Jan Ballantyne

Jan has always had a commitment to give back to her community. This is reflected in her being awarded the distinguished Membership of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to Education and the Community in 2017. Her career includes many years of advocating for young children with physical, mental and behavioural disabilities, as well as several governorship roles within public benefit entities, and two decades as a CEO.  

Organisations she has worked with in the past include Central Kids Kindergartens (as Chief Executive), NZ Kindergarten Association (as Executive Officer), and Relationship Services (as both Regional Manager and General Manager). Jan was also Trustee for both the Maungatautari Ecological Island Trust, and the CNI Early Education Services Trust.  

In addition, she has acted in an advisory/consulting capacity in many working groups and projects, including the government’s ‘Pathways to the Future: Ngā Huarahi Arataki – A 10-Year Strategic Plan for Early Childhood Education’, and assisted in writing the early childhood strategic objectives and curriculum for the Supreme Education Council of Qatar.   

Jan has retired from full-time work. As well as being an ANZI accredited Life Coach, Jan has a Diploma of Teaching (Primary), is a qualified Facilitator of Adult Learning, and has graduated from the Policy Governance Academy.  

Jan’s personal interests include cloth doll making, quilting, interior decorating, she is also in the process of writing a book on her life.