Our executive team

Most recently the National Director for Service Improvement and Innovation for Health New Zealand, Dr Bramley was previously the Chief Executive of Waitematā District Health Board for 11 years – serving a population of around 625,000 people and a staff of 8,700.

He is a public health medicine specialist and experienced senior leader within the New Zealand health sector. He has previously served as Chair of New Zealand’s Health Quality & Safety Commission.

He has also served as a member of New Zealand’s National Health Committee, National Ethics Committee and the New Zealand Government’s COVID-19 independent review and advice group.

Dr Bramley is an adjunct Professor at Auckland University of Technology. He has tribal affiliations to Ngā Puhi.

Mark brings broad health sector expertise, encompassing strategic and operational management, including executive level clinical service, operational, financial and performance management roles. His most recent roles include Regional Director, Hospital and Specialist Services for the Northern Region 2022-2024 and Executive Director, Hospital Services, Waitematā District Health Board 2020 -2022.

Mark has held large scale operational executive leadership roles at South Eastern Sydney Local Health District, Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District and has been general manager in many tertiary hospitals throughout New South Wales where he began his nursing career.

Mark moved to New Zealand for a short-term opportunity and finds himself still here four years later because he enjoys working in New Zealand.

Cath has served in a number of executive roles in public health in Melbourne and Auckland since 2006.  Cath most recently worked at Monash Health as interim Chief Operating Officer Acute Services, Deputy Chief Operating Officer Monash Surgery and Director Transformation. Cath also worked at Waitematā District Health Board as Director Hospital Services and before that Clinical Director, Surgical Services at Alfred Health. 

Prior to 2006, Cath’s nursing career spans a diverse range of specialties at Waikato Hospital, Auckland City Hospital, Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne, Middlemore and Alfred Health.  

Cath is looking forward to, bringing her experiences to benefit whānau and communities in the Te Manawa Taki region.

Robyn is a respected, strategic leader with a proven track record in the health and disability sector.

Robyn has held a range of executive leadership roles, most recently as Deputy Director General for Clinical, Community and Mental Health at the Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora.

Prior to this, she was the Ministry’s Deputy Director General DHB Performance, System Performance and Monitoring and was involved in establishing and leading the Mental Health Directorate.

Before joining the Ministry, she was Chief Executive at Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui for 10 years. Te Pou (for short) was the national workforce development centre for mental health, addictions and disability.

Robyn has also worked in a number of former DHBs in management and frontline mental health nursing roles and the Health Research Council

Martin is an accomplished health service executive with many years of clinical and management experience in a variety of roles within health care settings. Martin was Chief Operating Officer and interim Chief Executive at Monash Health in Melbourne.

During his time at Monash, Martin spearheaded operational and strategic delivery of Victoria’s largest mass vaccination and outbreak management supports during COVID.  He also oversaw major capital investments and commissioning of a new Monash Children's Hospital, Australasia's first dedicated cardiac hospital and one of the largest organisation-wide Electronic Medical Record (EMR) implementations.

Originally trained as a registered nurse, Martin practiced in emergency and cardiology and intensive care nursing.

Martin has a proven track record in identifying and implementing improvements to enhance patient safety, access and patient and employee experience.

Selah Hart (Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau, Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Toa Rangatira, Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairarapa, Ngāti Whakaue) is a widely respected leader in Māori Public Health with over 18 years of experience driving transformative health outcomes. Her work is deeply grounded in Te Tiriti o Waitangi, with a strong focus on advancing equity and embedding kaupapa Māori principles into health systems and services.

Selah’s leadership has consistently demonstrated the importance of fostering community and iwi partnerships to co-design innovative and culturally aligned models of care. Her tenure as Chief Executive Officer of Hāpai Te Hauora exemplifies her values-based approach to public health, embedding tikanga Māori practices to benefit Māori and non-Māori alike.

She has played a key role in delivering equity-focused strategies, improving accessibility for underserved communities, and enabling systems-level change. With a wealth of expertise in change leadership, collaborative partnerships, and performance improvement, Selah continues to be a powerful advocate for kaupapa Māori approaches that enhance health outcomes for all communities across Aotearoa.

The Hauora Māori Service (HMS) represents the enduring commitment to advancing Hauora Māori by Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand and upholding the Crown’s obligations under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Rooted in kaupapa Māori principles, HMS is dedicated to embedding culturally aligned practices across the health system, driving the achievement of equitable health outcomes for Māori, and prioritising whānau-centred approaches that resonate with the aspirations of Maori communities.

Through integrated leadership and strong partnerships with iwi, hapū, and Māori organisations, HMS works collaboratively to influence national strategies, regional planning, and local service delivery. Its focus on fostering shared responsibility for equity empowers the entire health system to address structural inequities and deliver transformative change that benefits all people who live in Aotearoa New Zealand.

HMS operates as an interconnected presence within Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand, leveraging collective expertise, insights and Mātauranga Maori to strengthen decision making and resource allocation. This enduring structure reflects the commitment of Te Whatu Ora | Health New Zealand to ensuring that Māori voices, values, and aspirations remain central and integral to the design, purchasing and delivery of health services for generations to come.

Dr Nick Chamberlain was Northland DHB Chief Executive for nearly 12 years. He has specialist qualifications in Medical Administration and General Practice. He has previously had roles as General Manager of Clinical Service at Northland DHB, General Manager of Planning and Funding at Capital & Coast DHB, Clinical Advisor and GP Liaison, Northland DHB, and 11 years in his own General Practices.

He has held DHB lead Chief Executive roles in Primary Care and Public Health. Over the past few years, he has tried to provide some leadership and support for our Public Health Units, and with Vui Mark Gosche has led a small team promoting effective public policy and legislation.

He looks forward to building a strong and effective team to strengthen and nationalise our public health services. In addition, he wants to broaden the reach of public and population health through our work with iwi, Māori and Pacifica providers into all our communities and localities. He is also excited to work closely with the Māori Health Authority and the Public Health Agency.

Responsible for operational planning and delivery of public health promotion, prevention, intelligence and health protection services. 

Guided by the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022, the National Public Health Service provides services that are nationally planned, regionally coordinated and locally tailored. This team contributes to the reform system shift “All people will be able to access a comprehensive range of support in their local communities to help them stay well”, by ensuring the delivery of public health services nationally, regionally and locally keep communities well.

All local public health services report to one of four Regional Directors who report to the National Director. The service works in partnership with Hauora Māori Service Directorate and the Public Health Agency within Manatū Hauora (Ministry of Health).

Planning, Funding and Outcomes (PFO) seeks to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders by using evidence, data insights and clinical advice to plan, fund, monitor and improve nationwide health services.

It brings together people with significant clinical and technical skills across planning, strategy, performance, commissioning and data and analytics.

It has a strong leadership role in national planning and performance against key outcome measures including health targets, and will provide analytical support to the four regions.

Programmes will be informed by engagement with, and leadership from, clinicians, sector experts, service providers, people with lived experience, communities and whānau.

Dr Richard Sullivan brings a wealth of experience as a medical oncologist and was Director Northern Region Cancer and Blood Services for 17 years.

Dr Sullivan is regional clinical lead cancer, the Chair of National AYA Cancer and is a director at Canopy Cancer Care.

Responsible for effective and high-performing clinical governance across the whole system, ensuring excellent quality and safe care delivery and experience for all patients and whānau. This team ensures clinical and professional input is engaged on strategy, service design and its delivery.

Provides professional leadership, including credentialing, scopes of practice, performance, conduct and professional development of clinical staff.

Partners with service leadership and provides leadership to national, regional and local clinical networks. This team supports all system shifts by ensuring clinical advice and expertise underpins all decision making.

Working in partnership with Hauora Māori Service Directorate to ensure that equity of outcomes are improved.

Meet the Clinical Leadership Team

Before joining Health NZ, Catherine spent six years as the Director of Strategic Communications and Engagement at the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and provided communications coordination for events such as the Christchurch terrorist attack. 

She also managed all-of-government communications for the Canterbury and Kaikoura earthquakes in 2011 and 2017 and is a Fellow of Emergency Media and Public Affairs (EMPA), Australasia’s Disaster and Communications Hub.

She has also held other senior communications roles in the public service, including GM of Communications at the Ministry of Health. She previously worked as a journalist for more than 20 years. 

Darren Douglass is the Acting Chief Information Technology Officer at Health New Zealand, having joined in March 2022 as Director of Strategy and Investment in Data and Digital.

With over 30 years of experience in the public health sector in Aotearoa New Zealand, mainly in senior leadership, he has held strategic roles within districts, at shared service agencies, and Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health.

Darren excels in digital strategy development, investment management, and digital service delivery, with a passion for leveraging digital technology to enhance health outcomes and improve clinician experiences. Under his leadership, Health New Zealand has advanced its digital strategy focusing on simplifying and standardising its complex environment and enabling innovative solutions to drive efficiency and transformation in healthcare.

Bio to come

Oversees the structure and systems for national and regional financial management functions.

This group drives change and supports all system shifts through high-quality financial management advice and support.

This team is responsible for the efficient discharge of national transaction payment processing systems, informing and monitoring budget performance, and enabling change through good quality advice on benefits and value in decision making.

All finance functions and teams report nationally to the Chief Financial Officer.

Andrew is highly experienced in-house lawyer and executive.

Andrew was previously the General Counsel at Fonterra Co-operative Group, New Zealand’s largest company and the world’s largest exporter of dairy products, where he led the highly respected and award-winning legal team. While at Fonterra, he was named New Zealand In-House Lawyer of the Year at the 2018 New Zealand Law Awards.

Prior to joining Fonterra, Andrew was a partner at Foley Hoag LLP, a leading US corporate law firm (with offices in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Denver and Paris) specialising in corporate and commercial advisory work, venture capital, bankruptcy, intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, securities law, and international transactions.

Andrew has a LL.B (Hons) and B.Com from Canterbury University and a LL.M from Duke University. He served on the National Standards Committee of the New Zealand Law Society from 2018 to 2023 and is currently a director of GNS Science, a Crown Research Institute for Earth and Material sciences.

In this role, Andrew serves as Health NZ’s General Counsel and leads the highly experienced Health NZ Legal Team which provides legal advice and support to the Health NZ Commissioner, executive leadership team and operations.

Andrew is also responsible for the Governance, Privacy and Information Management functions at Health NZ.

He joined Health NZ in late August 2023. 

As a former Royal Engineer officer in the British Army, Jeremy led a number of specialist units delivering critical infrastructure and large-scale construction programmes both on operational deployments and in the UK defence estate, for which he was awarded an MBE in 2007. He moved to New Zealand with his family in 2009 and was employed by the infrastructure consultancy GHD before moving to Downer as the General Manager Water. He also spent time at Air New Zealand as a member of the Senior Leadership Team responsible for ground handling operations in New Zealand and around the world. Before joining Health New Zealand, Jeremy was GM Infrastructure Delivery for Crown Infrastructure Partners, delivering a number of major infrastructure programmes receiving $6 billion of NZ Government stimulus funding.

Jeremy holds two engineering degrees, a Master of Business Administration, is a Chartered Engineer and is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (UK).

Ensures investment in health facilities and other forms of infrastructure is improving the quality, accessibility and equity of health care across the country, while ensuring local, regional and national requirements are considered. This team contributes to all system shifts by ensuring that capital investment in infrastructure is informed by and supports the delivery of healthcare. 

This is achieved through the ongoing asset management, renewal and maintenance of our health infrastructure assets across the country and by managing the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment capital pipeline. This includes the design, procurement and delivery of new infrastructure and facilities across Aotearoa New Zealand. 

Mahaki Albert is of Te Whānau-ā-Apanui, Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Porou, Te Aitanga-a-Hauiti and Waikato-Tainui descent.

Mahaki has been in the role of Maiaka Whakaruruhau Tikanga | Chief of Tikanga since late-2022 and is a member of the Executive Leadership Teams for both Health NZ and Te Aka Whai Ora. His responsibilities include:

• National Chief of Tikanga, including setting tikanga expectations for Executives
• Iwi/Hapū engagement and relationship agreements
• Equity leadership
• Leadership advice and support

Mahaki was previously the Chief Executive of Whare Tiaki Hauora, a Māori NGO. Mahaki also previously held the role of Tumu Tikanga at Counties Manukau Health for 5-6 years, and has held leadership positions within community service providers, a Primary Health Organisation, and the Education sector. Mahaki is a member of various Governance groups and maintains strong engagement and relationships with Crown and Iwi entities; some of his long-standing roles he currently upholds include:

• Member of Te Kahui Wairua o Te Kiingi Maaori Tuheitia Potatau Te Wherowhero Te Tuawhitu
• Member of Te Aka Puaho Council (Māori Presbyterian Synod)
• Board Chairperson of Te Roopu Taurima O Manukau Trust

Mahaki also holds Governance roles in his local community within the education sector.

Mahaki has both BA and MA degrees and is currently a PhD candidate at Awanuiarangi.

This role is the Executive lead of Tikanga to the Chief Executive and Executive Leadership Teams of Health NZ.

The Chief of Tikanga provides:

• Tikanga advice from a national perspective, including setting tikanga expectations for Executvies
• Iwi/Hapū engagement across relationship agreements
• Equity leadership
• Leadership advice and support