Hospice NZ is governed by a Board which implements the national body’s vision and strategic plan. The Board is made of up two independent directors as well as elected representatives from amongst the hospice membership.
Richard Westlake (Chair) is founder and managing director of Westlake Governance Ltd, working with boards, CEOs and board chairs, to build boards into leading teams. Richard has particular expertise and experience in leading transformational change across a range of sectors. His combination of skills will be especially valuable to the hospice sector as it aligns with the health reforms working towards a more equitable health system.
Jane Williams (Deputy Chair) is the Chair of Hospice Tairawhiti in Gisborne where she also volunteers in a patient support role. She has a clinical background as a registered nurse having worked in a variety of community clinics around the East Coast and Ngati Porou Hauora. Jane brings extensive trustee experience having served with her local Kohanga Reo, primary and secondary schools and with a government funded group charged with improving educational outcomes for the East Coast. She is also in her third term on the Hospital Advisory Committee, and sits on the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust and is Chairperson for Eastwoodhill, the National Arboretum of New Zealand.
Ria Earp (ONZM) sits on the Board as Chair of Te Rōpū Taki Māori and Advisor Māori Services. Ria held the role of CEO at Mary Potter Hospice for 11 years, prior to that she was Deputy Director General, Māori Health for the Ministry of Health for nine years. Ria has a deep interest in Māori community development and health services. She has a BA (Anthropology), MA (Applied in Social Work) and MBA from Victoria University.
Dr Ann McKillop is a trustee and Board Chair of North Haven Hospice in Whangarei. Ann joined the Board in 2017. Ann is a Doctor of Nursing and currently holds a senior lecturer role with The School of Nursing at Auckland University. Her professional research and teaching platforms are located in primary health care and health professional education with a particular interest in the implementation of evidence and change to improve patient outcomes particularly for those underserved by the health system, in particular for Māori.
Lyn Provost (CNZM) was recently appointed as the new independent Commissioner for Parliamentary Standards, assuming this role in January 2023. Prior to this, Lyn was the Controller and Auditor-General of New Zealand, from October 2009 to January 2017. Lyn’s career includes senior roles within the State Services Commission and Archives New Zealand, before eight years as the Deputy Commissioner of Police. Lyn’s skills include public management, accounting and auditing, strategic thinking and change management. She has a commitment to diversity in the workforce and ethical behaviour in the work place. In the 2017 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Lyn was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the State. In 2020, Lyn was conferred an honorary Doctorate of Commerce from Victoria University of Wellington. Lyn is a life member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand and Transparency International New Zealand. She currently holds a number of governance and advisory board appointments.
Dr Peter Larmer is a qualified Physiotherapist and began his career in a private practice. Over the past 25 years Peter has diversified into academia, teaching, researching, management, and leading education for health professionals. Peter has a broad range of governance experience within New Zealand’s healthcare sector and is currently the Chair of Hospice West Auckland and a trustee of Te Paepae Tapu Trust. In November 2023, Peter was elected to join the Hospice New Zealand board. Peter’s professional background, has also included Chair of Arthritis New Zealand, Co-Chair of the Ministry of Health Mobility Action Programme, a board member of the Federation of Primary Health and the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand. Peter has also held expert advisory positions within the Ministry of Health and the Accident Compensation Corporation. Peter strongly believes that everyone in Aotearoa New Zealand, has the right to access the best possible standard of palliative care, free of charge, and support for their whānau and carers. Peter is passionate about using his skills and experience to ensure that Hospice services are always considered in the vision and future planning of Aotearoa New Zealand’s health system.
John Peters is currently the Board Chair of Nelson Tasman Hospice and recently rejoined the Hospice New Zealand board in November 2023. John’s background is in business and health management and includes several years as Managing Director of Fujitsu New Zealand followed by fifteen years in various roles in New Zealand’s public health system, including CEO of a Crown Health Enterprise and COO and CEO at several District Health Boards. John believes that Hospice New Zealand has achieved a number of meaningful and challenging objectives in recent years that are critical to its success in representation, support and advocacy for its 30 plus member hospices which provide specialist palliative care.
Deb Connor - Deb has worked for Otago Community Hospice since July 2020 in management roles and is currently the Director of Quality and Risk. Deb has significant operational and governance experience in the health sector at organisational, regional and national levels including leading the governance group of a national membership organisation. Debs background is in project management, health economics and law. Previous employment includes Tuapeka Gold Print (3 years as Quality and Compliance Manager), Southern DHB (9 years in various project management roles), and prior to this Contact Energy (Learning and Development), Otago Polytechnic (PT Lecturer in Law and Economics in the Business School), Ministry of Housing (Tenancy Mediator).
Clinical Advisor to the Board
Louisa Ingham is a nurse practitioner and clinical leader for the Central Otago team at Otago Community Hospice. Louisa holds a Clinical Masters, a Post Graduate Certificate in Palliative Care and has completed the Nurse Practitioner Training Program (NPTP) through the University of Auckland. She has a particular interest in palliative care provision in rural communities and within aged residential care. In 2019 she joined the Executive of Palliative Care Nurses New Zealand and has recently taken on the role recently of the co-chair.