Three entries in this year's King's Birthday Honours feature women who are cited for their significant contributions to Anglican kura, organisations or church ministries over the last 20 years or more. 

Karleen Everitt from Te Tai Tokerau has been recognised for her long service to Māori Anglican Schools, Rev Tapita Ching for her service to the Pacific Community and the Māori Anglican Church and Jane Manson for her service to the Tamahere community and Mahi Mihinare Anglican Action.

Here we highlight and give thanks for each of their Mihinare contributions as cited in the Honours list this King's Birthday. 

Karleen Mae Everitt has been appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for her services to Māori and business.

Ms Karleen Everitt (Te Aupōuri, Ngāpuhi, Te Iwi Morehu) is a business leader focused on improving societal and economic outcomes for Māori. Among her many other achievements and contributions as a leader in Māori enterprise, Karleen has served for many years as Deputy Chair of the St Stephen’s Queen Victoria (SSQV) Trust Board, where she has championed and worked towards reopening the two Auckland-based Māori Anglican schools. Tipene (St Stephen's) reopened in 2026 and now offers secondary education through a Hāhi Mihingare culturally-grounded bespoke curriculum, holistic wellbeing support, and a kaupapa Māori approach. Karleen's work has supported the school to achieve its aims of empowering Māori and Pasifika secondary school boys to thrive and become future leaders.

Read Karleen's full citation here 

Reverend Tapita Taia Ching has been awarded the King’s Service Medal (KSM)

for services to the Pacific community and education in  Whakatū.

Rev Tapita has contributed to the Pacific community in Nelson across education, culture and church ministry. She is a bilingual support worker, teacher aide and school chaplain at Victory Primary School and has provided translation assistance to help Pacific parents engage with their children’s education. She established Moana Pasifika at the school, a cultural group dedicated to Pacific identities, values and languages. At weekly sessions, she teaches songs, dances and language lessons in te reo Māori Kuki ‘Airani and Gagana Sāmoa, helping Pacific children connect with their roots and build belonging. She hosts the Pacific Graduation annual event, a celebration bringing families together to recognise students’ efforts and growth and she has served as a Trustee of the Nelson Tasman Pasifika Community Trust.

Rev Tapita was ordained deacon in 2016 and priested in 2018, and currently serves as Pou Mihana (Lead Enabler) for Whakatū (Nelson area) within Te Hui Amorangi o Te Waipounamu, the Māori Anglican Diocese serving the South Island. Rev Tapita was one of the founders the Nelson-Tasman Interfaith Council in 2017 and as regional link to the Anglican Women’s Studies Council for five years, she has actively promoted women’s leadership in ministry. She has also contributed to the community through her support and care for homeless people of all ages in Nelson.

Read Rev Tapita's citation online here

(Margaret) Jane Manson has been awarded the King’s Service Medal for services to the community.

Ms Jane Manson has contributed widely to her local community, primarily through involvement with St Stephen's Church in Tamahere.

Ms Manson created the monthly Tamahere Country Market in 2004, which attracts 20,000 visitors annually with more than 100 stall holders. Since its inception, she has led the voluntary group that organises and runs the market, with a portion of the revenue generated used to maintain St Stephen’s Church and its community outreach. Since 2007 she has voluntarily served as a Board member, and in 2019 was appointed Chair of the Diocese of Waikato and Taranaki's social services and advocacy agency based in Kirikiriroa (Mahi Mihinare Anglican Action) where she works to assist vulnerable members of the community through social services and support.

Since 2008 Jane has served as Church liaison on the Tamahere Community Committee and led the Tamahere-Woodlands Heritage Committee, working with mana whenua to create a heritage board depicting both Māori and early settler history in Tamahere, and a board explaining Māori history adjacent to the Te Awa Cycleway underpass. In 2024 Jane received the Waikato District Mayoral Community Award.

See Jane's citation online here