Sharon Shea

Sharon Norma Shea is a New Zealand chairperson. She has various governance roles and holds board memberships, mainly in the health sector. She was the penultimate chairperson of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board before its disestablishment and the co-chairperson of the establishment board of the Māori Health Authority.

Early life and family Sharon was born at Tauranga Hospital and belongs to the Borrell and Tangitū family, with her iwi affiliations Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi. Her hapū is Pirirākau. She was raised in Te Puna and then in Mount Maunganui. She received her education at Omanu School, Mount Maunganui Intermediate, and Tauranga Girls' College. At the University of Auckland, she graduated with a conjoint Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws degree. She is married to Morris Pita and they both went to England to study for a master's degree at the University of Oxford in 2001 and 2002; Shea gained a degree in comparative social policy. They returned to New Zealand in 2002 or 2003 (sources differ) to start a family. Shea and Pita have three boys.

Professional career Shea initially worked as a lawyer She is a director on a number of company boards and owns several companies herself. She was the strategy manager for the Northern Regional Health Authority. She was reappointed twice and served until 4 December 2019. In December 2016, she was concurrently appointed to also be a board member of Auckland District Health Board where she served one term. Cullen stood down from most of his public roles in March 2020 after announcing that he had been diagnosed with stage IV small-cell lung cancer Shea was appointed acting interim chair and board member Ron Scott was appointed acting deputy chair. On 13 April 2021, Shea was appointed as permanent chair, with Geoff Esterman appointed as her permanent deputy chair.

In 2018, the government initiated a review of the health and disability system. She was chairperson of the Māori Expert Advisory Group that was established for this review.

Awards In the 2019 New Year Honours, Shea was appointed Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) "for services to Māori health and development".