Tayyaba Khan is Chair of Belong Aotearoa and a highly experienced governance leader in Aotearoa New Zealand’s not-for-profit sector. Over the past 15 years, she has served on multiple boards, including LifeWise and Amnesty International, and more recently secured her first paid role on the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Local Advisory Committee for Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland).
In this snapshot video, Tayyaba encourages people with new board careers to figure out their why. She also suggests free ways to upskill and get prepared for a board career.
In this snapshot video, Tayyaba encourages people with new board careers to figure out their why. She also suggests free ways to upskill and get prepared for a board career.
Tayyaba’s governance journey did not follow a traditional or linear path. Rather than entering governance through formal qualifications or corporate pipelines, she was invited onto boards through her deep involvement in community work and her visible commitment to belonging, equity and social impact.
“I was volunteering in community and people saw that I had something to contribute,” she reflects. “I said yes before I really knew what governance was – and I’ve never looked back.”
Take a deeper dive into Tayyaba’s governance journey. In this short video, Tayyaba talks about how board roles are deeper for her than just holding a title. She talks about connecting her board work to her whakapapa. Tayyaba provides useful ideas for free resources and upskilling opportunities.
Governance grounded in lived experience
Raised between Japan and New Zealand, and shaped by experiences of migration, faith and marginalisation, Tayyaba describes herself as a global citizen. Her Muslim faith and whakapapa are central to how she shows up at the governance table, informing both her values and her decision-making lens. She brings a strong human rights perspective to governance, informed by decades of work in the refugee and settlement sectors across Aotearoa, Australia, the UK and occupied Palestinian territories.
This lived experience has been a strength but also a challenge. Tayyaba speaks candidly about being pigeonholed or approached for governance roles primarily because of her identity. Over time she has learned to address this directly by asking early, values-based questions about why she has been approached and what skills the board is genuinely seeking.
“I don’t want to be limited to one part of who I am,” she says. “I carry multiple identities and multiple skill sets, and boards need to make space for that.”
Learning governance by doing
Tayyaba has no formal governance qualifications. Financial barriers and cultural accessibility made traditional governance education unrealistic. Instead, she learned governance through practice, mentorship, scholarships and informal workshops – describing her pathway as closer to an apprenticeship model than formal study.
“My governance journey has been about people gifting their time,” she explains. “Mentors teaching me what it means to be on a board and supporting me to learn as I went.”
She emphasises that governance education does not have to be expensive. Free webinars, online newsletters and platforms such as BoardPro have played an important role in her ongoing learning, particularly in understanding contemporary governance challenges and strategic decision making.
Key strengths at the governance table
Tayyaba identifies two core strengths she consistently brings to boards:
- Deep listening – an intentional practice shaped by years of being unheard or spoken over. For Tayyaba, listening is a governance skill that enables better strategy, sound decision making and healthier board dynamics. “Sometimes the most valuable contribution is simply listening,” she says.
- Creative, system level thinking – particularly critical in not-for-profit organisations operating with limited resources. She excels at helping boards think differently about how to align resources, partnerships and strategy to maximise community impact.
She also speaks openly about trial and error in governance – recognising when a board or organisation is not the right fit and ending those relationships respectfully to make space for better alignment on both sides.
Mentorship and leadership
Mentorship has been central to Tayyaba’s development as a governance leader. In turn, Tayyaba has become a mentor and founder herself. She cofounded the Young Muslim Women’s Association in the post 9/11 era to ensure young Muslim women had a voice in decision making and felt spiritually and socially safe in Aotearoa. In 2017, she founded the Khadija Leadership Network to address gaps in professional development and leadership opportunities for Muslim women – ensuring they could access governance and leadership pathways on their own terms.
From voluntary to paid governance
While Tayyaba never pursued governance with the sole aim of securing paid roles, her appointment to Fire and Emergency New Zealand’s Local Advisory Committee marked a significant milestone. She views this role as the culmination of years of voluntary governance, community leadership and skill building. “I don’t think I would feel deserving of a paid role without those years of experience,” she reflects.
Ultimately, what drives her governance work is a desire to contribute to a more peaceful, just and inclusive world – by being part of strategic decision making that serves all communities, not just some.