Alarmed by Aotearoa’s declining literacy and numeracy rates, learning expert and thought leader Dr. Sydney Savion spearheaded a recovery programme, while in her role as General Manager, Learning at Air New Zealand.
Partnering with business leaders at our national airline and Literacy Aotearoa, Savion helmed Project Mana, an initiative instrumental in improving literacy and numeracy outcomes for airline staff. In any organisation there are under-represented populations and many of those helped by Project Mana did not finish high school, were from ethnic minorities and low socio-economic backgrounds. Often, English was not their first language.
Savion says, “I’m incredibly grateful for and proud of Project Mana. Helping someone to read, write and learn effectively is so rewarding. Literacy not only benefits the individual, but it also enhances the economic development, community well-being and society.”
“I’ve heard personally from so many participants who took part in Project Mana, telling me how it has helped them and their families. For example, helping their kids do their homework for the first time and feeling a new sense of confidence to vie for a different or management role,” said Savion.
In her fascinating narrative ‘Immortalising the Maori Koru by Bolstering Lifelong Learning in Aotearoa,’ Savion discusses how she solved literacy and numeracy inequity in her role at Air New Zealand and how her work inspired Māori and Pasifika, their families, communities and beyond.
Savion is one of 55 global change-makers featured in the book, which includes profiles of Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern; tennis phenomenon Naomi Osaka; critically acclaimed author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; prominent Kiwi resilience psychologist, Dr. Lucy Hone; and renowned actor and activist, Emma Watson.
The powerful contributions of these high-profile leaders show how women can evoke hope and impact cultural development and societal progression beyond their communities and bring about transformative cultural change on a global scale.
Savion is currently based in New York where she recently undertook the role of Senior Vice President, Learning & Growth, at Cityblock Health – a high-growth Google venture created to support marginalised communities. She is also member of the advisory board for Māori-founded New Zealand business consulting firm Au Consulting and award-winning Canadian software company Cognota.
About Dr. Sydney Savion
Dr. Sydney Savion grew up in a rural farming community in Virginia and earned a research-based Doctor of Education in Human and Organisational Learning specialising in behavioural science from the George Washington University. Instrumental in shaping iconic global workforces and workplaces for two decades, her executive experience spans executive roles at Air New Zealand, Dell Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, and the U.S. Air Force. In 2020, Savion was awarded Chief Learning Officer of the Year by Human Capital Media in recognition of her individual achievement across industry worldwide. She lived in New Zealand for five years from 2016 and plans to do so again in the future.
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