Public Advisory Heath Committee - Committee Secretariat

About Us

Secretariat

The Committee is supported by the following staff:

Margaret Earle.

Margaret Earle, NHC Manager
My background is in policy analysis, health promotion and adult education. I am currently studying towards the Diploma in Public Health.

I began working as a senior analyst in the National Health Committee (NHC) secretariat in mid 2001, and was appointed as the manager in March 2005.

Prior to joining the secretariat I was a senior policy analyst for the Senior Citizens Unit, in the Ministry of Social Policy. I also worked for the District Health Councils in Victoria, Australia and was employed by the NZ Department of Health to develop health promotion strategies with older people, which included producing a weekly radio programme.

Angela Faherty.

Angela Faherty, Executive Assistant
I joined the secretariat in March 2003 after living abroad for 8 years.

I have a wide experience working in both the private and public sector and my previous role was Personal Assistant for a Managing Director for a PR and Communications company in London.

Previous to this I was working in Social Services in the Borough of Camden as a Development Assistant in Strategic Development. The section delivered a wide range of health services and I was involved in support work for the development of services for people with HIV and Aids, people with physical disabilities, people who misuse drugs and alcohol and older people with mental health problems. I was also involved in organising black and minority ethnic forums held monthly in London.

Liza Wilcox, Senior Policy Analyst
I came to the NHC in 2006 from the Master of International Relations programme at Victoria University. My particular focus was on migration trends and policy. This was an interest sparked by three years of community support and action work in Seattle, Washington, after local immigrant communities were harassed and detained in the backlash to September 11, 2001. In addition to project management and local organising, I have a background in social research and programme evaluation through five years in business here in Wellington, conducting research for government agencies and NGOs. My long-ago history includes hardware and software support, adult education and technical writing, programming and database design for non-profits, sociology and anthropology (BA U Mass and BA Hons Victoria). I enjoy travel, Persian food and fingerpainting with my gorgeous 2 year old grandson, Gabriel.

Sara Georgeson.

Sara Georgeson, Policy Analyst

My background is in social work and adult education. I lived in Palmerston North for over 20 years before moving to Wellington in June 2005 and had strong community networks, especially in the disability sector. I worked for a Needs Assessment & Service Coordination agency (Supportlinks) as a Service Co-ordinator before starting with the NHC Secretariat. Prior to this I worked for the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) in a variety of roles including Disability Co-ordinator and lecturer. I have a Master of Social Work.

I have been on a number of committees as a community representative, including being on the Midcentral DHB's Disability Services Advisory Committee. As a disabled person myself, my ongoing focus has been on promoting the needs and issues of disabled people. I have held various positions in the Disabled Persons Assembly, including being a member of the national executive committee for a number of years.

Katherine Noble.

Katherine Noble, Senior Policy Analyst
I joined the NHC in October 2007 after returning from a year in Cambridge, England.

Although I originally trained in social work, my employment background is mainly in public service, policy, management and administrative roles in central government. Most recently I have worked in the Cabinet Office, the Ministry of Justice and the Waitangi Tribunal. Prior to that I worked as electorate secretary to Clover Moore MP on policing, injecting drug use, health and residential development policy and advocacy in central Sydney. While in Sydney I completed a Master of Criminology at the University of Sydney.

Catherine McCullough.

Catherine McCullough, Policy Analyst
I joined the NHC in 2007 after completing a Masters in International Relations at Victoria University. My undergraduate studies were in criminology and religious studies and in all of my academic research I have had a focus on human rights and social justice. Prior to joining the secretariat I had been working for a number of organisations in the not-for-profit sector and maintain strong community networks, particularly within youth advocacy organisations.

Kerrie Duncan, Policy Analyst
I arrived in New Zealand in 2004 from Canada, where I worked in the public health sector and community based development in the Canadian Arctic and the Greater Toronto area. I moved to the policy environment while working for the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami (the National Inuit Association of Canada, www.itk.ca ).

In New Zealand I have worked in the Non-Governmental sector in violence prevention and in the community public health environment (Taranaki) before moving to the National Health Committee.

My professional interests are in indigenous models of health, the non-medical determinants of health and how the policy environment can influence changes related to inequalities.

I enjoy being in the garden and working on establishing a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand.

John Natua.

John Natua, Policy Analyst
Kia orana and warm Pacific greetings. I joined the NHC in October 2007, after working as a Health Promoter for the Population Health Service (Waikato DHB). My background includes youth work and Pacific health. I was a participant on the Pacific Leadership Development Course in 2006, and have a strong Pacific national network.

I enjoy being with my family, playing sports, getting involved in cultural activities and travelling. My interests/hobbies include reading, meeting people and music.

I have a Bachelor of Social Science Degree (University of Waikato), and am currently completing my Masters in Public Health with the University of Auckland.

Kia manuia i teia mataiti ou

Page last updated: 3 July 2008