Our current Chief Executive Susan Houston joined NZPI as a self-confessed agent of change over six years ago. Under the officer stewardship of Susan, NZPI has grown and developed into a sophisticated and highly productive organisation that communicates well within and beyond its membership, especially with media. NZPI is now highly regarded across the planning community, has a proven track record in building capability through its new CPD programme, is diligent in its advocacy role and possesses best value processes and systems that utilise the latest in technology.

Some of the Board's initiatives that Susan has led from an officer perspective include the NZPI Governance review, the membership review, the Partnership Initiative, the Education Policy review, and the changes to CPD. Operationally Susan has led the introduction of technology on many levels to improve our website and communications, a restructure of NZPI resources, changes to Planning Quarterly and Planning Focus and facilitated the communications between the branches and national office through PAC and annual branch visits.
Testimony to the huge transformation that has been achieved by the Institute with Susan as CE is the lift in membership satisfaction. NZPI typically scored around 40 -50% for the variety of services it offered in its 2011 membership satisfaction survey and now exceeds 85% in all instances ( 2015).

It is therefore with sadness that NZPI announces Susan’s departure on the 3rd June from NZPI to take up a new challenge with another not for profit organisation. If you wish to contact Susan and wish her well I know she will appreciate your kind thoughts. She will be sorely missed by the Board, by the NZPI team in head office and by our members. We truly wish Susan well in all her future professional and personal endeavours.

The Board is in the process of providing interim cover while a new CE is appointed.