Celebrating the 2026 Alumni Excellence Award recipients

Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University is proud to announce the recipients of the 2026 Alumni Excellence Awards, recognising graduates whose outstanding achievements, leadership and service have made a significant impact in their professions, communities and beyond.

This year’s recipients represent the breadth and diversity of the Massey alumni community, with each demonstrating excellence in their field while embodying the university’s values of innovation, leadership and making a positive difference.

Alumni Excellence Award – Dan Te Whenua Walker

Dan holds a Master of Advanced Leadership Practice (with Distinction) from Massey University. He serves in several prominent governance roles, including Chair of the Child Cancer Foundation New Zealand, Director of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Deputy Chair of NZ Māori Tourism, and Director of the Ringa Hora Workforce Development Council.

As Chair of the Child Cancer Foundation New Zealand, Dan provides governance and strategic leadership for an organisation that supports tamariki with cancer and their whānau across Aotearoa New Zealand. Inspired by his own family’s experience with childhood cancer, he is committed to ensuring no family has to face that journey alone.

Dan’s governance experience spans iwi, government, tourism, workforce development, and community organisations. For more than 16 years, he has served on the board of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Ruanui, including as Deputy Chair, where he has helped lead land repurchases on Taranaki Maunga, the return of hapū whenua, and iwi commercial ventures, balancing cultural and financial outcomes.

During his time as Co-Chair of Indigenous at Microsoft Aotearoa, he led partner development and cloud solutions across Australia and Aotearoa. He also co-founded the Indigenous at Microsoft initiative to ensure Indigenous voices were central to shaping the future of technology, helping unlock more than US$6 million for Indigenous-led innovation.

Dan is the recipient of the 2025 Robert Walters New Zealand Leader of the Year Award and the Māori Leadership Award, and was previously named Young Māori Business Leader of the Year.

Deputy Vice-Chancellor Students and Global Engagement Dr Tere McGonagle-Daly, Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū, Te Arawa, says, “Dan stands out as the clear top-tier candidate, demonstrating sustained leadership across global technology, national policy, and community governance. His role at Microsoft, combined with ministerial appointments and extensive governance across major organisations, reflects influence at both global and national levels. Crucially, his leadership is not only high-profile but deeply values-driven, centred on kaupapa Māori, intergenerational impact, and inclusive economic development.” 

Young Alumni Award – Ellen Dixon

Ellen graduated from Massey University with a first-class Bachelor of Arts in Linguistics, with a minor in Business Communications, earning recognition as a Massey Scholar. Her studies in critical theory, forensic linguistics, policy and intercultural communication laid the foundation for a career spanning civil society organisations, including the Global Student Forum, and international institutions such as UNESCO, UNESCO IESALC and the UNESCO Global Education Monitoring Report (GEM Report).

Ellen has held an elected seat on the UNESCO SDG4-Education 2030 High-Level Steering Committee, which guides the global mission for quality education for all. Representing civil society alongside government ministers, World Bank leaders and organisations including the LEGO Foundation, she contributes to shaping international education policy at the highest level.

She has also played a key role in developing regional initiatives, including the 6th Asia-Pacific Meeting on Education 2030, the inaugural International Day of Digital Learning, and the inaugural Conference of Pacific Education Ministers.

In New Zealand, Ellen has held appointments with the Ministry of Education, the Board of Commissioners for the Tertiary Education Commission, and Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara (formerly the New Zealand Vice-Chancellors’ Committee). She has also held leadership and management roles in domestic and international NGOs focused on education and human rights.

Dr McGonagle-Daly says, “Ellen Dixon is a benchmark Young Alumni candidate, with an unusually high level of achievement, influence, and visibility early in her career. Her work with UNESCO – including advisory roles, high-level steering groups, and contributions to global education policy – demonstrates direct influence on international systems and decision-making.

“She brings a rare combination of: Global policy impact, national contribution (New Zealand and regional contexts), and consistent service orientation, including advocacy for youth and vulnerable populations. Her nomination is also strengthened by a strong personal leadership narrative, with evidence of resilience and a clear commitment to purpose-driven work.”

The 2026 Alumni Excellence Award recipients will be formally celebrated at a special awards event later this year, where family, friends and members of the university community will come together to recognise their outstanding accomplishments.

We would also like to thank everyone who submitted nominations for this year’s awards. The calibre of nominations was exceptionally high, reflecting the remarkable contributions of Massey alumni across a wide range of industries and communities. While only a small number of recipients can be selected each year, the experiences and achievements of all our nominees are truly inspiring, and we look forward to sharing more of their stories with our alumni community.

Looking ahead to the 2027 Alumni Excellence Awards

Do you know a Massey graduate who is making an outstanding contribution in their profession, community or industry?

Nominations for the 2027 Alumni Excellence Awards are now open, and we encourage alumni, staff, students and members of the wider community to nominate graduates whose achievements deserve to be recognised.

Nominate online today via the nomination form. Nominations close 1 December 2026.

Find out more about the Alumni Excellence Awards.

2025 Sir Geoffrey Peren Award

The Sir Geoffrey Peren Award recognises and celebrates alumni with a long history of achievement who have provided meritorious service to the university, community or nation. The award is bestowed by the Vice-Chancellor, and commemorates the university’s founding Vice-Chancellor Sir Geoffrey Peren.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Jan Thomas says Professor Emeritus Sims is hugely deserving of this latest honour, which follows a string of professional accolades over the years.

“I think the university should be extremely proud of Ralph and all he has achieved here in Aotearoa New Zealand and abroad. His pioneering work in sustainable energy and climate mitigation is commendable, and his individual efforts have clearly made an impact on collective actions to make a better future for New Zealand and the world.

“Ralph’s work spans academic innovation, international consultancy and public engagement, and he’s a respected voice in guiding our future pathways toward sustainable development.”

Professor Emeritus Sims says it was a huge honour and a total surprise to receive the letter saying he had been given the award.
“The decades I’ve spent working at Massey have been most satisfying, with the sabbaticals granted enabling me to contribute internationally. I am very grateful to my many colleagues and past students for making my time here so rewarding, and to my wife Cathy. We were only married in Wales just two weeks before arriving at Massey for a three-year contract, but are very grateful to still be here.”

In 2021, Professor Emeritus Sims marked 50 years of working at Massey University. His first position after graduating in England, was at Massey as a lecturer in agricultural machinery when he began research on biofuels for transport.

During his tenure with Massey, Professor Emeritus Sims has held several positions and undertaken many international roles. In 2001, while on the Board of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), he helped establish Aotearoa New Zealand’s first energy efficiency and renewable energy strategy. From 2006 to 2010, he was seconded to the International Energy Agency in Paris. He chaired the panel of experts for the Royal Society Te Apārangi’s 2016 publication Transition to a low-carbon economy for New Zealand. He has been a lead author for five Mitigation Assessment Reports of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize.

In 2023, Professor Emeritus Sims became a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to sustainable energy and climate mitigation. He is also a Companion of the Royal Society Te Apārangi.

Professor Emeritus Sims received his award at a private event at Massey University’s Manawatū campus in November.

Dr Dick Hubbard

Bachelor of Technology, 1970

2020 Sir Geoffrey Peren Medal

Best known as the founder of Hubbard Foods, Dr Hubbard also founded the New Zealand Businesses for Social Responsibility (now the Sustainable Business Network), was chair of the New Zealand National Parks and Conservation Foundation and a supporter of Outward Bound.

The award is presented to someone considered a visionary and a leader, respected in their field of expertise for significant and ongoing contributions to business or professional life, as well as meritorious service to the University, community or nation.

Paeroa-born Dr Hubbard graduated from Massey University with a Bachelor of Technology (Food) in 1970. He worked as a research scientist for the Co-Operative Dairy Company in Hamilton developing specialised powders for the baking trade, then spent several years managing the Food Processing Factory in Niue.

After working in management roles including as chief executive at Tasti Food Products for 13 years, he and wife Diana Reader set up Hubbard Foods in 1988. The company gained prominence for its promotion of socially responsible business perspectives.

He was Mayor of Auckland from 2004 to 2007 and member of the Massey University Council 2003-06, and was conferred with an honorary Doctor of Science in 1999.

When Hubbard Foods was sold to the HFG Group in 2017, Dr Hubbard was quoted as saying; “after making three billion bowls of mueslis and cereals over 30 years, it was time to hand over the reins to a younger generation”.

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Brooke Roberts

Master of Finance (with Distinction), 2013

2020 Distinguished Young Alumni Award

Co-founder and director of Sharesies.

Ms Roberts says the philosophy behind Sharesies, a sharemarket investment company, is to create a level playing field for investors regardless of how much money they have and remove some of the jargon that causes nervousness.

“We wanted to give someone with five dollars the same investment opportunities as someone with $500,000. With the technology available today, there’s no reason why access to wealth development should be so unequal.”

Two years on, Ms Roberts says Sharesies is going from strength to strength. “We started with seven founders, six of us full-time. We now have 24 staff and we’re still growing. We have over 36,000 Kiwi investors who have invested over $38 million. What’s great is a lot of that is money that probably wouldn’t have been invested otherwise.”  

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Dr Mahsa McCauley

PhD in Computer Science in 2013

2020 Distinguished Service Award

Dr Mahsa McCauley is recognised for her vision to address the gender imbalance in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

In 2014 she founded She Sharp, which runs networking and development events each year for secondary school girls and women who are tertiary students and industry professionals.

In her role as a senior lecturer at Auckland University of Technology’s School of Computer, Engineering, and Mathematical Sciences, she is a recognised leader in artificial intelligence and machine learning, including researching how these fields will revolutionise our future.

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Kate Hawley

Diploma in Visual Arts and Design, 1992

2020 Distinguished Achievement Award

Costume designer Kate Hawley worked in local productions and in 1996, received a Television New Zealand Scholarship and assistance from Wellington City Opera to study at London’s Motley School of Theatre Design.

Less than a decade later her career took off with film credits including On A Clear Day, The Ride, Pacific Rim, Crimson Ring and The Hobbit, along with numerous other costume and set design credits ranging across film, television, theatre and opera in Europe, the United States, Australia and New Zealand.

She worked again with Peter Jackson’s untitled DreamWorks project and his 2009 film The Lovely Bones as well as episodes of The Lord of the Rings television series.

Ms Hawley’s awards include the Gold Key Award from the Bretislav Film Festival for her designs for the Channel 4/BBC production of T DANCE, and in 2013 she was inducted into Massey University’s College of Creative Arts’ Hall of Fame.  

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