A collective of experienced leaders working alongside schools to lead antiracist, critical, culturally sustaining change.
Dr Ann Milne MNZM, PhD (Founder)
Dr Ann Milne is a nationally and internationally recognised educator, researcher, and former secondary school principal with over 40 years’ experience in education. She is the author of The Antiracist Education Series and a long-standing leader in challenging whiteness and inequity in schooling.
Ann’s work centres on supporting schools and organisations to identify and dismantle the “white spaces” that shape expectations, systems, and outcomes for Māori and other marginalised learners. Drawing on both research and lived leadership experience, she works alongside educators to build culturally sustaining, antiracist practice and to redefine what success looks like.
Through Ann Milne & Associates, Ann now leads a collaborative model of professional learning and consultancy designed to support sustainable, whole-school change.
George Ihimaera (Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa) (Associate)
Ko George Ihimaera tōku ingoa
Ko te uri o Ngāpuhi i te taha o tōku Pāpā – ko Rahiri Ihimaera
Ko te uri o Te Rarawa i te taha o tōku Māmā – ko Dorothea (Penney) Ihimaera
Ko Tania tōku pūmau, ko Nathan tāku tama
Tihei Mauri Ora
George brings over 30 years of experience in education, including his role as Principal of Kererū Park Campus in Papakura. Raised and educated in Manurewa, he has held a wide range of leadership roles and continues to contribute across the sector as a mentor, facilitator, and advisor.
His recent work with the Māori Achievement Collaborative (MAC) has seen him support tumuaki and leadership teams across Aotearoa to strengthen culturally sustaining environments for Māori learners and their whānau. George combines deep leadership experience with a strong relational approach—recognising that sometimes the most powerful work begins with listening.
He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Leadership and Management and a Total Immersion Diploma in Rumaki Reo. He has also served on the Te Akatea Māori Principals Executive, contributed to Ministry of Education panels, and been a judge for the Prime Minister’s Excellence in Education Awards.
George is passionate about supporting organisations to centre kaupapa Māori thinking in their strategic direction, leadership, and everyday practice to achieve meaningful and lasting change.
Dr Keri Milne-Ihimaera (Kāi Tahu) Associate
Ko Ruapuke te whenua
Ko Te Ara a Kewa te moana
Ko Motu Pōhue te maunga
Ko Te Rau Aroha te marae
Ko Ngāi te Ruahikihiki te hapū
Ko Ngāi Tahu te iwi
Keri brings nearly two decades of experience in senior leadership roles across education, tertiary and national organisations.
Having grown up alongside Ann Milne’s work, she has applied and led these approaches in her own schools, embedding culturally sustaining practice, critical consciousness, and a relentless focus on Māori success as Māori.
Keri has since moved into executive and governance roles, working across large-scale systems and organisations with significant impact for Māori communities.
She now leads her own consultancy, supporting boards and leadership teams with strategy, leadership development, and the integration of mātauranga Māori in ways that are authentic, practical, and outcomes-focused.
She brings a strong systems lens and a Māori woman’s perspective to leadership, with a focus on long-term, intergenerational outcomes.
Keri works alongside organisations to strengthen understanding, shift practice, and support meaningful, sustained change.
Keri’s role within Ann Milne & Associates is currently by arrangement.
Phil Gordon (Ngāti Maru) Associate
Ko Phil Gordon toku ingoa,
Ko Ngati Maru tōku iwi.
Ko Ngati Hinemōkai tōku hapu.
Ko Kotirana, Ingarani me Airani ahau.
Ko Phil raua ko Pat Gordon ōku mātua.
Ko Robin Taua-Gordon tōku pūmau Ko Aleesha Tia taku kōtiro me te mātāmua o āku tamariki.
Ko Tyler Rakataura tāku tama tuatahi
Ko Piripi Joe Curtis tāku tama tuarua me te potiki o āku tamariki. Ko Te Au Piri Isaiah Taua-Gordon tāku mokopuna
Phil brings over 30 years of experience in education, including 23 years as a principal across diverse communities in Aotearoa. He has led schools in Horeke, Kaikohe, and Kelston and has worked extensively alongside educators, whānau, and communities from many different backgrounds.
Throughout his career, Phil has taken on a wide range of leadership roles, including Kāhui Ako lead principal, mentor for first-time principals, facilitator of national and international initiatives, and contributor to Māori-focused educational networks and hui. His work reflects a deep understanding of both the opportunities and complexities of school leadership.
Phil is committed to strengthening outcomes for Māori learners and building authentic, empowering relationships between Tangata Whenua and Tangata Tiriti. He works alongside leaders and organisations to support culturally sustaining practice that is grounded, relational, and practical.
Phil will be joining Ann Milne & Associates at a later date.
This is not a ‘programme’ to implement.
It is a process of working alongside schools — leaders, teachers, students and whānau to support change over time.
It is grounded in:
long-term experience as principals and educators
research and proven successful practice to counter whiteness, and to implement antiracist, critical, and culturally sustaining pedagogy
It often involves asking difficult questions.
As many leaders have said, those questions can be challenging — but they are also what enable real change.
What makes our work different?
What about Numeracy & Literacy and compliance with changing mandates?
Of course, we want all of our children to read, write, and calculate to the absolute best of their ability. Our simple answer to that question is,
“They are not enough.”
Schools do not need to choose between compliance and transformation — but they do need to go beyond compliance.
Our Māori, Pasifika, and marginalised children deserve to see themselves in every aspect of their leraning environment, every day, just as Pākehā children do. That’s exactly what this work is about - for all our mokopuna.
Work With Us
If your school or organisation is ready to engage in meaningful change, we would welcome the opportunity to work alongside you.
Whether through keynote presentations, professional learning programmes, or longer-term partnerships, our focus is on supporting schools committed to deep, sustained transformation.
