Judy Oakden is an experienced evaluator, qualitative and quantitative researcher and facilitator based in Wellington, New Zealand
Judy offers clients innovative ways of working using adaptive and responsive evaluation and research. She specialises in using complexity theory methods and models to help organisations make sense in uncertain, unpredictable and challenging settings.
Judy conducts and provides strategic advice on evaluation and research projects. She also offers training and mentoring services to build evaluation capacity. Judy is a skilled facilitator who works with a wide range of stakeholders. Clients say her approach is flexible, timely, and focusses on their needs.
Judy has over 25 years’ experience consulting with central and local government agencies, NGO’s and businesses, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally.
She is familiar with the education, health, primary, environmental and regional development sectors, and is experienced in evaluating contestable funds. Judy has a Master of Philosophy (Distinction), Post Graduate Diploma in Social Sector Research and Evaluation (Distinction), and a Bachelor of Business Studies.
Along with Kate McKegg, Debbie Goodwin and Jackie Henry, she is a recipient of the prestigious American Evaluation Outstanding Evaluation Award in 2019 for the developmental evaluation of the Waikato Regional Council’s Collaborative Stakeholder Group process.
Examples of Judy’s work and writing:
2023
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2023). Creatives in Schools Programme Evaluation Report: Round 3 2022. Wellington: Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga – Ministry of Education.
Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2023). Inspiring community action: Thriving Southland provides extension to farmers and the Southland community. Wellington New Zealand, Pragmatica Limited.
2022
Oakden, J & Spee, K. (2022). Talanoa Ako: Response to COVID-19 case studies. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga – Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2022). Creatives in Schools Programme Evaluation Report: Round 2 2021. Wellington: Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga – the Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2022). Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi: Summary of evaluations and implementation exemplars. Iterative Best Evidence Synthesis (BES) Hei Kete Raukura report. Wellington: Pragmatica Limited.
Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2022). The difference that makes a difference: Thriving Southland supports good farming practice through Catchment Groups. Wellington New Zealand, Pragmatica Limited.
Wehipeihana, N., Sebire, K., Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2022). In pursuit of Māori health equity. Evaluation of the Māori Influenza and Measles Vaccination Programme. Wellington: Ministry of Health.
2021
Oakden, J. (2021). Evaluation of Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi 2020 Case Study: Benefits of programme delivery in Samoan churches. Wellington: Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2021). Creatives in Schools Programme Evaluation Report: Round 1 November 2020. Wellington: Ministry of Education
Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2021). Showcasing Pacific Performing Arts in Marlborough – a community response. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2021). Student-led choreography – to build student confidence and creative thinking. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (in press). Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi: Summary of evaluations and implementation exemplars. Wellington, New Zealand: Pragmatica Limited.
Oakden, J. (2021). Reading Together® Te Pānui Ngātahi 2020 Case Study: Benefits of programme delivery in Samoan churches. Wellington, New Zealand: Te Tāhuhu o te Mātauranga | Ministry of Education
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2021) Creatives in Schools Programme Evaluation Report: Round 1 November 2020. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Wehipeihana, N., Sebire, K. W., Spee, K. & Oakden, J. (2020). More than just a jab: Evaluation of the Māori influenza vaccination programme as part of the COVID-19 Māori health response. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health.
2020
Oakden, J., Walton, M., & Foote, J. (2020). Contracting public health and social services: insights from complexity theory for Aotearoa New Zealand. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online. https://doi.org/10.1080/117708...
Oakden, J. (2020). Pacific PowerUP Plus 2019: Case studies. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Spee, K. (2020). Pacific PowerUP FlexiPlus and Au Lotu Programme Evaluation2019. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
2019
Oakden, J. (2019). The application of complexity theory to contracting out public health interventions. [Master’s Thesis, Massey University] Massey Research Online. https://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/15268/OakdenMPhilThesis.pdf?sequence=1
Oakden, J. (2019). Pacific PowerUP Plus 2018: A summative evaluation of stakeholder perceptions of the programme delivery and benefits to participants. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. and Kennedy, S. (2019). Pacific PowerUp Plus 2018: Case Studies. Wellington. New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., & Oakden, J. (2019). Envirolink Evaluation Report 2019. Wellington, New Zealand: Pragmatica Limited.
2018
McKegg, K., Oakden, J., Wehipeihana, N., King, J. (2018). Evaluation Building Blocks: A Guide. Raglan, New Zealand: The Kinnect Group.
Oakden, J. (2018). Pacific PowerUP Plus 2017: A Mid-point Evaluation of Stakeholder Perceptions of the Programme Delivery and Benefits to Participants. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J. & Kennedy, S. (2018) Pasifika PowerUP: Talanoa Case Studies 2017. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J., & King, J. (2018). Evaluation. In M. Tolich & C. Davidson (Eds.), Social science research in New Zealand: An introduction (3rd ed., pp. 180–193). Auckland, New Zealand: Auckland University Press.
2017
McKegg, K., Goodwin, D & Oakden, J. (2017). Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora Collaborative Stakeholder Group evaluation – summative report. Hamilton. Kinnect Group.
Oakden, J. (2017). Pasifika PowerUP Plus: An Evaluation of Adult and Student Perceptions. Wellington, New Zealand: Pragmatica Limited.
Oakden, J. and Kennedy, S. (2017). Pasifika PowerUP Plus: Talanoa Case Studies. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J., Spee, K., Moss, M., Pipi, K., Smith, R., & King, J. (2017). Evaluation of the Regional Growth Programme: Implementation and ways of working. Wellington, New Zealand: Pragmatica Limited.
2016
Eoyang, G., & Oakden, J. (2016). Adaptive evaluation: Synergy between complexity theory and evaluation practice. Emergence: Complexity and Organization, 18(3–4). doi:10.emerg/10.17357.e5389f5715a734817dfbeaf25ab335e5.
Oakden, J., Toumu’a, R., Sauni, P., & Spee, K. (2016). Evidence-based decision making for Pasifika success in mathematics: an exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, J., Oakden, J., Toumu’a, R., & Tuagalu, C. (2016). A model of academic mentoring to support Pasifika achievement: an exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Toumu’a, R., Oakden, J., Sauni, P., & Tuagalu, C. (2016). Leadership practices supporting Pasifika student success: Otahuhu College case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Toumu’a, R., Sauni, P., & Tuagalu, C. (2016). Teacher coaching to upskill teachers and support Pasifika student achievement: an exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Toumu’a, R., Sauni, P., & Tuagalu, C. (2016). Leadership practices supporting Pasifika student success: De La Salle College case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
2014
Allen, W., King, J., & Oakden, J. (2014). Three case studies: companion document to the Evaluation of the Sustainable Farming Fund, prepared for Ministry for Primary Industries. Wellington, New Zealand: Kinnect Group.
Oakden, J., King, J., & Allen, W. (2014) Evaluation of the Sustainable Farming Fund: Executive Summary, prepared for Ministry for Primary Industries. Wellington, New Zealand: Kinnect Group.
Oakden, J., King, J., & Allen, W. (2014). Evaluation of the Sustainable Farming Fund: Main Report, prepared for Ministry for Primary Industries. Wellington, New Zealand: Kinnect Group.
Oakden, J., & Wehipeihana, N. (2014). Māori Agribusiness Prototype projects: Final Evaluation. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry for Primary Industries.
2013
Oakden, J. (2013). Evaluation rubrics: how to ensure transparency and clear assessment that respects diverse lines of evidence. Oakden, J. Melbourne. Retrieved from http://betterevaluation.org/
King, J., McKegg, K., Oakden & Wehipeihana, N. (2013). Evaluative Rubrics: a Method for Surfacing Values and Improving the Credibility of Evaluation, Journal of Multidisciplinary Evaluation, 9 (21), 11–20.
2011
Oakden, J., & McKegg, K. (2011). Waste Minimisation Act implementation: evaluation of stakeholder perspectives. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry for the Environment.
Oakden, J., & McKegg, K. (2011). Journeys of clinicians who embrace peer workers in their practice. Wellington, New Zealand: Wellink Trust.
Wehipeihana, N., Oakden, J., Spee, K., Cram, F., Pipi, K., & Porima, L. (2011). Evaluation of the Māori Oral Health Providers project. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Health
2010
Oakden, J., Pipi, K., Spee, K., & Wehipeihana, N. (2010). Rangiātea: Western Springs College case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J., Pipi, K., Spee, K., & Wehipeihana, N. (2010). Rangiātea: Western Springs College exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J., Pipi, K., Spee, K., & Wehipeihana, N. (2010). Rangiātea: Kakapo* College case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Oakden, J., Pipi, K., Spee, K., & Wehipeihana, N. (2010). Rangiātea: Kakapo* College: exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Wehipeihana, N., & Pipi, K. (2010). Rangiātea: Hamilton Girl’s High School case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Wehipeihana, N., & Pipi, K. (2010). Rangiātea: Hamilton Girl’s High School exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Wehipeihana, N., & Pipi, K. (2010). Rangiātea: Opotiki College case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Spee, K., Oakden, J., Wehipeihana, N., & Pipi, K. (2010). Rangiātea: Opotiki College exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Wehipeihana, N., & Oakden, J. (2010). Rangiātea: Hastings Boy’s High School case study. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
Wehipeihana, N., & Oakden, J. (2010). Rangiātea: Hastings Boy’s High School exemplar. Wellington, New Zealand: Ministry of Education.
