The Edmund Hillary Fellowship (EHF) has been developed in the spirit and memory of Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to summit Mount Everest alongside Tenzing Norgay. A lifelong, dedicated humanitarian, Sir Ed spent the decades after his famous climb to improve the lives of Sherpa communities in the Himalayas, building schools, hospitals and flight training centres. EHF is fully owned by the Hillary Institute of International Leadership, and we have aligned our set of core values around those of our namesake, Sir Edmund Hillary.
— Sir Edmund Hillary
Our work pushes boundaries and embraces creativity at the edges. We love challenging assumptions and creating transformative solutions for pressing global challenges
We connect people with opportunities. We value collaboration over competition to help raise the tide for all. We pursue systemic solutions with local and global applications.
Actions speak louder than words. We value execution with discipline, patience, agility, and resourcefulness. Simplicity inspires us.
We truly believe New Zealand can lead change from the edge of the world. We are motivated to spearhead positive change by developing local solutions with global applications.
We bring our whole self to our work and celebrate each other’s diverse passions and backgrounds. A path of active discovery inspires adventure and zest for life.
We strive to act with care for people and land, and to improve intergenerational wellbeing through creativity and entrepreneurship.
Our work is not about us but about those we serve. We actively strive to be better versions of ourselves, to act with integrity, and to learn from our successes and failures.
Growing up in Ethiopia, studying at Harvard and working in Silicon Valley, Yoseph is a global citizen driven to make positive impact. He believes purposeful communities can lead paradigm shifts, and is excited to build one in Aotearoa.
As a former New Zealand National Poetry Slam champion and TEDx speaker, and with a diverse background in resource management, startups, communications and government, Alina believes in the power of story above almost everything else.
After visiting 30 countries, New Zealand is Andre's favourite. He enjoys creating strategies for profit, people, and the planet and has done this working alongside startups, corporates, and government. He is also a total spreadsheet ninja.
Born and raised on the north coast of California, Tai is deeply inspired by the fabric of the natural world and its complex subtleties of wave and form. He has spent nearly two decades as a multidisciplinary designer working with Silicon Valley and New Zealand startups.
Growing up in her fast-moving home country of Argentina, Paula thrives at managing events and organising people. Her own background and New Zealand's mix of cultures provides her with a vision of a better world that she works towards achieving daily.
Brian studied at Harvard before leaving to start Inflection with his brother Matthew. He is known to take to the mic for hip-hop “flowetry” to convey his passionate vision for a more just and sustainable world, and NZ's potential role within it.
With a background as CEO of private companies, Frank has a range of experience across a number of industries and brings a strong commercial and strategic focus to organisations. In his spare time he adds to his ever growing Vinyl Record collection.
Michelle is a chartered accountant who believes that any difficult task can be made easier when broken down into manageable steps. She has worked in banking and with small business. Outside of work, she is a fixture at her children’s sporting activities and enjoys cooking, decor design and traveling.
With a background in theatre, film and outdoor events David’s experience ranges from installing complex technical systems to producing international tours. David is a sought after location scout and manager for film, and enjoys hunting kai moana on his days off.
Francesca is passionate about new ways of working, creating agency, and governing organisations collaboratively, with a focus on collaborative finance. An American raised in Germany, she feels most at home in global communities with shared purposes and values.
Debbie balances running a broad range of events with a career as an environmental installation artist, performer and designer for theatre and film. She is passionate about the role of the arts in uniting visions for a better world and always enjoys cutting some shapes on the dance floor.
Born and raised under her Mounga Taranaki, Pekaira upholds a pivotal role for Mana Whenua within Te Ūpoko o te Ika where she maintains cultural advisory roles within the region. Education her passion, Taranaki history her flair, she connects descendants to Te Kūreitanga ō Taranaki-nui-tonu.
Passionate about facilitating unusual collaborations, Huia loves connecting people with purpose. Her work spans public policy, arts, film, events, and strategic organisational development. Huia brings her deep love of people and place to welcoming and weaving EHF Fellows into Aotearoa/NZ.
Malcolm gets a kick out of using the best web tools to optimise the systems, processes and cultural tech of organisations that are making a positive difference in the world. He is keen on community in all it’s forms, loves compost and craft beer (preferably not together) and not taking the world too seriously.
Emily believes our stories are powerful and they help us create communities. Emily is a mother, volunteer, activist and advocate. She has a background in journalism and communications and has authored two books.
We are looking to expand our team, and we'd love to work with you if theres an opening that matches your skill set. If you would like to work with our team, check out our current opportunities.
Matthew is passionate about using the tools of entrepreneurship and storytelling to create a more beautiful world. After a decade building companies in Silicon Valley, Matthew and his brother Brian came to Aotearoa New Zealand. Matthew is also a founding director at the Namaste Foundation.
With a background in entrepreneurship and philanthropy, Kate is a former Business Woman of the Year whose roles have included startup co-founder, CE of Todd Foundation, and Chair of Philanthropy NZ. She is passionate about a world where everyone thrives and everyone contributes.
Bill is the CEO of NEXT Foundation, a strategic philanthropic foundation looking to create a legacy of environmental and educational excellence for the benefit of all New Zealanders. Bill brings more than 20 years experience in private equity and venture capital investment in New Zealand.
Formerly a provincial rugby player, opera singer and playwright, Mark changed gears and has spent the last 25 years working in NZ and the USA on sustainable leadership and climate change, and has served as Founding Director of the Hillary Institute of International Leadership since 2007.
Anake is attracted to good people grappling with wicked problems. A former Chief Executive Officer of Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu, he serves on the board of Ākina Foundation and Meridian Energy and is Chairman of the Hillary Institute of International Leadership.
Twice yearly EHF hosts New Frontiers, a 3-day full immersion summit that brings together bright minds to facilitate deep connections and collective exploration of ways in which New Zealand can lead with integrated solutions to global problems. Participants come from across New Zealand and around the world to welcome a new cohort of EHF Fellows, bringing their passions, their skills and their expertise to help shape the programme.
Watch Video
Want to help deliver a world-leading programme for global impact and make a difference in the New Zealand startup community? We are currently looking to collaborate with talented and passionate individuals who can help with candidate attraction, business development and community management. If your skill set aligns with these areas, please send us an Expression of Interest and we'll get in touch if there is a good fit within our team.
EHF in the News
Our Fellows in the News
• Sonya Renee Taylor on the Fight to Reclaim our Bodies from Shame (Noted/The Listener)
• Michelle Sharp on Kilmarnock and Social Enterprises (Seeds: Talking Purpose)
• Xtreme Zero Waste Announces Cheryl Reynolds as New CEO (Raglan Chronicle)
• Impact Fund Hits NZ Market with $15m Target (Investment News)
• Blockchain Mogul Comes to New Zealand (NZ Herald)
