Executive Committee
Main office:
Level 1, 192 Tinakori Road
Thorndon, Wellington 6011
Phone: 04 916 9177
Postal Address:
PO Box 1409
Wellington 6140
Email: info@mnz.org.nz
The Federation is managed by an Executive Committee which is elected for a one-year term. The Executive comprises five office bearers: President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer and Past-President. In addition, there are 25 executive members, one from each Regional Multicultural Council.
Executive
National President: Pancha Narayanan
Email: president@mnz.org.nz
Pancha was born in Malaysia and has now called New Zealand home for 31 years. He is the current national president of Multicultural NZ, whose passion and commitment to achieving better settlement outcomes for migrants. He is paving the way for a Tiriti- based Multicultural Aotearoa Well-known by leaders around the motu, Pancha champions the whakaaro that unity is the key to community safety.
Pancha is the founder of Huarahi Hou, a deep-rooted hikoi toward settlement and social cohesion in Aotearoa through Te Tiriti o Waitangi. His leadership of Huarahi Hou has been internationally recognised as an original and visionary approach to connecting recent immigrants to the first nation people. Pancha is also the managing director of Promac International, a management consultancy, which has provided consultancy service to 25 different government agencies in Aoteaora. He has led initiatives internationally in Australia, the United States, Canada, India, and Southeast Asia.
He is a Justice of the Peace and was awarded Queens Service Medal in 2010 for his community work with immigrants.
Vice President: Marion Kerepeti-Edwards
Email: vicepresident@mnz.org.nz
Ko Ngatiwai tōku iwi
Ko Te Whanau a Rangiwhakaahu, Ko Te Waiariki o Ngunguru ōku hapū
Ko Te Tokomanawa o te aroha, Ko Paratene Te Manu ōku marae
Ko Marion Kerepeti Edwards tōku ingoa
Marion is an accomplished educator and community leader, bringing over 20 years of experience in both international Business and local Community sectors. She has held a variety of roles in governance and senior management, with a specialisation in Māori governance and small to medium enterprises.
With a strong commitment to social cohesion, diversity, and inclusion, Marion is dedicated to fostering community resilience and empowering individuals from all backgrounds.
Treasurer: Prem Singh
Email: treasurer@mnz.org.nz
Prem Singh has a long and storied career voluntarily supporting and assisting multicultural communities, lobbying on their behalf, and constantly working toward the betterment of former refugee and migrant settlement services in the Wellington region.
Prem currently holds the office of Treasurer for both the Wellington Multicultural Council (WMC), and on the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Federation of Multicultural Councils. In previous years has held the offices of President, Vice President, Treasurer and Secretary for both of these organisations. In addition, he is the current Vice President of the Wellington Fijian Indian Association, for which he has also served as past President, Secretary, and Treasurer.
In 2009/2010, during his tenure as President of the Federation, Prem oversaw the implementation of the Youth Project, with the aim of developing leadership and scoping the needs of youth for information and advice, and the Women’s Project, which looked at the social needs of women to build safer families and communities in New Zealand. Both the MNZ Youth Council and the MNZ Women’s Council are strong, independent special councils under the Federation umbrella today.
Recently, Prem was involved in the post-Gabrielle support work in Hawke's Bay area.
Secretary: Maria Buldain
Email: secretary@mnz.org.nz
Maria was born in Salto, Uruguay. She moved to New Zealand in 2003. She is the current national secretary of MNZ.
Maria is a clinical psychologist and has extensive experience working with individuals, families, and communities to improve their mental health and well-being. She holds a degree in Social Services and is a member of the New Zealand Association of Counsellors NZAC.
Maria is an active community leader and serves as the Chairperson of the Waitaki Multicultural Council. In this role, she works to promote cultural diversity and social inclusion in the local community and advocates for the needs of immigrant and refugees. In recognition of her contributions, she received the ‘Waitakian of the Year’ Award in 2020. Maria is a volunteer practitioner for Family Drug Support Aotearoa assisting families affected by addiction.
Currently works as a Brief Intervention Clinician for WellSouth in Oamaru.