A Life of Connection, Purpose, and Impact
Huia Lambie (Ngāti Mutunga, Te Ātiawa) is a strategic leader, cultural connector, and systems thinker whose career spans government, arts and culture, economic development, tourism, and community-led regeneration across Aotearoa.
Born and raised in Ōtautahi, Christchurch, Huia has a connection to Taranaki that has always been deeply rooted in whakapapa. At the age of ten, a visit to Taranaki to reconnect with whānau affirmed what she instinctively knew — that this whenua was home. Since the 1980s, she has lived in Taranaki at different times, continually returning as she deepened her relationships with iwi and strengthened her commitment to the region.
Huia’s professional journey includes extensive experience in central and local government, where she has worked in policy development, social policy, strategic planning, relationship management, and hapū and iwi strategic planning as well as leadership coaching for Māori. A significant chapter of her career was spent at Manatū Taonga | Ministry for Culture and Heritage, where she worked across arts, culture, heritage, and sport. Following the Christchurch earthquakes, Huia became Cultural Recovery Manager, supporting sector recovery and rebuilding during a period of profound disruption.
Her work is defined by an ability to operate across sectors and bring people together around shared purpose. During Christchurch’s recovery, Huia identified the creative sector — particularly street art — as a powerful driver of economic development, tourism, and community well-being to uplift the city. This led to the creation of RISE, Christchurch’s largest street art festival, delivered in collaboration with the Canterbury Museum. The initiative helped reframe the city’s identity, amplify unheard voices, and support regeneration through creativity.
Huia has also been entrusted with delivering high-profile international initiatives, including the New Zealand Opening Ceremony for the 2015 Cricket World Cup and creating bespoke diplomatic experiences for VVIPs during the Rugby World Cup 2011. Her role consistently involved bringing together diverse groups — artists, cultural practitioners, government agencies, business and international stakeholders — to create experiences that were authentic, meaningful, and memorable.
Known as an “impact connector,” Huia has a rare ability to see the whole system while understanding its individual parts. This strength was evident in her work mapping the Canterbury food and fibre ecosystem, where her holistic approach shifted conversations and informed future economic strategy. She later contributed to the establishment of the Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF), helping attract global entrepreneurs and investors to Aotearoa and supporting initiatives that delivered long-term value to local communities. Now, based in Taranaki, Huia collaborated with EHF Fellows in Kia Kotahi Ako – a non-profit fitpowering Māori-led impact through education, clean energy, and community action – to bring a solar education programme to Te Pi’ipi’inga Kakano Mai i Rangiatea in Ngāmotu. Rangatahi learn solar circuitry using a portable solar suitcase. Huia recently successfully brokered a partnership between Kia Kotahi Ako and Te Heru Māpara, ensuring the solar education programme goes from strength to strength. Through Kia Kotahi Ako, an international foundation in the USA has recently funded the installation of a solar system for the kura. Partnering with Tū Mai Rā, as the installation team, rangatahi will soon be able to analyse real-time data on their usage of solar energy and, through applied learning, deepen their knowledge of the solar industry.
Huia continues to work with hapū, iwi, kaupapa Māori, community organisations, and cross-sector partners to strengthen pathways for people, place, and prosperity. Guided by whakapapa, wairua, and purpose, her work centres on connection, trust, and impact — ensuring that the spaces she enters are left stronger than she found them.
Today, Huia is in a reflective and intentional phase of her mahi, focusing on work that aligns deeply with kaupapa Māori, place-based leadership, and long-term impact. Now living in Taranaki, she continues to clear pathways for others — connecting people, ideas, and opportunity in ways that serve whānau, whenua, and future generations. Whether working alongside iwi, community leaders, or cross-sector partners, Huia brings a values-led approach grounded in whakapapa, listening, and trust. Through her Leadership Coaching for Māori mahi, her focus remains on enabling others to lead, strengthening systems from within, and contributing to futures where people and place thrive together
Contact Details:
Huia Lambie huialambie@gmail.com
Aotearoa Unlimited
