Encourages independent and critical thought.
Naomi Weaver serves as the Acting Head of the Transformation and Improvement Office at the University of Otago, a position she holds until April 2026. The Transformation and Improvement Division, under her leadership, concentrates on change, innovation, and the continuous improvement of business processes. It manages the delivery of large-scale, high-impact transformation programmes, enhances the quality and robustness of business case development processes, supports the development of the Operations Group strategy, and assists in defining key programmes of work. Previously, Naomi Weaver was the Manager of Business Case Development within the same office. She brings extensive experience in strategic planning, policy development, and institutional research to her roles.
Naomi Weaver has contributed significantly to institutional research initiatives at the University of Otago, particularly concerning health professional education and Pacific communities. In her earlier role as Planning and Institutional Research Analyst, she acted as the secretary of the Pacific Peoples Reference Group and was a member of the Protocol Development Group that compiled the Pacific Research Protocols from the University of Otago, launched in November 2011. These protocols outline ethical guidelines, cultural considerations, and community engagement standards for research involving Pacific peoples in Otago-Southland, New Zealand, and the Pacific islands. Additionally, as Senior Analyst in Institutional Service Performance, she co-authored publications analyzing the sociodemographic characteristics of students accepted into the University's health professional programmes. Key works include 'Holding a mirror to society? The sociodemographic characteristics of the University of Otago's health professional students' published in the New Zealand Medical Journal in 2012 with Peter Crampton and Andrea Howard, and a 2018 follow-up paper on progression toward improved sociodemographic representation. Her analyses have informed discussions on recruitment trends for Māori and Pasifika students in health sciences.
