Our board members:
Gwen Tepania-Palmer – Appointed
Dr James Le Fevre (deputy chair) – Appointed
BHB, MBChB, FACEM
Dr James Le Fevre is Deputy Chair of Auckland DHB, an Emergency Medicine Consultant at Auckland City Hospital Adult Emergency Department, and has been a Waitemata DHB elected board member since 2010. Previously he has worked in the pre-hospital setting as an Auckland Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Doctor with the Westpac Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust. The Trust provides doctor-paramedic care to the critically ill and injured in partnership with Auckland DHB.
James was born and raised in Auckland, received his medical training at the University of Auckland, and has worked in multiple hospitals across New Zealand and Australia. He is actively involved in health research with interests in healthcare quality indicators and emergency blood transfusion.
Sharon Shea – Appointed
MSc Comparative Social Policy, BA/LLB
Jo Agnew – Elected
Jo Agnew is a registered nurse with a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science and a Masters (with Honours) in Nursing.
Jo has worked in many areas of the health system, and is currently a senior lecturer in the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland. She believes that the provision of high quality health care empowers the population to maintain health.
Douglas Armstrong – Elected
QSO
Doug Armstrong served as an Auckland City Councillor between 2001 and 2010 where for much of that time he was chair of the finance committee. He was also the chief executive officer of Unitec.
Doug trained as a civil engineer and is a past president of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand and a former member of the Prime Minister's Enterprise Council. Douglas received the Queens Service Order for services to tertiary education
Michelle Atkinson – Elected
BA (Ling, German), PGDip Health Sci
Michelle Atkinson has spent a number of years working to improve mental health services in Auckland and across New Zealand. She is an Evaluation Officer with Ko Awatea’s Research and Evaluation team, assessing healthcare initiatives within Counties Manukau DHB. Michelle has volunteered for the Affinity Services Youth Advisory Group, where she recently worked on the Mental Health Foundation’s Point of Difference programme.
Michelle has a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Service Management and has won national and international awards for her contribution to youth mental health. She has a passion for youth development, and uses her involvement with mental health groups and theatre as opportunities to mentor young people.
Judith Ola Bassett – Elected
QSO
Judith Bassett is a graduate of the University of Auckland in history and law. She was a senior lecturer at the university and has written books and articles on New Zealand history. She chaired the ASB Trust for 14 years and was a director of ASB Bank.
Judith served three terms with the Auckland Regional Council from 2001, and in the 1980s was twice elected to what was then the Auckland Hospital Board. She also chaired the first Auckland Area Health Board. She was elected to the Auckland DHB in 2010 and is now serving her third term.
Zoe Brownlie – Elected
BA
Zoe Brownlie has worked in both mental health and sexual health services in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom. She was elected healthcare representative in London, and is currently an elected member of the NZ Public Service Association Women’s Network Committee. She is also a member of Aro Arataki Childcare Committee.
Zoe is a Health Promotion Advisor at Auckland Sexual Health Service.
Dr Lee Mathias – Elected
ONZM, DHSc, MBA, BA (Soc Sci), Cert.Health Econ. RN, CFInstDNZ
Dr Lee Mathias is the Chair of the Health Promotion Agency and Unitec, and a director of healthAlliance and the Health Innovation Hub. She was previously Auckland DHB's deputy chair and chair of the Counties Manukau DHB. Lee has held directorships with Eastbay Health, Western Bay Health and Pacific Health in the Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa Health, Biomedical NZ Limited (Chair), ACC and was the inaugural Chair of ACC Healthwise, the purchasing arm of ACC.
Lee was previously a principal nurse and general manager, Clinical Support Services at Middlemore Hospital, before transferring to Auckland DHB as general manager, Strategic Planning. She is also the founder and managing director of Birthcare. Lee has been a visiting lecturer in the AUT University Business School, and the University of the South Pacific.
Robyn Northey – Elected
Robyn Northey has worked in health services all her adult life as a nurse aid, school dental nurse, social worker, general manager and chief executive.
Robyn has also been involved in many community based organisations including Community Volunteers, Age Concern, Gerontology Association, Hope Foundation, Health Ethics Committee and A+ Trust.
Dr James Le Fevre (deputy chair) – Appointed
BHB, MBChB, FACEM
Dr James Le Fevre is Deputy Chair of Auckland DHB, an Emergency Medicine Consultant at Auckland City Hospital Adult Emergency Department, and has been a Waitemata DHB elected board member since 2010. Previously he has worked in the pre-hospital setting as an Auckland Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) Doctor with the Westpac Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust. The Trust provides doctor-paramedic care to the critically ill and injured in partnership with Auckland DHB.
James was born and raised in Auckland, received his medical training at the University of Auckland, and has worked in multiple hospitals across New Zealand and Australia. He is actively involved in health research with interests in healthcare quality indicators and emergency blood transfusion.
Sharon Shea – Appointed
MSc Comparative Social Policy, BA/LLB
Gwen Tepania-Palmer – Appointed
Jo Agnew – Elected
Jo Agnew is a registered nurse with a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science and a Masters (with Honours) in Nursing.
Jo has worked in many areas of the health system, and is currently a senior lecturer in the School of Nursing at the University of Auckland. She believes that the provision of high quality health care empowers the population to maintain health.
Douglas Armstrong – Elected
QSO
Doug Armstrong served as an Auckland City Councillor between 2001 and 2010 where for much of that time he was chair of the finance committee. He was also the chief executive officer of Unitec.
Doug trained as a civil engineer and is a past president of the Institution of Professional Engineers New Zealand and a former member of the Prime Minister's Enterprise Council. Douglas received the Queens Service Order for services to tertiary education
Michelle Atkinson – Elected
BA (Ling, German), PGDip Health Sci
Michelle Atkinson has spent a number of years working to improve mental health services in Auckland and across New Zealand. She is an Evaluation Officer with Ko Awatea’s Research and Evaluation team, assessing healthcare initiatives within Counties Manukau DHB. Michelle has volunteered for the Affinity Services Youth Advisory Group, where she recently worked on the Mental Health Foundation’s Point of Difference programme.
Michelle has a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Service Management and has won national and international awards for her contribution to youth mental health. She has a passion for youth development, and uses her involvement with mental health groups and theatre as opportunities to mentor young people.
Judith Ola Bassett – Elected
QSO
Judith Bassett is a graduate of the University of Auckland in history and law. She was a senior lecturer at the university and has written books and articles on New Zealand history. She chaired the ASB Trust for 14 years and was a director of ASB Bank.
Judith served three terms with the Auckland Regional Council from 2001, and in the 1980s was twice elected to what was then the Auckland Hospital Board. She also chaired the first Auckland Area Health Board. She was elected to the Auckland DHB in 2010 and is now serving her third term.
Zoe Brownlie – Elected
BA
Zoe Brownlie has worked in both mental health and sexual health services in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom. She was elected healthcare representative in London, and is currently an elected member of the NZ Public Service Association Women’s Network Committee. She is also a member of Aro Arataki Childcare Committee.
Zoe is a Health Promotion Advisor at Auckland Sexual Health Service.
Dr Lee Mathias – Elected
ONZM, DHSc, MBA, BA (Soc Sci), Cert.Health Econ. RN, CFInstDNZ
Dr Lee Mathias is the Chair of the Health Promotion Agency and Unitec, and a director of healthAlliance and the Health Innovation Hub. She was previously Auckland DHB's deputy chair and chair of the Counties Manukau DHB. Lee has held directorships with Eastbay Health, Western Bay Health and Pacific Health in the Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa Health, Biomedical NZ Limited (Chair), ACC and was the inaugural Chair of ACC Healthwise, the purchasing arm of ACC.
Lee was previously a principal nurse and general manager, Clinical Support Services at Middlemore Hospital, before transferring to Auckland DHB as general manager, Strategic Planning. She is also the founder and managing director of Birthcare. Lee has been a visiting lecturer in the AUT University Business School, and the University of the South Pacific.
Robyn Northey – Elected
Robyn Northey has worked in health services all her adult life as a nurse aid, school dental nurse, social worker, general manager and chief executive.
Robyn has also been involved in many community based organisations including Community Volunteers, Age Concern, Gerontology Association, Hope Foundation, Health Ethics Committee and A+ Trust.