We connect and represent all eighteen medical colleges in Aotearoa
CMC is a forum for the medical colleges in Aotearoa New Zealand
The Council of Medical Colleges was established in 2001 to enable member colleges to discuss issues of common interest, to share knowledge, and to co-ordinate college objectives and policies. Through the voluntary, co-operative and coordinated action of our member colleges, we seek to ensure individual medical specialties have a broad base of intercollegiate knowledge. Our Board of Trustees is made up of elected and appointed representatives.
Meet our Council
Dr Samantha Murton
Chair, Trustee Board Member
Dr Samantha (Sam) Murton is the President of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. She is a working Wellington GP and Senior Lecturer and Trainee Intern Co-Convenor at University of Otago, Wellington. She was the College’s first medical director and is passionate about supporting general practice. One of Sam’s goals is to advocate for the profession at a national level, and she does this while maintaining practical experience that keeps her advice relevant and realistic. In 2021 Dr Murton was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to medical education.
Dr Jessica Keepa
Trustee Board Member
“Ehara taku maunga i te maunga nekeneke, he maunga tū tonu mai onamata. Ko tōku mana tuku iho nō Tuawhakarere – he ihu tō mai nō Te Pō” He uri ia nō Porourangi, Dr Jessica Keepa is a GP at Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga an iwi organisation providing health and social services from Mahia to Rimutaka. She has lived and worked in Hastings for 10 years. Jessica was a member of the former Hawke’s Bay DHB Clinical Council from 2020 to 2022. Following the health reforms she moved into a role at Te Whatu Ora – Te Matau a Māui as Clinical Advisor- Primary Care. In this role she has been involved in the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Redevelopment Programme as co-chair of the Clinical Advisory Group and a member of the Project Board. Jessica is committed to all forms of Māori development and is passionate about improving health outcomes for whānau Māori. She is currently studying Te Whakangungutanga ki Ngā Tāiro a Kupe / Bachelor of Arts (Māori) through Te Pūkenga. Jessica hopes to contribute to achieving not only health equity, but health sovereignty for our Māori and Pacific whānau.
Dr Peter Hadden
Trustee Board Member
Dr Peter Hadden is Auckland-based ophthalmologist who specialises in vitreoretinal surgery and ocular oncology. Born in New Zealand, he graduated from Otago Medical School in 1994 and undertook further training in New Zealand and then in the UK, USA and Australia before returning to New Zealand in 2003. He is also a member of the Health Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal and has been an examiner for RANZCO since 2008. He is most proud, however, of his five children.
Catherine Cooper
Trustee Board Member
Catherine is Executive Director Aotearoa New Zealand and Global Health for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG). Catherine leads RANZCOG’s Aotearoa based team and Global Health Unit and works closely with RANZCOG’s Aotearoa based committees. Catherine’s work is particularly focused on RANZCOG’s Aotearoa advocacy activities and implementation of Te Rautaki Māori me te Ara Whakamua – RANZCOG’s Māori strategy and action plan. Catherine has many years in management roles in not-for-profit and membership organisations, and in government. Catherine also has governance experience, chairing two school boards.
Dr Jo Lambert
Trustee Board Member
Dr Jo Lambert (Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Mutunga is a Fellow and Chair of the New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health (NZCSRH). She lives in Tāmaki Makaurau with her whanau and is the Māori Health Lead for Adult Community and Long Term Conditions at Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital, Te Whatu Ora. Jo spent 20 years working as a Forensic Examiner in Adult and Adolescent Sexual Assault and in Sexual and Reproductive Health clinics. Since 2022 she has focused on Māori Health and governance roles to ensure National, Regional and local policies, strategies, clinical training and clinical pathways reflect Te Tīriti, Cultural Safety, Te Ao Māori and the patient /whanau experience.
Dr David Hughes
Trustee Board Member
Dr David Hughes, MB, ChB, MM(HSM)(dist), FRACMA, is the current chair of the Aotearoa New Zealand Jurisdictional Committee of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators. David is the Chief Medical Officer and Director of Advice and Assessment at Pharmac, New Zealand’s Pharmaceutical Management Agency. Prior to joining Pharmac in October 2021, David had been working as the clinical lead of the adverse event learning programme at the Health Quality and Safety Commission. Over the previous 15 years, he held a number of senior medical leadership roles within the public hospital system in New Zealand. Originally working in mental health, he became increasingly drawn to addressing system quality and safety issues. He became a fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators in 2018 having completed a Master of Management degree at Massey University. He originally hails from Wales, arriving in New Zealand in 1993. He is the proud father of three adult sons.
Dr Gabriel Lau
Trustee Board Member
Dr Gabriel (Gabes) Lau is a Dunedin-based radiologist specialising in diagnostic and interventional radiology. He has held various roles with RANZCR, including Chief Censor. He is currently in his second term as NZ Branch Chair, representing New Zealand’s members in both radiology and radiation oncology at the CMC. Gabes is committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure New Zealand has a sustainable healthcare system.
Dr Kate Allan
Dr Kate Allan is the current Chair for the NZ Faculty Board for the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine. Kate is an Emergency Physician and Clinical Director of Emergency Medicine at Waitematā DHB. Born in New Zealand, Kate graduated from Otago Medical School in 1994 and completed her training in Emergency Medicine in New Zealand and the UK. Kate is passionate about the challenge of Emergency Medicine. As a clinical leader she is an advocate for both colleagues and patients. Kate is motivated and inspired by our ongoing challenge to deliver compassionate quality care, while maintaining an environment that feeds a thriving culture of staff wellbeing in the workplace.
Dr Susan Fleming
Susan is a New Zealand medical graduate. She undertook her O&G training and early years of clinical practice at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. After a fellowship in Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto she returned to Sydney with appointments at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital for Children. In 2002, after a period in North America, she returned to New Zealand and clinical practice where her latter professional life has been focused on leadership within O&G. From 2013 to 2017 she was Director of Women’s Health at Auckland DHB. Although retired from clinical practice she remains professionally engaged and is on the board of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (RANZCOG), Chair of RANZCOG Professional Standards Committee, Chair of Te Kāhui Oranga ō Nuku (NZ branch of RANZCOG) and the New Zealand representative for the Asian Oceania Federation of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (AOFOG).
Dr Graham Roper
Dr Graham Roper works as an anesthetist at Te Nīkau Hospital and Integrated Health Facility in Mawhera in Greymouth on the West Coast where he is the Clinical Lead for Anesthesia and also the Chief Medical Officer. Previously he worked at Christchurch Hospital which included a six-year term as Clinical Director Anesthesia. Dr Roper served as a primary examiner for ANZCA. He is now the chair of the ANZCA New Zealand National Committee. He has a focus on rural workforce, quality and safety and equity.
Dr Jonathon Albrett
Dr Jonathan Albrett is a Specialist Intensive Care Physician and Anaesthetist at Te Whatu Ora Taranaki. He is the chair of the Aotearoa National Committee of the College of Intensive Care Medicine and Medical Director of Intensive care at Taranaki Base Hospital. He is also the Director of Clinical Training for the Taranaki region and is a passionate advocate for training, welfare and retention of medical staff in rural areas, in both hospital and community settings. He is also a member of the Medical Council of New Zealand Education Committee and is a strong advocate for all doctors in training.
Dr Hiran Thabrew
Dr Hiran Thabrew is Chair of Tu Te Akaaka Roa, The New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. He is a dual-trained child psychiatrist and paediatrician with numerous clinical and academic roles including being a member of the Paediatric Consult Liaison Team at Starship Children’s Hospital; Director of Te Ara Hāro, Centre for Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the University of Auckland; and Director of a national Child and Adolescent Research Network (CARN); and Director of a non-profit organisation for the promotion of children’s mental health (ICAMH). For additional information, please review his University profile: https://profiles.auckland.ac.nz/h-thabrew.
Dr Liz Insull
Dr Liz Insull FRANZCO, MB ChB, BSC, PGDipOpBS, ANZSOPS Liz is an ophthalmic and oculoplastic surgeon based in Hawke’s Bay. She graduated from the University of Otago medical school in 2006 and undertook specialist ophthalmic training in Dunedin and Auckland, followed by oculoplastic sub-specialty fellowships in Exeter and Oxford in the UK. Liz is the clinical director for ophthalmology at Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui, Hawke’s Bay and is the current Chair for the NZ branch of RANZCO which is working on RANZCO’s Aotearoa Vision 2030 strategic plan. She is co-director of ‘Women in Vision Aotearoa’ and sits on the RANZCO Women in Ophthalmology advisory board. Liz is the NZ representative on the Australian and New Zealand Society of Ophthalmic Plastic Surgeons (ANZSOPS) executive committee.
Dr Elizabeth Roberts
Dr Elizabeth Roberts is an Anatomical Pathologist for Awanui Labs, Nelson. After graduating from the University of Otago Medical School in 1991 she started Fellowship training in Auckland and spent two years as an AP resident in Oregon and Massachusetts, gaining Fellowship of the RCPA in 1999. Dr Roberts is current RCPA Vice President New Zealand, chair of the NZ committee of the RCPA, previous Treasurer of the NZ committee and a committee member of the New Zealand Society of Pathologists (NZSP). Elizabeth is passionate about the role of Pathology in Medicine, especially with advancing innovations, and advocating for both Pathologists and Laboratory Scientists.
Dr Anna Stevenson
Dr Anna Stevenson graduated from Auckland Medical School in an earlier century. She is a member of the RNZCGP and a fellow of the NZCPHM. She has worked as a public health physician in Ōtautahi for almost 20 years and as a Medical Officer of Health assisting in the COVID response. She chairs the Policy Commitee and is on the Council of the NZCPHM. Anna has had the good fortune of being able to travel widely in Aotearoa and around the world. In part this has contributed to her deep understanding that the health sector has a relatively small role to play in creating the conditions for good health and wellbeing and thriving populations -Pae Ora. Her career has focused on building partnerships with sectors outside of clinical care to ensure that population health, equity and Te Tiriti are embedded in policy processes of local and regional government.
Dr Dan Exeter
Dan is a Sport and Exercise Physician based in Auckland. He is the Clinical Director at Axis, an interdisciplinary Sport & Exercise Medicine practice. He is Medical Director for Athletics New Zealand (High Performance) and has attended both the Rio Olympic Games in 2016 and the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in 2018. He was a FIFA Venue Medical Officer during the 2023 Women’s World Cup and has previously worked in elite rugby, football, tennis and Australian Rules football. Dan has interests in the areas of injury prevention, cardiac screening of athletes and point-of-care ultrasound. His Master's degree investigated ECG screening of athletes. He is a Board director and President-Elect of the Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians (ACSEP).
Dr Stu Thomson
Stu Thomson is a Musculoskeletal Medicine and Pain Specialist and Sports Doctor with over 30 years experience. He has been the doctor for numerous sports teams, including the Kiwis (NZ Rugby League) and Blacksox (NZ Softball), was head of the New Zealand medical team at the 2002 Winter Olympics, and continues to be involved with local and representative sportspeople. He has been on the medical teams for numerous events including the Wellington Sevens, World Mountain Biking Championships, Touch Nationals and 2000 Sydney Olympics. He established the Hutt Sports Medicine Centre in 1991 and currently works at the Motion Health/Sports and Pain Clinic, Petone Physio and Hand Rehab. He was chairman of Sports Medicine New Zealand 2010-2015, and is current chair of Emergency Medical Services Ltd and President of the NZ College of Musculoskeletal Medicine. He has a particular interest in tendon injuries, musculoskeletal and nerve pain and chronic pain conditions.
Dr Barry Geldenhuys
Dr Geldenhuys graduated Dentistry in 2001 from the University of Stellenbosch, South Africa and Medicine in 2007 from the University of Pretoria. He completed his specialist training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. Barry relocated to Wellington in 2018 with his wife and two children. He joined the Wellington Oral Surgery team in 2020. He also works as a Consultant for the Hutt Valley DHB and is heavily involved in managing trauma for the region as well as house surgeon training. Barry enjoys roaming the ocean on his jetski with his family and of course a good old fashioned barbeque. Barry is interested in all aspects of Maxillofacial Surgery with a special interest in dental implants, oral and orthognathic surgery.
Dr Ros Pochin
Dr. Ros Pochin is a highly experienced general surgeon based in Nelson, New Zealand, where she has been practicing for over 16 years. Her clinical expertise encompasses all areas of general surgery. Dr. Pochin completed her medical training at University College Hospital (UCH) in the United Kingdom, where she earned both her medical degree and a degree in psychology. She then relocated to New Zealand as a Senior House Officer (SHO) and completed the advanced surgical training program, ultimately achieving Fellowship status. Further advancing her expertise, Dr. Pochin undertook an overseas fellowship in the UK, specializing in Breast and Endocrine Surgery. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Pochin has a strong educational background, holding a Master of Surgical Education from the University of Melbourne. She has been actively involved in surgical education, having instructed and directed numerous courses including EMST, CCrISP, DSTC, OWR, and TIPS skills courses. Dr. Pochin has also served on the executive committee of four of these courses, including chairing one. Her commitment to education and professional development is evident in her significant contributions to the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), where she has authored 12 e-learning modules and contributed to the development of two face-to-face courses. Since 2021, Dr. Pochin has been an elected member of the Aotearoa New Zealand National Committee (AoNZNC), and she currently serves as its Chair.
Dr Kelvin Ward
Dr Kelvin Ward is the chairperson of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care. He has worked in Urgent Care for more than 20 years and is currently the Medical Director for the Wellington Accident and Urgent Medical Centre. He has a particular interest in the application of Point of Care Ultrasound in the Urgent Care setting. Prior to his appointment to the chairperson role, Dr Ward served on the Executive Committee of RNZCUC in 2015 and from 2018-2021. He is a current member of the MCNZ Professional Conduct Committee.
What we do
We are the unifying organisation and educational support structure for the medical colleges of Aotearoa New Zealand
Meet our staff
Alex Marett
Executive Director
Alex Marett was appointed as the Executive Director of CMC in January 2024. Alex joined CMC after working as Hon. Chris Hipkins special advisor for the COVID-19 response. Prior to this, she worked as his advisor in the education portfolio, and for Hon. Annette King as her advisor in the health portfolio. She brings a thorough understanding of the machinery of government to the CMC, including policy-making and strategy.