Beyond the Post-Nominals: The Value of Professional Accreditation
- Start: 12:00pm
- End: 1:00pm
- Duration: 1 Hours
- Category: Webinar
- Region: Nationwide
- Online
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What does professional accreditation really mean for your career?
For many HR professionals, becoming Accredited Professional or Chartered is about far more than achieving a post-nominal. It's an opportunity to reflect on your practice, build confidence in your capabilities, benchmark yourself against professional standards, and demonstrate your commitment to the HR profession in Aotearoa. This webinar will explore the real-world impact of professional accreditation through the experiences of those who have been through the process themselves.
Join us for an engaging panel discussion featuring HR professionals at different stages of their accreditation journey, alongside an experienced assessor who will share practical insights into what makes a strong application.
Whether you're considering Accredited Professional membership, thinking about becoming Chartered, or simply curious about the value accreditation can bring to your career, this session will provide honest reflections, practical advice, and an opportunity to ask questions.
Hear from:
Elena Calvert, CMHRNZ, HRNZ National President and Recruitment Manager at the University of Otago
Nicole Peterson CMHRNZ, People & Culture leader at Genesis and HRNZ Chartered Member
Megan McKenzie APHRNZ, HR Business Partner and HRNZ Accredited Professional Member
Gil Sewell, CMHRNZ and Chartered Assessor at HRNZ and Kaihautū Tikanga | Chief People & Culture Officer – Ember Korowai Takitini
Topics we'll explore:
*Why HR professionals choose to pursue accreditation
*The impact accreditation has had on their confidence, credibility and career development
*Common concerns and misconceptions about the process
*Advice for members considering applying
*What assessors are genuinely looking for in applications
*How The Path can help you assess your readiness
The session will conclude with a live audience Q&A, providing an opportunity to have your accreditation questions answered by those who have successfully navigated the journey.
Who should attend?
This webinar is suitable for HR professionals at all career stages, including those considering Accredited Professional Membership, working towards Chartered status, or wanting to better understand HRNZ's professional accreditation pathways.
Duration: 60 minutes
Webinar Fee
Note: This event will not be recorded.
HRNZ Member | FREE
Non-member | FREE
Cancellation Policy
An appropriate substitute participant is welcome any time before the webinar starts. Please let us know the replacement's name.
Presenter Details
Elena Calvert CMHRNZ
Elena brings a valuable mix of experiences across public, private and not for profit sectors, combining HR consulting, generalist and specialist HR functions. Currently she is the Recruitment Manager at the University of Otago, after time with Deloitte NZ and Mitre 10 MEGA Dunedin. Elena is a long-term member of the HRNZ Regional Network committee and is passionate about delivering value to HRNZ members no matter what part of the country they are based in. She has also been a strong advocate of continually investing into our engagement with students.
Nicole Peterson CMHRNZ
Nicole Paterson is Group Manager Organisational Capability at Genesis Energy, leading the organisation's strategies for leadership, talent, learning, culture, employee experience and DEI. With more than 15 years' experience across Deloitte, HSBC, SkyCity and Genesis, she specialises in translating organisational strategy into practical people solutions that improve business performance. Nicole is known for her commercially grounded approach to organisational capability and has led enterprise initiatives spanning leadership development, flexible work, talent strategy, culture change and now AI adoption.
Megan McKenzie APHRNZ
Megan "Megs" McKenzie, HR Business Partner at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, became an HRNZ Accredited Professional in February after learning about the programme through HRNZ's Professional Accreditation Manager. With a career spanning local government, central government, and the health sector, Megs brings extensive public sector HR experience. She has worked across district councils, government ministries, and Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, where she has been since the transition to the interim Health New Zealand organisation. Passionate about supporting people and driving positive workplace outcomes, Megs values professional development and the opportunity accreditation provides to demonstrate her commitment to the HR profession.
Gil Sewell CMHRNZ
Gil (pronounced ‘Jill’) Sewell is Kaihautū Tikanga | Chief People & Culture Officer at Ember Korowai Takitini, a mental health, addictions and intellectual disabilities NGO in New Zealand. She has over three decades of experience in organisational design and development and was recognised in 2024, 2025 as one of New Zealand’s top HR leaders. She co-founded and ran leadership consultancy True North (GB) in the UK and has held senior, executive or chief people officer roles at large and complex organisations in New Zealand, including Fonterra, two of the larger District Health Boards and PwC. Gil’s career has involved transforming traditional HR functions into contemporary People and Culture teams with a focus on far more than hire, train and fire. Gil’s aim is that everyone has their best possible experience at work regardless of who they are or what they do.
