Are you passionate about advocating for rural health and making a real impact in our community?
We’re excited to announce that nominations are now open for the Board of HTRHN
Why Join Our Board?
As a Board member, you’ll play a vital role in shaping the future of rural health. You’ll have the opportunity to:
Dr Fiona Bolden is the Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network. Fiona has been a rural GP since 1996 and is currently based in the Coromandel, working in Whangamatā. She comes from Devon (UK) and trained at Bristol University, doing her general practice training in rural UK. In 2002 she emigrated to Aotearoa/New Zealand with her young family. Initially she was in Kawhia, a small settlement on the West Coast of the North Island and then she owned a practice in Whaingaroa/Raglan for 17 years.
She served on the NZRGPN (New Zealand Rural General Practice Network) Committee from 2010 and as Chair from 2019 until 2022 when the network formed one of the founding bodies for Hauora Taiwhenua (The Rural Health Network). She has been Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua since its inception.
Her focus is firmly on rural primary care, specifically general practice.
She would like to see equity in health outcomes for all people and sees relationships with rural communities as being a vital part of that.
Ray Anton holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering and Operations Research from the University of California at Berkeley and a Masters Degree in Management from the University of Redlands. Ray has been CEO of Clutha Health First since 2001, a rural hospital and larger General Practice. He has been a member of the Network Committee as treasurer, and he was one of founders of the New Zealand Rural Hospital Network which is now a Chapter of Hauora Taiwhenua. Ray’s first six years in New Zealand were spent as the strategic planner and quality manager for the Otago DHB and before that worked as a consultant for KPMG Peat Marwick in the United States, Middle East and New Zealand.
Mark is the Chief Executive of Mobile Health and with his team is responsible for providing elective day surgery via the Mobile Surgical Unit – Te Waka Hauora, running My Health Hub providing continuing professional development for health practitioners and operating the NZ Telehealth Resource Centre.
With a strong focus on providing health services to rural communities through his work, Mark is a strong advocate improving equity of access to healthcare for rural New Zealanders.
Mark brings to Rural Communities decades of expertise and understanding of how to achieve effective collaboration with entities such as Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health, Te Whatu Ora – Health NZ, and Primary Care Organisations.
Debi Lawry is a Board member of Hauora Taiwhenua. She has had a 47 year nursing career, that has been mainly hospital focussed. She brings a wide range of experience, from working clinically, to education roles, midwifery roles and nursing leadership roles – Charge Nurse / Nurse Consultant / Director of Nursing.
Debi worked at Dunstan Hospital in Central Otago from 2007 to 2020 in a nursing leadership / management role which included 6 months as acting CE. The last 2 years of her working life was spent as service manager for Rural Health at Southern DHB. This included managing Lakes District Hospital in Queenstown … in time for the pandemic to strike.
Debi joined the rural hospital network in 2009 and has been an exec member since 2010. She was a foundation member of rural nurses NZ and has been on the exec since it’s inception, including a term as Chair. These two organisations have morphed into chapters of HTRHN, and now benefit from being part of a larger rurally focussed organisation.
Debi’s focus is on rural hospitals and nursing across all areas of rural practice.
She would like to see equity in health outcomes for all. She believes a strong unified voice to champion key rural issues is vital. HTRHN is well positioned to provide that voice.
Wilson is a final year medical student at the University of Otago, currently based in Dunedin Hospital. Raised on a sheep and beef farm on the Taieri Plains, Wilson is passionate about improving the wellbeing of rural communities, and ensuring they have equitable access to quality health services. When Wilson is not studying, he can be found in the woolshed on the handpiece or ringing up firewood with his chainsaw. For the last 5 years he has been heavily involved with the promotion of health careers to rural secondary school students and developing interest in the rural sector amongst those studying health careers at the tertiary level.
Kamira (Kim) Gosman (nee Pou) was born in Wellington and is of Ngā Puhi, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa and Ōtautahi descent.
Kim and her husband Jim have lived and served the communities of National Park, Waimarino and Turangi for 45 years, sharing five children, eight grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Educated in Wellington and other small rural towns in NZ, Kim successfully completed her nursing education at Wellington Hospital, followed by a post-graduate certified programme in Operating Theatre Management.
Moving to Australia, Kim lived and worked for twelve years before returning home to complete her Maternity Nurse and Midwifery registrations.
In the nineties, Kim moved to Turangi, which led to her commitment to the health of Māori where she was invited by the Ngāti Tūwharetoa Kohanga Reo Tino Rangatiratanga Kaumatua to work as the Nurse for Tamariki and whānau. This wonderful role ultimately led to Kim being the inaugural CEO for Tūwharetoa Health Services for fifteen years.
Kim is privileged to have represented Ngāti Tuwharetoa as a member of the Iwi/Māori Iwi Council Waikato DHB. The Te Kohanga Kotahitanga Iwi Health Governance Board Iwi representative Lakes DHB and the Midland Iwi Relationship Board and the Taranaki, Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty and Tairāwhiti District Health Boards.
A major success for Kim was the establishment of the DHB CEOs and MNIRB agreed working partnership.
Kim became a member of the NZ Rural General Practice Network and served on the Board for twelve years. She was instrumental in supporting the Network to form a partnership with Iwi/Māori.
Kim received the Peter Snow Memorial Award with Dr, Janne Bills in 2014 for services to rural communities.
In 2018, Kim received the Ministry of Health Volunteer of the Year Award for community services, and a further award for her contribution to Māori health.
Kim is now a retired Nurse and Midwife with experience in hospitals, general practices and education NZ and Australia, community health services urban and rural.
Kim is currently a Trustee of Pihanga Health Limited 2007, General Practice Turangi, Lake Taupō Hospice and Te Rōpū Ārahi Tiriti o Waitangi partner with Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.
Other significant positions held: Foundation Tutor Parumoana Polytechnic later to become Whitireia, Examiner, Moderator and member of the review team approving questions for the State Final exams, and Culturally Safe Practice for the Nursing Council, Inaugural Vice Chair of the College of Nurses Aotearoa, foundation member and member of the Māori Caucus, International Congress of Nurses conference representative Israel, foundation member of the National Council of Māori Nurses.
Ko Taranaki toku maunga
Ko Hangatahua toku awa
Ko Kurahaupō toku waka
Ko Ngā Māhanga ko Ngāti Tairi toku iwi
Ko Poniho toku pa
No Rangiauria o Wharekauri ahau
Kei Timaru toku kainga inaianei
Ko Gregory-Hunt toku whanau
Ko Tania Kemp toku ingoa
I was born and grew up on Pitt Island, in the Chatham Islands. I have a strong affiliation with Ngati Mutunga o Wharekauri as Wharekauri remains turangawaiwai to me and my whanau remain there.
I am a Nurse Practitioner (Mātanga Tapuhi) and own the Pleasant Point Health Center. This was the first Nurse Practitioner owned and led General Practice in New Zealand. This is a Nurse Practitioner run Practice, with a commitment to growing our own. We have a constant flow of student nurses from undergrad to NP interns.
I have spent 30 years in General Practice, mostly in rural and remote communities, including Pitt Island, Wharekauri, South Island West Coast and for the past 12 years in South Canterbury.
I am the Deputy Chair of Te Aitarakihi Society Inc. A local Marae-a-iwi for Mata waka and all cultures within South Canterbury. Through this organisation I chair a Health and Well-being Committee, with the view of increasing health care for Māori in the region.
I was on the RGPN board for 6 years until 2018. I also served on the Nursing Council New Zealand, for two terms, finishing in Feb this year. I was asked to rejoin Te Rōpū Ārahi in the transitional phase of RGPN to Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health. I am a council member also.
My drive is to influence policy and systems that enable genuine change and improvements to health outcomes for Māori, whanau, hapu and iwi in rural hapori whānui.
Ko Tapu ae o Uenuku me Pihanga Nga Maunga
Ko Waiautoa me Tongariro Nga Awa
Ko Takahanga me Hirangi Nga Marae
Ko Ngati Kuri me Turangitukua Nga Hapu
Ko Ngai Tahu me Tuwharetoa Nga Iwi
Ko Jaana Kahu toku ingoa
Ko Amorangi-Tekoha taku tamaiti
Kei te mihi, Kei te mihi, Kei te mihi
Kia ora koutou
My name is Jaana Kahu, I live in Kaikoura.
I come from a large whanau who have alway practiced the value of whanaunatanga.
I have a huge passion for the well-being of Whanau, Hapu and Iwi.
I have held a number of health portfolio’s for Ngati Kuri these potions are as follows:
-Deputy Chair Manawhenua Ki Waitaha treaty partnership between Ngai Tahu and the Canterbury District Health Board (Current)
-Rural Work Stream- Canterbury Clinical Network (Current)
-Maori Caucus- Canterbury Clinical Network (Current)
-Child and Youth Service Level Alliance- South Island Alliance (2011-2017)
-Trustee Rural Canterbury PHO (2010-2018)
-Board Member Hurunui PHO (2008-2010)
-Kaikoura Service Level Alliance (2014-2017)
-Kaikoura Health Facility Trust (2014-2018)
The Hauora Taiwhenua Board work alongside Te Rōpū Ārahi to enhance the achievement of our vision of equitable quality healthcare for rural communities. Our partnership with Te Rōpū Ārahi is an essential part of our commitment to enacting Te Tiriti principles of partnership, protection, and participation.
To further embed our partnership, a Kawenata (partnership agreement) was developed between Te Rōpū Ārahi and Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network.
Francis Bradley, a member of Te Rōpū Ārahi, talks about the Kawenata and what it means for both parties in the video linked below. You can also read his story below.
Kia ora mai tātou,
He mihi maioha ki ōku kaumātua i tēnei tono ki te whakahora atu I te ia o te whakaaetanga nei, ko te Kawenata.
I will briefly outline what the Kawenata is and what it represents.
The Kawenata is a binding agreement, acknowledging and honouring the shared mission and relationship between us as two rōpū.
It establishes that this is a partnership between Te Rōpū Ārahi and the NZ Rural General Practice Network (which is now, Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Network), with the purpose, “to enhance the achievement of the Network’s objectives for equitable quality healthcare, for rural communities.”
Hauora Taiwhenua states a commitment to improving health disparities for rural Māori.
Te Rōpū Ārahi is the Treaty partner, recognised as Rangatira in the partnership, engaged with Te Tiriti based governance development to contribute to the elimination of health disparities for rural Māori.
The Kawenata outlines a number of responsibilities of both rōpū, all these founded on the shared commitment to build and support a relationship that is consistent with Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its principles. Two of the responsibilities are:
Finally, there are shared objectives, one being:
The Kawenata acknowledges that should the rural GP Network transform into Hauora Taiwhenua (which it has), that they will become party to this Kawenata following the endorsement by Te Rōpū Ārahi.
Health Equity for Māori is the reason for this relationship.
This kawenata is the foundation from which our relationship can start, and partnership can build and develop.
At this current point, Aotearoa is slowly learning what true Te Tiriti based partnership might mean, however, our healthcare system is a long way away from being bicultural, honouring an equal Māori voice at all levels in development, design, and execution. Hauora Taiwhenua as a healthcare organisation is no exception and our partnership model needs a lot of work to be able to give effect to Māori voices in all these levels, however, we as Te Rōpū Ārahi see our Kawenata in the context of the health reforms as fertile ground to grow and learn together what partnership means alongside Hauora Taiwhenua, and as long as we see a commitment embodied through action, we will back Hauora Taiwhenua as a fledgling in the new terrain of Te Tiriti based governance.
Mauri ora
Dr Grahame Jelley is the former Northern North Island representative on the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network Board.
Having completed my secondary education in Zimbabwe, I qualified from the University of Cape Town in South Africa in 1983. I have worked as a Rural Practitioner for 30 years in mission hospital service, regional rural hospital service in South Africa, large corporate medical services and in solo general practice in Zimbabwe. Arriving in New Zealand in 2000 as a DHB employed General Practitioner in Westport, the Bay of Plenty in 2004 and Kerikeri Northland since 2014. I have served as a volunteer GP in the Cook Islands at Aitutaki Base Hospital. I have been actively involved with the Eastern Bay of Plenty PHO and Primary Health Alliance and subsequently te tai Tokerau PHO Board. I have more recently mixed my GP work with Clinical Advisor to Planning and Funding with the Bay of Plenty DHB, clinical Directore Te Tai Tokerau PHO and most recently clinical Advisor Mahitahi Hauora Primary Health Entity.
I am married to Renene a nurse and have two children Courtney and a son Brendan and more recently our first mokopuna Preston. I love sailing and other outdoor activities. I continue to enjoy the opportunities afforded to me through to contributing positively to the Board of the RGPN and the advocacy for wider rural General Practice teams and their communities.
My name is Gemma Hutton, I am a Nurse Practitioner in Twizel and continue to provide Telehealth/Locum support for the West Coast which was the area where I started my rural journey.
The majority of my career has been in rural health. I was a former board member of RGPN and I remain involved in advocating for rural health within my local area.
Gill champions workforce development and through workforce, making a difference to the lives of whānau, families and communities in Aotearoa.
In her day job, Gill manages System Capability for National Emergency Management Agency, professionalising and building the emergency management workforce in Aotearoa.
Gill is a strong advocate for enhancing rural wellbeing and believes in whanaungatanga, building relationships and working collaboratively. Her approach is to build on strengths and share solutions. She brings extensive experience in fostering collaboration and partnerships between communities and elected stakeholders.
Bill is currently the Chief Executive of Waitaha PHO. Prior to this role, he was a Client Manager with South Link Health where he was responsible for rolling out Primary Health Organisations in the upper South Island.
Having developed strong community linkages with a number of organisations including Territorial Local Authorities, Bill brings experience in forging partnerships which support the continuation of rural and remote rural primary care services through the developments of community networks.
Bill brings a strong business acumen and depth of experience to rural communities through strong stakeholder relationships with Canterbury District Health Board, Canterbury Alliance, Ministry of Health, New Zealand Rural General Practice Network, National Rural Health Advisory Group, St John Ambulance, Whanau Groups and most recently Hauora Taiwhenau.
Sarah Walker is an experienced physiotherapist working in rural Central Otago. For a number of years Sarah has practiced clinically across inpatient, outpatient, and community settings and led the co-ordination of MoH funded physiotherapy services across Central Otago.
Recently, Sarah has shifted into the clinical-academic world after receiving a Health Research Council Clinical Research Training Fellowship. In her joint appointment, Sarah continues her clinical work through Central Otago Health Services Ltd at Dunstan Hospital, whilst completing her PhD through the University of Otago. Sarah’s research is centered around defining what it is to be an allied health professional in rural New Zealand. Her research currently focuses around the role allied health professionals have in rural areas, and seeks to explore the scope of practice held by these rural clinicians. This research contributes knowledge to support the development of specific training for health care professionals, to ensure that rural communities are provided with a skilled and relevant health workforce to meet their needs.
Currently working in Southland as a Nurse Practitioner in Otautau and Riverton (Aparima). Living in Pahia near the south-coast of sunny Southland. Member of RNNZ since establishment in 2017.
Kendra lives in rural South Canterbury and has been working as a community midwife in the area for the last 5 years. Kendra is passionate about equitable access to health care services for rural communities.
