Judges | New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards

Let's meet our judges!

Thank you to our independent mix of 18 experienced members of the health community who are serving as judges for the 2026 New Zealand Primary Healthcare Awards | He Tohu Mauri Ora.

The Judging Process - FAQ

How do we choose the judges?

We invite health professionals from all sectors of primary healthcare in Aotearoa. These are practitioners, leaders, educators, researchers, business people and innovators. We seek out those people with a demonstrated commitment to improving primary care health outcomes and a track record of doing the hard yards.

How are entries evaluated?

The judging process is designed to be fair and transparent. These are the key factors.

Judges must declare any perceived or actual conflict of interest. There is a strict guideline for determining any conflict.

Entries are allocated to a judging panel with a wide knowledge base that relates to each entry. Your entry may be evaluated by someone from a different field of healthcare but they will have key knowledge that enables them to evaluate the success of your entry.

Each entry is assessed against a comprehensive criteria matrix.

Judging is completed impartially by individual judges. There is no consultation or other influence. Only the judges assigned to the entry will have any role whatsoever in evaluating the submission.

Judges maintain strict confidentiality and retain no materials viewed and evaluated during judging.

If my entry doesn’t make the final, can I find out how it was evaluated?

Yes, you can request to see the judges’ evaluation. The judges themselves will remain anonymous.

Can I request a review of my evaluation?

No. As stated in the Terms and Conditions, the judges’ decisions are final, and no discussion or correspondence will be entered into. Make sure you check the Terms and Conditions before starting your entry.

Introducing Linda Bryant, our judge convener

Linda has been a leader in pharmacy for many years as a pharmacist, teacher and researcher. She has a New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to pharmacy and health. Linda was among the first to become a pharmacist prescriber in New Zealand, joining the inaugural 2012 intake at the University of Otago. She works as a pharmacist prescriber with Newtown Union Health Service. Until 2022, Linda taught postgraduate pharmacy students at the University of Otago along with David Woods, a role she had for over 20 years.

Alison Van Wyk

Alison has been executive general manager of ProPharma since June 2023. A seasoned senior health leader with national and international experience, she has worked across pharmacy, healthcare supply chain, community health and pharmaceutical and medical devices. A former nurse, Alison was awarded honorary membership of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand in 2018 for her services to pharmacy. She was also a finalist in the Women of Influence Awards. She currently holds three governance roles within the New Zealand healthcare sector.

Andi Shirtcliffe

Andi is a pharmacist who has worked across community pharmacy, primary care, residential care and psychogeriatric/dementia care. Recently Andi has served as a Clinical Chief Advisor at the Ministry of Health and as Clinical Chief Advisor to Health New Zealand’s Prevention Director (Immunisation). Most recently Andi was a Fulbright Scholar at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health where she studied public health, health behaviour change and implementation policy. Andi is the current Tim Baker International Health Development Scholar with the Delta Omega Public Health Honour Society and a Trustee of the Commonwealth Pharmacists’ Association.

Bryan Betty

Bryan, a specialist GP, began his career in Australia. He returned to New Zealand in 2001 to work as clinical director at Porirua Union & Community Health Service, which serves a predominantly high-needs community. In 2023, he became chair of the PHO network group, General Practice NZ, previously holding roles including Pharmac deputy medical director, RNZCGP medical director and COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group member. In 2022, Bryan was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for his services to health.

Cathy Martin

Cathy is a senior advisory pharmacist at the Pharmacy Guild of New Zealand and a practicing pharmacist with extensive experience across multiple sectors of the profession. Since registering in 1997, she has worked in community pharmacy, hospital pharmacy (in Aotearoa and the United Kingdom), industry, education and advisory roles. With a strong commitment to making a positive difference in the pharmacy profession and wider health sector, Cathy focuses on supporting community pharmacies in their mission to care for their communities and deliver high-quality services. In her role at the Pharmacy Guild, she also contributes to sector policy and service development that strengthens the role of community pharmacy in delivering accessible healthcare across the motu. Cathy is passionate about collaboration, continuous quality improvement and innovative approaches to clinical healthcare service delivery that improve patient access to care and health outcomes.

David Codyre

David is a psychiatrist with 35 years of experience in community and primary mental health, holding clinical and leadership roles. Since 2012, he has been clinical director, wellness support, at Tāmaki Health. He is currently seconded half-time as clinical director of Auckland wellbeing collaborative Tū Whakaruruhau, where he supports the implementation of the “Access and Choice” addiction and mental health programme, integrating health improvement practitioners, health coaches and NGO support into all GP clinics in Auckland. David is also lead psychiatrist to Whakarongorau, the national telehealth service.

Emma Dunning

Garry Nixon

Garry did his GP training in Central Otago in 1990 and has remained there, working primarily as a rural generalist at Dunstan Hospital in Clyde. He is also a professor of rural health at the University of Otago, teaching the postgraduate rural diploma and mentoring New Zealand’s future rural doctors. An expert in rural health and leading geographically dispersed project teams, Garry helped develop the RNZCGP Rural Hospital Medicine Training Programme and leads the Geographic Classification for Health project, highlighting rural health disparities in New Zealand. 

Gemma Buchanan

Gemma is a director of Buchanans Pharmacy, a group that has served Northland for over 70 years. She spent 15 years as general manager, during which the group won Community Pharmacy of the Year at these very awards, along with multiple Green Cross Health Awards, including overall Pharmacy of the Year and Professional Services. Gemma then held the position of commercial manager of health services at Green Cross Health for just over three years, leading the professional services team to deliver quality care and advice. Now back in Te Tai Tokerau, Gemma is immersed back at the coalfront of community pharmacy as well as continuing with national advocacy work on behalf of pharmacy. Gemma is excited to celebrate and recognise innovation in healthcare across Aotearoa.

Grant Bai

Grant is a strategic leader dedicated to transforming healthcare through innovation and collaboration. He is at the forefront of promoting ReCare, a platform that enhances primary healthcare with proactive, digitally integrated health management solutions. With a background in pharmacy and extensive experience across healthcare, retail, manufacturing and media, Grant led pharmacy and medical teams through rapid growth at Green Cross Health and has managed care pathways in mental health, addiction services and sports medicine. His vision is to leverage e-commerce, digital platforms, clinical services and data to create seamless, accessible health journeys.

Irihāpeti Mahuika

Irihāpeti joined Health Hawke’s Bay as CEO in September 2023. Her background is in education, and more recently, she was director of hauora Māori at Pegasus Health PHO in Christchurch. Irihāpeti is proud of her whakapapa (Kāi Tahu, Kāti Māhaki ki Te Tai Poutini, Ngāt Apa ki te Rā Tō) and advocates for all people having access to equitable, quality healthcare. She has a great passion for kaupapa, and developing mana-enhancing relationships with communities centred around whānau and empowering them to be leaders of their hauora. Irihāpeti is leading Health Hawke’s Bay via ō tātaou mātāpono (four core values): whakamana (empower), aroha (compassion), kotahitanga (collaboration) and auaha (innovation).

Linda Joe

An experienced pharmacist, Linda has worked across many areas of the profession, from pharmacy ownership and international experience to leading key projects in Aotearoa. She was the subject matter expert for the Canterbury Lean Community Pharmacy project, contributed to testing the New Zealand Universal List of Medicines, and played a leading role in eMeds implementation and eMedRec at Canterbury DHB. At the Pharmacy Guild, she collaborated with sector organisations, providing leadership, support and guidance to members. Linda enjoys supporting people to innovate and work to the top of their scope.

Martin Lowis

Martin is an experienced international pharmacy professional with a strong clinical and business management background. He has led pharmaceutical services in diverse and challenging settings throughout South Africa and New Zealand and is passionate about fostering excellence in healthcare through strategic planning, mentoring and innovation. A multicultural, multilingual leader, he brings a unique perspective and a commitment to celebrating achievements that inspire continuous improvement in patient care and healthcare delivery.

Nadine Gray

Nadine (Te Whakatōhea), national chief nurse for Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora from July 2024, was formerly chief nursing officer at Te Aka Whai Ora. She has a proven record of accomplishment in strategic leadership, clinical expertise and a deep commitment to advancing Māori health outcomes. Nadine holds a Master of Health Sciences with First Class Honours. She is currently an adjunct teaching fellow at the School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Practice at Victoria University of Wellington.

Noni Richards

Noni is a registered pharmacist with extensive postgraduate research experience, specialising in evidence-based medical writing. She has contributed to equity programmes, big data investigations and authored over 50 articles in Best Practice Journal and Pharmacy Today. Noni also played a pivotal role in designing and developing the electronic medical records EPiC dashboard.

Sarah Hartnall

Sarah trained as an urgent care physician and is currently a clinical co-lead on a regional hepatitis C programme. She also wears several other hats in the primary care sector, is interested in quality/systems improvement (and is a trained healthcare auditor), innovation and education, and is passionate about increasing access to care.

Te Puea Winiata

Te Puea (Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāiterangi) has nearly 40 years of experience in primary health and Māori health social services, including 15 years as CEO at Turuki Health Care. In 2023, she was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit and recognised as one of 100 Māori leaders in health. She serves on Te Kaunihera for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and is a board member for Māori mental health support service Te Rau Ora. She also sits on trusts for her hapū Ngai Tamarawaho in Tauranga Moana. Te Puea chaired several Ministry of Health committees during the pandemic, as well as the Māori Monitoring Group for Manatū Hauora. Raised in Māngere, she is passionate about tackling hardship and disparity “head on” and ensuring Turuki delivers integrated, high-quality, whānau centred health and social services.

Tony Wai

Tony is the Chief Executive of thePHO. An accomplished leader with a strategic mindset and strong commercial acumen, he has spent over 15 years in healthcare, including executive roles at ProCare Health (interim CEO, CFO and general manager of corporate services) and Atlantis Healthcare Group. Passionate about ensuring future generations can live fulfilling lives, Tony contributes via advisory and governance roles in the disability sector, health IT and health consulting.