SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM

I am a part-time public health advisor for Auckland Regional Public Health Service.

I am the inaugural associate dean pacific and associate professor of public health in the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, at the University of Auckland. I have clinical, public health and public policy experience in New Zealand, the Pacific Islands and internationally.

Previously I was the director-general of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community for seven years to December 2019. The Secretariat is the largest development organisation serving the Pacific islands. 

I have also worked as the chief executive of the NZ Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, director of public health for the NZ Ministry of Health, and coordinator of surveillance of noncommunicable diseases for the World Health Organisation based in Geneva. 

I was also a commissioner of the World Health Organisation Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) Commission. I was born and raised on Niue Island. In 2000 I was a harkness fellow in health care policy at the University of California (San Francisco). I was awarded the Waitakere City Council Millenium Medal in 2000.

In 2022 I was made a Knight of the NZ Order of Merit in the Queen's Birthday Honours, in recognition for services to Pacific and public health.