Carolyn Smith

Kia ora, I’m Carolyn Smith, founder of Woven Collaboration.

The name is inspired by the whakataukī:

“Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi.”
With your food basket and mine, the people will thrive.

It reflects something I’ve seen throughout my career: when we bring together different strengths, knowledge and experiences, we can achieve something greater than any of us could achieve alone. Like individual strands woven into a strong rope, our differences can become a source of collective strength.

My background

I bring more than 30 years’ experience in facilitation, strategy, collaboration, leadership and engagement.

Before establishing Woven Collaboration, I worked in central government and held leadership roles in major environmental and cross-agency programmes, including Predator Free 2050 and Jobs for Nature. I’ve led teams, coached leaders, worked with communities and contributed to not-for-profit governance.

That experience means I understand the different worlds that often need to come together.

I understand the political context, competing demands and public scrutiny government agencies navigate, as well as how deeply public servants care about their mahi and the difference they want to make.

I also understand the realities of community organisations and not-for-profits working with volunteers, lean teams, limited resources and growing expectations.

Working across these different environments has taught me a lot about what it takes to bring people together around something that matters. I know what can be achieved, and I know why it can be hard.

Collaboration can be messy, demanding and slow. People bring different perspectives, experiences, interests and ways of working. But I believe our ability to address many of the challenges facing our organisations, communities and the environment depends on our ability to work well across those differences.

When collaboration is deliberately designed and supported, people can have the conversations that matter, different perspectives can be heard, relationships and trust can grow, and together they can create a shared way forward.

That’s the work I love doing.

Qualifications and professional standing

My experience is supported by graduate and postgraduate qualifications in strategic leadership, engagement and communications.

I am an accredited public relations (APR) practitioner through the Public Relations Institute of New Zealand, an accredited mediator through the Resolution Institute, and hold a certificate in public participation design through IAP2. I am also a member of the International Association of Facilitators.

Giving back

Contributing to my community is an important part of who I am.

I volunteer as an impact coach for school principals through Springboard Trust and mentor emerging community leaders through Mentoring NZ. I also mentor women in business through OneUpOneDown, serve on the board of Whangārei Festivals Trust, and support events at OneOneSix, a community venue in Whangārei.

I am a member of Network Waitangi Whangārei, supporting education and discussion about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and what it means to be Tangata Tiriti.

Outside work

When I’m not working, you’ll usually find me spending time with whānau and friends, exploring beautiful places and enjoying the outdoors.

If you’re working through something important that depends on people finding a way forward together, I’d be happy to talk.

Get to the heart of it. Build agreement. Shape the path forward.

Mauri ora
Carolyn