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Board & Governance

Hauora Taiwhenua Board

Dr Fiona Bolden

Chair Whangamatā

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.

Rhoena Davis

Deputy Chair Northland

Northland Nurse Practitioner Rhoena Davis is the Deputy Chairperson, and former Secretary and Northern North Island representative. Ko Nga Puhi Nui Tonu te Iwi Rangatira. Ko Ngatokimatawhaurua te Waka. Ko Hokianga me Rangaumu nga Moana. Ko Tamatea raua ko Puwheke nga Maunga. Ko Te Rarawa raua ko Ngati Kahu nga Hapu. Ko Tomoniko Kanara raua ko Kawana Matenga tona Tupuna Matua. 

Rhoena began her career in rural nursing in 1993 after graduating from Northland Polytechnic as a comprehensive Registered Nurse. Her career began at the Bay of Islands Hospital in general rural nursing including paediatrics, coronary care and acute emergency care. She later undertook a role within Public Health working in small rural communities. She has worked with the Ngati Hine Health Trust as a mobile rural nurse and later moved onto a clinical management role. In 2010 Rhoena was endorsed by New Zealand Nursing Council as a Nurse Practitioner and has subsequently maintained her rural nursing perspective within the Ngati Hine Health Trust, Te Kohanga Whakaora (Kaitaia) and the Whangaroa Health Services. Each organisation has provided a diverse arena for learning, and growing as a rural advanced nurse. Rhoena also has representation on the New Zealand College of Nurses (Fellow); Te Tai Tokerau Nursing Leaders Group (Nurse Practitioners); Northland Rheumatic Fever Group; Northern General Practice Emergency Service Steering Group; the New Zealand Rural Nurses working group; and as a Nurse Practitioner mentor she has been part of nine aspiring nurses’ pathways to becoming Nurse Practitioners

Bill Nathan

Kaumātua / Board Member Wellington

Ray Anton

Chair Finance Audit Risk Commitee Clutha

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 Eager

Board Member Christchurch

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

Board Member Central Otago

I have been a nurse for 47 years. It is a career that has been varied, challenging and utterly rewarding. I have worked in urban settings, and rural New Zealand. From tertiary/quaternary hospitals to remote rural hospitals, I have been privileged to work with nurses and other healthcare professionals who share my passion for providing quality healthcare. The past 15 years my focus has been rural New Zealand. My jobs included nursing leadership roles and latterly management roles.

I joined the Rural Hospital Network executive team, to provide a nursing voice in this national organisation. I learned that rural nurses belonged to various organisations – but these focussed on the nursing profession rather than the challenges of nursing in a rural environment. Some nurses participated in the Rural GP Network. This organisation provided leadership in the rural health space, but was strongly primary healthcare focussed at that time. So rural hospital nurses didn’t identify with the organisation.

Eventually an opportunity arose for a group of like minded rural nurses, to establish a network for all rural nurses to connect. It differs from other organisations in that it has non financial membership, it connects to rural nurses across New Zealand via it’s Facebook presence and its website. An executive has been established to champion projects and provide leadership. We have deliberately tried to include nurses throughout Aotearoa working in a variety of areas. Our aim is inclusion and to improve the profile and support of rural nurses.

I live in Central Otago so have strong links rurally throughout the lower South Island. However, through Rural Nurses NZ, I feel part of a larger whanau of rural healthcare professionals, particularly nurses, and these connections remind me constantly of all that rural people have in common. Together we have more chance to improve support for rural nurses and therefore improve the healthcare that is provided to our rural communities.

Wilson Mitchell

Board Member Dunedin

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. 

Te Rōpū Ārahi

Bill Nathan

Chair Wellington

Rhoena Davis

Deputy Chair Northland

Northland Nurse Practitioner Rhoena Davis is the Deputy Chairperson, and former Secretary and Northern North Island representative. Ko Nga Puhi Nui Tonu te Iwi Rangatira. Ko Ngatokimatawhaurua te Waka. Ko Hokianga me Rangaumu nga Moana. Ko Tamatea raua ko Puwheke nga Maunga. Ko Te Rarawa raua ko Ngati Kahu nga Hapu. Ko Tomoniko Kanara raua ko Kawana Matenga tona Tupuna Matua. 

Rhoena began her career in rural nursing in 1993 after graduating from Northland Polytechnic as a comprehensive Registered Nurse. Her career began at the Bay of Islands Hospital in general rural nursing including paediatrics, coronary care and acute emergency care. She later undertook a role within Public Health working in small rural communities. She has worked with the Ngati Hine Health Trust as a mobile rural nurse and later moved onto a clinical management role. In 2010 Rhoena was endorsed by New Zealand Nursing Council as a Nurse Practitioner and has subsequently maintained her rural nursing perspective within the Ngati Hine Health Trust, Te Kohanga Whakaora (Kaitaia) and the Whangaroa Health Services. Each organisation has provided a diverse arena for learning, and growing as a rural advanced nurse. Rhoena also has representation on the New Zealand College of Nurses (Fellow); Te Tai Tokerau Nursing Leaders Group (Nurse Practitioners); Northland Rheumatic Fever Group; Northern General Practice Emergency Service Steering Group; the New Zealand Rural Nurses working group; and as a Nurse Practitioner mentor she has been part of nine aspiring nurses’ pathways to becoming Nurse Practitioners

Russell Riki

Kaumātua to Board Chairperson Raglan

Kamiria (Kim) Gosman

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.

Hemaima Reihana-Tait

Tania Kemp

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. 

Jaana Kahu

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)

Herewini Neho

Our Partnership

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: 

    • Developing a Te Tiriti based governance model that embodies tino rangatiratanga, and 
    • Guiding the Network in its varying levels of engagement with Māori so that the best outcomes are achieved, and these efforts are transparent.  

Finally, there are shared objectives, one being:  

    • To work in partnership to ensure a Māori equity lens is applied to the development and delivery of its projects and programmes.  

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

Hauora Taiwhenua Council

Kamiria (Kim) Gosman

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.

Jen Thomas

Margareth Broodkoorn

Tatila Helu

Harrison Edwards

Dr Grahame Jelley

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.    

Gemma Hutton

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 Genet

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 Eschenbach

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. 

Jane George

Jesse Whitehead

Sarah Walker

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.

Stacy-Maree Thwaites

Emma Dillon

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 Short

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.