We connect and represent seventeen medical colleges
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 representatives from each of the member colleges.
Meet our Board of Trustees
Dr Samantha Murton
Chair
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 Nat Anglem
Executive Committee member
Tū ake au i te maru o Motupōhue, Tirotiro atu ki te Te Ara a Kewa, Ki Rakiura, Ki Hananui, Ki Tākitimu, Tae noa atu ki te mauka tapu ō Aoraki e tū mai rā.... Tihei Mauriora! Dr Nat Anglem is a Sports Physician from Invercargill, who has lived in Christchurch practicing sports medicine for 20 years. He is part of a multidisciplinary sport and exercise medicine practice as well as having been involved in the performance aspect of sport throughout his life. He has a particular interest in providing health care that recognises the many and varied contributors to wellbeing and performance. Over the last few years, Nat has taken on teaching roles and has had the fortunate position of providing cultural assistance to different groups.
Dr Iwona Stolarek
Executive Committee member
Dr Iwona Stolarek is a general physician by background and an interest in improving health system outcomes led to her Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators (RACMA). Iwona was recently the Vice President of RACMA and has over 11 years of experience at a senior level of clinical governance both within district health boards and at a more strategic level working as Medical Director for the Health Quality and Safety Commission in New Zealand.
Dr Helena Haggie
Co-opted Executive Committee member
Dr Helena Haggie is of Waikato Tainui and Te Arawa descent. She is a working GP in the Waikato, who also enjoys Urgent Care work. Helena is a member of the RNZCGP's Te Akoranga a Maaui group. Helena joined the Council of Medical Colleges in 2019, as the co-opted member to the Executive.
Dr Peter Hadden
Executive Committee 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.
Assoc Prof Chris Hemmings
Chris is a graduate of Auckland medical school and completed postgraduate training in pathology in Auckland and Christchurch. She then worked in Australia for 15 years, returning to CDHB in 2018. She is Director of Anatomic Pathology at Canterbury Health Laboratories and a member of the Clinical Assembly of Te Aho O Te Kahu. Her main clinical and research interests are in the fields of gastrointestinal pathology, rare cancers and tumour biology.
Dr Jenny Keightley
Dr Jenny Keightley is a recently retired Musculoskeletal Medicine Physician who leads the New Zealand College of Musculoskeletal Medicine. Prior to qualifying in Musculoskeletal Medicine, she was a Christchurch GP from 1981 for 28 years. Throughout her career she has been passionate about clinical leadership in health systems and improving equitable access to healthcare. Her goal now is to increase the number of Musculoskeletal Physicians and the availability of Musculoskeletal Clinics, offering access to musculoskeletal pain assessment and treatment throughout Aotearoa New Zealand ensuring there are services free of financial barrier.
Dr Gabriel Lau
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 Jim Miller
Dr Jim Miller is a public health physician, Medical Officer of Health and Environmental Health Manager for Toi Te Ora Public Health (Tauranga). Jim trained in public health medicine in Yorkshire, England, before spending ten years as a consultant in communicable diseases and environmental health in Scotland. Since moving to New Zealand in 2007, he has continued to focus on health protection, whilst developing interests in leadership, and public health policy development. He currently leads the Toi Te Ora health protection team.
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.
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 Andrew MacCormick
Andrew MacCormick trained in General Surgery in Aotearoa New Zealand. He undertook his fellowship in Upper GI and Bariatric surgery. He is an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery, University of Auckland and a Consultant Surgeon at Middlemore Hospital. He works as a Bariatric and Upper GI surgeon and Director of Trauma. He also has a Clinical Adjunct Associate Professor appointment with Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. He has a research interest and governance roles in Environmental Sustainability with both the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and Middlemore Hospital.
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 Andrew Simpson
Dr Andrew Simpson is a Medical Oncologist by background and worked at Capital and Coast District Health Board from 2000 to 2016. An interest in regional and national approaches to health services led Andrew to become the Clinical Director for the newly established Central Cancer Network in 2007 and subsequently National Clinical Director Cancer for the Ministry of Health in 2012. Andrew became a Fellow of RACMA while in this role, before taking on the role of Chief Medical Officer in 2016. Andrew left the Ministry in 2020 and is currently working as an independent consultant.
Dr Jo Lambert
Dr Jo Lambert (Ngāti Maniapoto, Te Ati Awa) is a Fellow and Chair of the New Zealand College of Sexual and Reproductive Health. She works at Te Toka Tumai (former ADHB) as Māori Health Lead for the Community and Long-Term Conditions Directorate and as a Forensic Examiner at the Auckland Adult Sexual Assault and Treatment Service. Jo has worked in Sexual and Reproductive Health in the Community and Hospital settings since 2003. She is particularly interested in embedding culturally safe, trauma-informed and Te Tīriti focused health care in the services and organisations she works in and with.
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 Stephen Inns
Stephen is a gastroenterologist and clinical researcher. He currently works for Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley Gastroenterologist. He is also a Senior Lecturer at University of Otago, Wellington and is the AoNZ President-Elect. Stephen’s MD thesis focused on the effect of diet on inflammatory bowel disease, particularly Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome. His current interests include the development of specialist nursing services in gastroenterology and clinical research in IBD.
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.
What we do
We are the unifying organisation and educational support structure for the medical colleges of Aotearoa New Zealand
Meet our staff
Esther Munro
Esther Munro was appointed as the Executive Director of CMC in September 2022. Esther joined CMC after nine months at the New Zealand Medical Association as Communications and Marketing Director, and then Acting Chief Executive Officer. Prior to this, Esther has held a range of strategic communications and public affairs roles, including as a Ministerial Press Secretary at Parliament. She brings extensive communications experience and understanding of the machinery of government to the CMC.