11/12/2025
🎉Congratulations to Linda Fotherby, our Operations Manager extraordinaire at Pūtahi Manawa.
Last night, Linda received the 𝘚𝘵𝘶𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘎𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥 from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland recognising her significant contribution to the Pūtahi Manawa Fatu Malosi Pacific and Kura Raumati Māori summer research programmes, and to faculty operations.
Her leadership has enabled selected University of Auckland students in both programmes to receive a timely, tax-free stipend for the first time this summer — a milestone that directly supports Māori and Pacific student researchers, as well as both Pūtahi Manawa and the Faculty's visions.
Professor Julian Paton, who nominated Linda, says:
"There's so little opportunity in academia to recognise those working tirelessly behind the scenes. Linda has done that through hard work, intelligence, and persistence. She’s trailblazed around a major roadblock to help us meet our mission of supporting tomorrow’s Māori and Pacific doctors and researchers."
Guest speaker Adrienne Cleland noted that award recipients consistently show innovation, resilience, empathy, aspiration, and adaptability — qualities Linda embodies.
Linda says she is humbled to receive this award:
"What we were trying to do should not have been a struggle. We shouldn't have faced those barriers to provide this opportunity for students. I'm very pleased we found a solution."
She acknowledged the Fatu Malosi and Kura Raumati leads for their patience over the past three years, and gave special thanks to the Faculty’s Academic Services Team:
"Anushree Ram and her team said yes to my workaround plan and did a lot of work that helped us to make it happen."
𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐚. 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭.
