About
Meet Dr Sunita Gautam
Educator, community board chair and long-time Cantabrian, standing for Labour in Selwyn. Ready to listen, to work hard, and to represent the voices and aspirations of our communities.
Bio data
- Full name
- Dr Sunita Gautam JP
- Party
- New Zealand Labour Party
- Contesting
- Selwyn electorate, Saturday 21 November 2026
- Home
- Christchurch, Canterbury, Aotearoa New Zealand
- Profession
- Senior Lecturer in Business Management, Ara Institute of Canterbury
- Highest qualification
- PhD in Management, University of Canterbury
- Public offices
- Chair, Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board; Justice of the Peace
Her story
Sunita Gautam has spent her working life doing two things: teaching people, and bringing communities together. She began in early childhood education, spending more than a decade with Canterbury's youngest learners and building two early childhood education businesses from the ground up — meeting payrolls, navigating compliance and employing local people.
While working, she studied. A bachelor's and then a master's degree in commerce and business management were followed by a PhD in Management from the University of Canterbury. Today she is a Senior Lecturer in business management at Ara Institute of Canterbury, where she teaches, mentors and helps students step into careers and start their own ventures.
Alongside her career she has given nearly two decades to public service. She is an elected member and Chair of the Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board, a board member of Christchurch Resettlement Services, and a trustee of the Rose Historic Chapel. She previously served on the Edgeware Pavilion Pool Board. As a Justice of the Peace and an independent marriage and civil union celebrant, she is the person plenty of Cantabrians turn to on the most ordinary and the most important days of their lives.
Her politics come from home.
He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
What is the most important thing in this world? It is people, it is people, it is people.
“I know what it means to build a life through hard work, opportunity, and the support of a community. Selwyn is a diverse and growing electorate with incredible people, and I look forward to listening, connecting, and working alongside residents.”
Education
Doctorate
PhD in Management
University of Canterbury
Doctoral research in management, completed at the University of Canterbury.
Postgraduate
Master's degree in business management
Tertiary study
Advanced study in business management and commerce.
Undergraduate
Bachelor's degree in commerce
Tertiary study
Foundation study in commerce, the base of a lifelong career in business education.
Career
Current
Senior Lecturer, Business Management
Ara Institute of Canterbury
Teaches and mentors the next generation of business leaders, with a focus on practical, industry-connected learning.
Current
Business mentor, career and life coach, keynote speaker
Canterbury
Mentors business owners and coaches people through career transitions; a regular speaker on leadership, education and cultural empowerment.
Earlier career
Early childhood educator and business owner
Christchurch
More than a decade in early childhood education, including founding and running two early childhood education businesses.
Community and public service
Current
Chair and elected member
Waipapa Papanui-Innes-Central Community Board, Christchurch City Council
Leads a community board serving tens of thousands of residents, chairing meetings, setting priorities and holding council services to account.
Current
Board member
Christchurch Resettlement Services
Governance support for an organisation helping former refugees and migrants build new lives in Canterbury.
Current
Trustee
Rose Historic Chapel
Guardianship of a treasured Christchurch heritage venue.
Current
Justice of the Peace
Aotearoa New Zealand
Serves the public as a JP, witnessing documents and supporting people through official processes at no cost.
Current
Independent marriage and civil union celebrant
Canterbury
Marries couples from every background across the region.
Former
Board member
Edgeware Pavilion Pool Board
Helped govern a much-loved local community facility.
Journey so far
Early career
A decade in early childhood education
Started out teaching and caring for Canterbury's youngest learners, then built and ran two ECE businesses.
Study
Bachelor's, master's and a PhD
Commerce and business management degrees, capped by a PhD in Management from the University of Canterbury.
Tertiary teaching
Senior Lecturer at Ara Institute of Canterbury
Moved into tertiary education, teaching business management and mentoring students into work.
Community service
Community boards, trusts and a JP warrant
Nearly two decades of volunteer and elected community service across Christchurch.
2026
Labour's candidate for Selwyn
Selected to contest the Selwyn electorate at the general election on 21 November 2026.
Like what you've read?
Help get Sunita's message to every door in Selwyn.