Speakers
Ngā mihi nui to our speakers
Dr Fiona Bolden
Fiona Bolden is a passionate advocate for rural health, combining decades of experience as both a frontline rural clinician and a healthcare leader. As the inaugural Chair of Hauora Taiwhenua/Rural Health Network, she has led the network’s growth from a fledgling advocacy organisation into a unified and influential voice for rural health.
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Matt Chisholm
Former TVNZ Sunday reporter and host of Survivor New Zealand, and Celebrity Treasure Island, Matt Chisholm is well-known to many Kiwis as an authentic, down-to-earth reporter. As someone who has spent 13 years telling other people's stories, Matt is now sharing his own through his book, Imposter.
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Dr Sophie Hart
Sophie enjoys a good night’s sleep, but sometimes she settles for less. Sophie is a rural GP and a member of the most successful adventure racing team ever recently winning the Yukon 1000 event.
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Dr Carlton Irving
Carlton (Te Whakatōhea, Te Ūpokorehe) is a highly respected leader in rural health and community development, with over 20 years of experience in the health sector. Born and raised in Ōpōtiki, he overcame significant challenges during his schooling years, embarking on a career in paramedicine that led to his transition into health leadership.
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Prof Jo Lane
Jo is the Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Division of Health at the University of Waikato. He is passionate about delivering better and fairer health outcomes in Aotearoa, with a focus on ensuring that university educational programmes are responsive to health workforce needs.
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John Macaskill-Smith
John is CEO of Spark Health – focused on supporting and spring boarding clinical digital innovation across the sector: connecting people and systems.
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Dr Rod Martin
Rod is a distinguished healthcare professional and the newly elected President of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM). Based in Armidale, New South Wales, and has dedicated nearly two decades to serving rural and remote communities as a Rural Generalist.
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Dr Sam Murton
Dr Samantha (Sam) Murton is President of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, and a Wellington-based GP. She is also a Senior Lecturer and Trainee Intern Convenor at University of Otago, Wellington.
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Dr Ganesh Nana
An economist by trade, Ganesh has accumulated more than 40 years of experience and knowledge during a professional career that has ranged from academia, to consulting, to public service. He was Chief Economist at BERL from 2011, before leaving to serve as Chair of Productivity Commission Te Kōmihana Whai Hua o Aotearoa in 2021
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