadership roles in education throughout her career. Recent positions include Principal of Onehunga High School, executive member of both the Auckland Secondary School Principals’ Association and the Secondary Principals’ Association of New Zealand (SPANZ). Deidre served as President of SPANZ from 2019 to 2021. She has also chaired the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Professional Advisory Group for the Minister of Education.
For the past decade, Deidre has chaired the Alternative Education consortium Te Hikoi and she is a Commissioner with the Tertiary Education Commission.
Deidre has a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and Statistics, a Diploma of Teaching, and a Post Graduate Diploma in Educational Administration. In the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours she was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to education.