Dr Julia Tod

Nei te mihi manahau kia koutou katoa
A warm greeting to you all

Nō Ingarangi me Kotiana ōku tipuna
My ancestors are from England and Scotland
I whānau au I Tonga
I was born in Tonga

Ko te moana nui a kiwa te moana
The Pacific is my ocean

Ko Tongatapu tōku papakāinga
Tongatapu is my island

I tipu ake au ki Manawatu
I grew up in the Manawatu

Kei Tāmaki Makaurau e noho ana
I live in Auckland

Ko Julia Tod tōku ingoa
My name is Julia Tod

Doctor of Philosophy (Education), University of Auckland
My research culminated in the development of conceptual frameworks that define the foundational principles and mechanisms essential for individuals to thrive in their roles and cultivate a strong professional identity within an organisation.
Master of Professional Studies (1st Class honours) University of Auckland
Recipient of Top of the Class and 100% grade recognition.
My thesis focused on the induction and mentoring of beginning teachers.
Bachelor of Arts, University of Canterbury
Primary Education Teaching Diploma, Christchurch College of Education

Upon completing my Doctoral studies, I then took the opportunity to deepen my own governance learning.
I have successfully completed The Institute of Directors’ intensive Company Directors Course and undertook a series of governance assessments. I am now on track to become a Chartered Member. This learning has strengthened the support I offer to boards and leaders – not only in board development and strategic planning, but also in leadership coaching and the design of systems that are people-focused, future-ready, and aligned with school values and goals

I am a researcher, strategist, trusted collaborator, and founder of Identity Impact.
He aha te mea nui o te ao? What is the most important thing in the world?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. It is the people, it is the people, it is the people
My mahi centres on a core belief: when people are placed at the heart, strategy gains purpose because people are the foundation of every meaningful change.

My career spans senior leadership in tourism, education, and the public sector, with a focus on impact at scale. I have been responsible for leading large national initiatives focused on equity, well-being, and workforce development. I bring a researcher’s mindset — curious, rigorous, and evidence-focused. Strategic thought leadership has the most impact when it is guided by insight, informed by evidence, and shaped with people in mind.

I partner with those who lead and govern organisations to bring clarity to how people are positioned, supported, and developed. This includes how they are welcomed into the organisation, how their growth is nurtured, and how the environment enables them to thrive. I do this by supporting leaders to design structures and systems that are strategic, sustainable, and aligned with purpose. This involves reviewing how strategy is shaped, how capability is built, and how culture is upheld through times of change. I believe that when people sit at the centre of these decisions, strategy becomes more than a plan. It becomes a way of working that is authentic to the context and endures