Speakers

Abbe Anderson brings diverse experience across hospital and primary care, including two decades leading complex system reforms.

In her previous role, Abbe worked with the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health in Brisbane, supporting the development of community-controlled commissioning frameworks for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. She is also a director on the board of Beyond Blue, Australia's most recognised mental health charity. Abbe brings considerable experience in a diverse range of hospital and primary care systems, including two decades leading complex system reforms.

Abbe has undertaken executive study at Otago University and worked alongside rural hospitals in Te Waipounamu earlier in her career. She is passionate about equity and self-determination, is driven by a deep curiosity and excited by ingenuity.

Cathy has worked as a practice manager and consultant in the Australian healthcare sector for over 30 years. She has a background in nursing and held the position of National President for the Australian Association of Practice Management (AAPM) from 2017 to 2020. Cathy is now on the National Healthcare reform committee as well as many other Government committees.

Dame Sue Bagshaw is a primary care doctor working with young people at a Youth One Stop Shop (YOSS) that has just emerged with a new name Te Tahi Youth. She has just stepped down from her governance role there in order to focus more time on fundraising for the Youth Hub which she describes as a YOSS on steroids which includes housing, creativity, sports and recreation with services.

Mr Philip Bagshaw, CNZM for services to health, helped establish the Canterbury Charity Hospital. In 2003, Phil had the idea of starting a charity hospital for patients who could not access the care they needed in the public hospital system and could not afford private care. With three other trustees, he formed the Canterbury Charity Hospital Trust in 2004 and since has Chaired its board of trustees. He still works there as a volunteer General Surgeon. In 2008 he was the North & South New Zealander of the Year and in 2019 he was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

The Quality Programmes team come from a variety of backgrounds, including teaching, nursing, practice management and pharmacy. We are all equally passionate about helping practices achieve quality within their workplace through Foundation and Cornerstone and improving the health and wellbeing of all New Zealanders.

Mataio Brown, is a New Zealand born Samoan author and communicator who works to eradicate domestic violence by supporting those who perpetrate violence, to heal. Mataio, an internationally acclaimed barber and hair artist, is a survivor of family violence and childhood sexual abuse and started his domestic violence advocacy from sharing his story with the men who frequented his busy Christchurch barbershop, My Fathers Barbers, as a way to foster vulnerability, healing, and connection.

Dr Emma Calvert serves as both a GP and Clinical Director of Practice Plus, while also working as a Clinical Advisor with Tu Ora PHO in Wellington

Sarah is an advocate, speaker, writer and change maker who facilitates conversations about menopause / ruahinetanga to make menopause less taboo. She studied a Bachelor of Commerce, Management and Marketing at Lincoln University, and lives in Wellington. While she is not a doctor, she's been exploring, writing and talking about menopause since 2019 when perimenopause impacted every aspect of her health and wellbeing in a significant way.

On World Menopause Day 2020, she launched Menopause Over Martinis as an invitation for people to talk about menopause over dinner (the martinis are obviously optional). Her grassroots project has since grown into a movement to make menopause less taboo. One conversation at a time, her mission is for everyone to feel informed, understood, supported and celebrated during this normal, inevitable and important stage of life.

Fran commenced her career as a registered nurse in the mid 80’s, moving into her first management role in the early 1990s. Over the ensuing 30 years she has held a number of management and leadership positions across a range of health environments, with a strong focus in community and primary care. After 10 years with Nurse Maude, three years consulting, and 18 months with Pegasus Health, Fran accepted a role with the NZ Defence Force in February 2020 as National Manager Force Heath. This role is responsible for the primary care, dental, and physical training teams across all NZDF camps and bases, and their related operational capabilities.

Dr Sunita Gautam works at Ara Te Pukenga as a Business Management Lecturer. She is highly involved in both the local and wider community. She serves as an elected Community Board Member and is also an independent marriage celebrant, mentor for local businesses, Justice of the Peace, and leadership and career coach for members of ethnic and wider communities.

Sunita's work is focused on creating a better world for all through education and awareness in our society. Her research is in the field of Immigrant entrepreneurship, which produces new knowledge about immigrant entrepreneurs in New Zealand. She has extensive experience working with diverse groups of people and communities. She strongly believes the productivity of a team does not depend on the present or absence of diversity, but rather on how well diversity is managed. When well-managed, diversity becomes an asset and a productive resource for the team. Sunita prioritizes promoting inclusivity and diversity within organizations to ensure that their future plans are well-defined and can be successfully executed.

Hailed as a ‘National Treasure’ and passionate about balancing the demands of wearing many hats! (actor, singer, producer, writer, MC, coach, yoga teacher, mother) Ali will bring a vibrant and professionally warm energy to this year's event as our MC.

Phil Mauger is a lifelong resident of Christchurch with a strong history of supporting community organisations. He has been serving on the Christchurch City Council since 2019 and was elected Mayor in 2022.

Prior to Council, he successfully led Maugers Contracting, a third-generation company building subdivisions, roads, and drains across the city. He has also served as a company director and Council-appointed trustee in several different organisations.

In the past, he also been involved in his local school Board of Trustees and as a trustee of Ngā Hau e Whā National Marae. As Mayor, Phil is focused on making Christchurch the best place to live, work, invest and play in New Zealand.

Bonnie Mitchell is a HealthyPractice Adviser at MAS. Bonnie has 10 years’ experience in both payroll and HR and her qualifications include a Bachelor of Business with a Major in HR.

In 2022 Bonnie joined the MAS Business Advisory Services team that manages the HealthyPractice business support service for health practices. Her principal role is to provide support and advice to MAS Members on business issues, specialising in HR. Bonnie also undertakes a number of educational seminars and conference presentations on a variety of HR and business-related topics.

Dr Samantha (Sam) Murton is a working Wellington GP and Senior Lecturer and Trainee Intern Convenor at University of Otago, Wellington. She was the College’s first medical director and is passionate about supporting general practice. Sam advocates for the profession at a national level, and she does this while maintaining practical experience that keeps her advice relevant and realistic. In all Sam’s roles she champions collaboration and transparency. She is willing and equipped to represent the challenges that face general practitioners and their patients, bring GPs together nationally, and champion the role of the expert general practitioner who works in the broader primary care team.

Blake is a user experience designer that’s passionate about people-centered research and design. With eight years’ experience designing software for various industries, from logistics to insurance, he’s found a home in healthcare. Blake leads the design team at Webtools – building usability into everything we do!

Geoffrey is a 30-year veteran in ANZ Primary Care IT covering academic, public health, and commercial experience. He has a passion for innovation that gives back clinician and administration staff time so they can do more or go home earlier. Working with start-ups and mature businesses alike, Geoffrey is a strong believer in innovation built on standards, collaboration, and partnerships to make meaningful and lasting changes to people’s health and healthcare delivery.

Geoffrey’s current roles include CEO/MD Medtech Global, Chair of Z Software, MD Acclivis Group, and Director of Heartbeat Health, reflecting his interests in the care partnerships that exist between General Practice, Pharmacy, and Consumers.

Dr Andrew Stacey is a graduate of the University of Auckland’s schools of medicine and law. He is a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care and the Australasian College of Legal Medicine, and an enrolled Barrister and Solicitor. He works part-time as an Urgent Care Physician in Auckland, and has been appointed to a number of RNZCUC’s committees over the years. He spends the balance of his time as a Medicolegal Consultant at MPS, providing medicolegal advice and support to members.

Solving the critical issues facing our clients in NZ comes from a deep dive into the behaviours of debtors and defining strategies that ultimately deliver payments back to our clients. Our experience is real, our data is on-point and our attitude is empathetic but firm”. John has analysed and designed strategies across a broad range of B2B and B2C networks both in NZ and in Europe. Experience has shown him that debtor habits can be unique or similar at any stage – the wedge of success is the effective coupling of data with outstanding communication channels. Widely regarded as a sector specialist John has designed communication channels that reach out to debtors and break through the noise of their financial situation.

“Everyday we talk to debtors, observe and record behaviour all the while garnering the pulse of the economy. Our micro data enables us to react to scenarios that are well tried and deliver outcomes that fundamentally assist our clients”.

When John is not trying to hook a delinquent account for his clients he may well be attempting to hook a trophy trout in the Tukituki river. Never using the same fly day in day out but always looking for an edge to achieve success – considering the flow of the river, what is feeding around him and what the trout are doing under the water out of sight. One might say it sounds familiar to his day job?

Belinda works closely with businesses helping them to make more informed decisions and identify key areas to focus on. She specialises in helping clients to create wealth, through growth, increased profits, improved cashflow, protecting assets and assists them with establishing an exit plan for retirement. Belinda has worked with a variety of accounting packages and can advise organisations on which software will best suit their specific business needs. She has experience in the medical and health, hospitality, construction, wholesale and retail industries.

Dr Ayesha Verrall is an infectious diseases doctor and Labour list MP from Wellington. She is passionate about preventing illness so that every New Zealander can enjoy good health and live a free and full life. Ayesha grew up in Te Anau. She attended medical school at the University of Otago and worked as a junior doctor at Wellington Hospital. Ayesha completed her specialist training in Singapore and researched tuberculosis in Indonesia.

In 2019 Ayesha was elected to the Capital and Coast District Health Board on a Labour ticket. She is an expert on vaccines, tuberculosis and COVID-19. During the COVID-19 pandemic response, Ayesha was instrumental in efforts to improve New Zealand’s contact tracing. Ayesha lives in Wellington with her partner Alice and their daughter.