Frances Valintine
Education Futurist
Frances Valintine CNZM is dedicated to pushing Aotearoa ahead as a global leader in innovation to build a stronger, more resilient future for all New Zealanders. A leader in her own right as an innovator, emerging technologies futurist and disruptor of traditional education, Frances founded Tech Futures Lab in 2016 to foster the capabilities and skills needed to develop a culture of innovation and agility critical to NZ businesses and individuals to thrive in this fast-paced technological advancement era.
Prior to this, in 2013 Frances founded The Mind Lab to empower students and educators to develop applied digital knowledge and capability.
Over the past 8 years across Tech Futures Lab and The Mind Lab, Frances has been instrumental in reskilling and educating 20,000 adult students in formal programmes, many thousands in short tech courses in software development and over 250,000 school-aged students.
With an eye always on future horizons, Frances has worked with and advised over 250 organisations across every sector in New Zealand - from agriculture to finance, retail to law and has gained a reputation as an expert in leading digital transformation initiatives that bring positive impact.
A Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her lifetime contribution to education and technology (2018), Frances has received numerous awards recognising her passion and commitment to supporting the young and more mature to seek opportunities and reach their potential. In 2020 Frances received the Outstanding Contribution to Technology and Business at the CIO Awards. Her past accolades also include:
2017: the NZ Flying Kiwi Award, inducted into the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame and named one of the top 3 NZ Innovators of the Year at the NZer of the Year awards.
2016: named one of the top 50 EdTech Educators in the World by EdTech International; awarded a Sir Peter Blake Leader Award.
2015: awarded the Westpac New Zealand Woman of Influence (Innovation) and the Next New Zealand Woman of the Year (Education)
Driven by a strong sense of purpose to support positive growth for Aotearoa, Frances sits on the board of Watercare and is a selection adviser to EHF (Edmund Hillary Foundation), a judge on the Hi Tech Awards, a mentor to a number of female technology leaders (in NZ and India), and a Director to On Being Bold. Frances is also on the Board of Trustees for the University of Silicon Valley.
She holds a Master of Education Management from the University of Melbourne.
