Emily Ranginui, social worker
Ki te taha o tōku pāpā,
Ko Mataatua te waka
Ko Panekire te maunga
Ko Waikare te moana
Ko Ngāi Tūhoe me Ngāti Ruapani ki
Waikaremoana ōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Hinekura te hapū
Ko Te Kuha Tarewa me Te Waimako ngā marae
Hoianō e noho ana ki te taha o Waikato awa,
ki raro i te maro o Taupiri Maunga, ki Kirikiriroa
Ko Emily Ranginui tōku ingoa.
Emily is a Kākaho Arataki Niho Taniwha Māori | Senior Professional Advisor Social Work Māori at the Social Workers Registration Board based in Kirikiriroa, living by the Waikato River ki raro i te maro o Taupiri.
“There are so many people in need. We need all people from every corner of the globe to engage and support our whānau. It’s important to have social workers building and uplifting excellence in social work.”
Mana mōtuhake is an important whakaaro for her, leading and influencing Emily’s everyday practice. She uses her knowledge, experience and pūrakau from social workers to influence how we engage with and enhance social work.
The Social Workers Registration Board has proven to be the right place at the right time for Emily. Since joining, she has recognised the importance of strong Māori leadership and social work expertise within the organisation. Her focus is to ensure tangata whenua remain central to all of the Social Workers Registration Board’s initiatives, that the people we serve are supported and safe, and that the contributions and dedication of our tauwhiro are acknowledged and valued.
Emily is the pōtiki | youngest of her whānau and of course the favourite! She is a māmā of two tama and step māmā of two wāhine, an aunty to many, a nan to their moko boy, two kittens and three American Bullies. Auē so busy at their whare!
Liz Gourlay, social worker
Nō Wales ahau
Ko Garth te maunga
Ko Severn te awa
Kei Tauranga Moana ahau e noho ana
Ko Gourlay, ko O’Brien, ko Shaw tōku whānau
Ko Liz Gourlay tōku ingoa.
Liz is the Acting Chief Advisor Social Work | Kākaho Motuhake and Lead Advisor for Social Worker Workforce Planning | Kākaho Arataki Whetū based in Wellington and Tauranga. Liz provides strategic advice to support the Social Workers Registration Board in its core functions as the occupational regulator of the social work profession and the lead agency for workforce planning for all social workers.
“When our profession truly embraces diversity, we build deeper trust, challenge inequity, and deliver support that truly meets the needs of the whānau and communities we serve. A more diverse workforce means stronger outcomes — and no one gets left behind.”
Social workers do incredibly important mahi supporting individuals, whānau, and communities. This is a critical workforce under real pressure. Drawing on her frontline and leadership experience, Liz joined the Social Workers Registration Board to help develop Aotearoa’s first social worker workforce strategy, aiming to highlight the profession’s value and create lasting positive change. Her role spans the sector, working with the profession, government, NGOs, and community organisations to tackle shared challenges and create conditions where social workers can thrive.
Liz knows that Aotearoa needs more social workers, and the reasons are clear. We are the people who show up when life gets difficult. We walk alongside whānau through challenging times, help tamariki feel safe, and support communities to thrive. Whether it’s in a GP clinic, a hospital ward, a school, or a hauora service, social workers are there helping people navigate complex systems, so they don’t have to face them alone. Social workers provide emergency interventions when harm occurs and wrap support around those who need it most. This mahi matters, and we need more people ready to be part of it.
On World Social Work Day, Liz celebrates that social work is a profession built on valuing all people. Aotearoa is richly diverse, and our workforce needs to reflect that. She believes we need social workers who bring different cultural knowledge, te ao Māori lens, Pacific worldviews, lived experience, and the strengths of our migrant and refugee communities to the mahi.
Scott McLew, Registrar
Ko Pourangahau te maunga
Ko Maitai te awa
I tipu ake au ki Whakatū
E noho ana ahau i Te Whanganui a Tara
Ko Scott McLew tōku ingoa.
Scott is the Registrar for the Social Workers Registration Board, based in Wellington. He values the essential role social work plays in strengthening our communities and is committed to contributing his skills and experience to the sector.
“Communities are facing increasing social, economic, and wellbeing pressures, which means more people need support from qualified social workers. Ensuring we have enough registered social workers helps people receive support early and safely, reducing the risk of harm when needs go unmet or help is delayed.”
With extensive regulatory expertise and a proven record in operational excellence, governance, and stakeholder engagement, Scott takes pride in being a kaitiaki for public protection and is dedicated to upholding high standards within the social work profession.
Registering social workers is vital mahi – it protects the public, manages risk, builds trust, ensures fairness, and creates accountability in situations where people are vulnerable and could experience serious or lasting harm. He’s proud to be part of a regulatory system that promotes good practice, supports learning and improvement, and encourages professionalism.
Natasha Emery, social worker
Ko Mauao me Makatiti ōku maunga
Ko Tauranga me Okataina ōku Moana
Ko Tākitimu Mataatua me Te Arawa ōku Waka
Ko Ngāiterangi, Ngāti Ranginui me Te Arawa ōku iwi
Ko Pirirakau me Ngāti Tarāwhai ōku hapū
Ko Poutūtērangi me Waikōhatu ōku Marae
Nō Kihikihi ahau e noho ana
Ko Natasha Emery ahau.
Natasha is a Kākaho Arataki Niho Taniwha Māori | Senior Professional Social Work Advisor Māori at the Social Workers Registration Board. Based in both Kihikihi and Pōneke, she brings a strong bicultural perspective to the organisation and the registration landscape, integrating te ao Māori into practice and engaging confidently across the sector and with registered social workers.
“Social workers promote safety, protection, change and equity with whānau, iwi and hapū and hapori. They can be the disruptors needed in which to make positive changes in people’s lives to reduce or eliminate intergenerational trauma whilst ensuring the safety of our Tamariki.”
Natasha’s role has evolved over her time with the organisation, but her impact remains grounded in her ability to build meaningful, mana‑enhancing relationships with people across the sector.
As a state care survivor, it has always been important to Natasha that all registered social workers support all whānau with the manaakitanga, āhurutanga, whakaute and tiaki they deserve. To ensure our babies are looked after in the arms of whānau or carers who are genuinely connected to their wellbeing. This is why she chooses to be at Kāhui Whakamana Tauwhiro.
Dr Andrew Thompson, social worker
Ko Malvern Hills te maunga
Ko Wye te awa
Nō Herefordshire tōku tīpuna
Kei te noho i Ngāmotu
Kei Taranaki tōku whatumanawa
Ko Andrew Thompson tōku ingoa.
Based in Ngāmotu, Dr Andrew is a Kākaho Arataki | Senior Professional Social Work Advisor at Kāhui Whakamana Tauwhiro. He provides professional social work advice across the Social Workers Registration Board’s mahi, with a particular interest in social work education.
“Social workers play a critical role as connectors and agents of change, strengthening communities and improving the safety and wellbeing of individuals and whānau. With only 15% of registered social workers identifying as male, we clearly need to attract a more diverse workforce to meet the growing demands of the profession.”
Previously a health social worker at Starship and lecturer at the University of Auckland, Dr Andrew completed his PhD on the parent, child and doctor relationship in paediatrics. His focus has always been excellence in social work practice and he joined the organisation in the hope that he might continue to create conditions that lift social work practice standards.
Having worked with the Social Workers Registration Board since 2018, Dr Andrew has been engaged in the development of our Competence Assessment processes and Education Standards, both of which help to shape the workforce. However, the most important mahi are the daily calls with social workers, educators and supervisors who are wanting to discuss regulatory matters and ensure they are meeting their obligations as social workers.