Dr Peter Freeman, a retired Emergency Physician from Rotorua, has been awarded the Peter Snow Memorial Award at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference.

For more than a decade, Peter has played a pivotal role in strengthening emergency care capability in rural Aotearoa. Through largely voluntary work, he has supported rural clinicians to build the skills and confidence needed to respond to high-stakes emergencies — often in isolated settings where specialist support is limited or unavailable.

In 2015, recognising a gap in practical, context-specific training, Peter established RESCyou – Rural Emergency Skills Course with support from Mobile Health Group. The programme delivers hands-on, team-based training directly into rural hospitals and clinics, ensuring learning reflects the realities of each community.

Courses are developed in partnership with local clinicians, focusing on the emergencies they are most likely to face — from severe respiratory events to paediatric crises — and delivered using familiar equipment in real clinical environments.

The impact of this work is significant. RESCyou has delivered 12 courses across 10 rural towns, training more than 160 clinicians and providing over 1,200 hours of education. Participants consistently report increased confidence and preparedness, with many attributing successful management of critical emergencies to the training received.

Beyond delivery, Peter’s commitment is deeply practical. He has invested extensive time in developing and refining the programme, travelling to remote locations, transporting equipment, and working alongside clinicians to ensure training is relevant, accessible, and of high quality.

His contribution reflects the intent of the Peter Snow Memorial Award — recognising sustained service, innovation, and a commitment to improving health outcomes for rural communities.

Tania Chamberlain (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua), Chief Operations Officer of Ngāti Kahungunu ki Tāmaki-nui-a-Rua Trust in Tararua, has been named the inaugural recipient of the Rhoena Davis Wāhine Rangatira Women in Rural Health Leadership Award at the 21st WONCA World Rural Health Conference.

This new award honours the legacy of Rhoena Davis and recognises wāhine who demonstrate outstanding leadership in rural health, advance equity, and embody kaupapa Māori values including kotahitanga, manaakitanga, and rangatiratanga.

Tania is recognised for her transformative leadership and long-standing commitment to hauora equity, grounded in more than 30 years of experience across primary care, hospice, aged residential care, and iwi-led service delivery.

Her leadership is deeply connected to the Tararua community she serves. Under her guidance, Te Kahu Hauora has been established as an iwi-led, whānau-centred model of care — integrating general practice, outreach services, mental health support, and community initiatives to better meet the needs of rural whānau.

Working through significant health system change, Tania has strengthened operational resilience while ensuring services remain responsive, culturally grounded, and accessible. Her approach positions governance and service design as tools to improve equity and outcomes for Māori and rural communities.

Alongside system leadership, Tania is a committed mentor and advocate for future leaders. Through her work with Hauora Taiwhenua and across the sector, she actively supports the development of emerging Māori and wāhine leaders, with a focus on long-term sustainability and community-led solutions.

Her contribution reflects the purpose of this award — recognising leadership that uplifts whānau, strengthens rural health systems, and creates pathways for future generations.

As Workforce Lead Medical at Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora, Julia Jones has played a pivotal role in shaping and strengthening Aotearoa’s health workforce, with a clear and enduring focus on improving access to care for rural communities.

With a career spanning the Ministry of Health and district health boards, Julia brings a deep understanding of system design, workforce development, and the relationships required to deliver meaningful, long-term change. Her work has supported key initiatives to grow the general practice workforce, create clearer pathways for international and locally trained doctors, and enhance training opportunities that connect clinicians more closely with community and primary care settings.

Julia is widely respected for her collaborative approach—bringing together agencies, professional bodies, and frontline providers to align efforts toward a more equitable health system. Her leadership reflects a strong commitment to continuity of care, workforce sustainability, and ensuring rural communities are not left behind.

The Te Waka Kotahitanga Award recognises outstanding contribution from within the system, and Julia’s work exemplifies the spirit of kotahitanga—unity of purpose. Through her influence, dedication, and ability to navigate complexity, she has helped steer meaningful progress for rural health in Aotearoa.

Dr Stephen Ram is recognised as an emerging rural health researcher whose work demonstrates both academic excellence and real-world impact. As a clinician-researcher at the University of Waikato, his research bridges the gap between rural health theory and the lived experiences of rural communities.

His work is actively used to inform and advocate for improved rural health services, contributing to more equitable outcomes for the 20 percent of New Zealanders living outside major urban centres. His recent publication on the role of rural hospitals in community health represents a significant contribution to the field, highlighting the importance of these services from a community perspective.

Dr Ram’s work exemplifies the value of research that is grounded in practice, responsive to community need, and focused on strengthening rural health systems across Aotearoa New Zealand.

Katelyn Costello is recognised for her outstanding contribution to rural health education and workforce development in Aotearoa New Zealand. Currently undertaking her PhD within the Centre of Rural Health at the University of Otago, her research focuses on improving rural health workforce learning outcomes for medical students.

Her work draws on longitudinal data to identify factors that influence medical graduates to pursue rural careers, providing important evidence to inform national decision-making around medical school entry, rural placements, and training pathways. Early findings from this research have already been published and are contributing to a stronger, more targeted approach to building the rural workforce.

Katelyn is also progressing qualitative research exploring why doctors choose to work rurally, further strengthening understanding in this area. In addition to her academic work, she supports and mentors students undertaking rural health research, contributing to the development of future leaders in the field.