Board Members

The Board of the Asthma Foundation ensures that the organisation is well-managed and well-focussed in its activities. The Board determines the Asthma Foundation's policies and assures its good financial management.

Meet the members of our board

 

Research Associate Prof Bob Hancox–Medical Director

Bob is a Research Associate Professor in the department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the University of Otago. He is also a respiratory physician at Waikato Hospital. His research includes work on the epidemiology of asthma, the assessment of airway inflamation and the treatment of asthma with beta-agonists and inhaled corticosteroids. If you are from the media and wish to contact Bob for comment on a respiratory issue, you can call him on cellphone 021 324 133 or (03) 479 8512.

Anne Malcolm

Anne has more than thirty years' commitment to the needs of people with asthma in New Zealand and has been a Board member for many years. As Chairperson of the Regional Support Committee she has represented the "grass-roots" needs of people with asthma and continues to represent affiliated groups on the Asthma Foundation's Board. She started the Ashburton Society, is past president of the Tauranga Asthma Society, and has ongoing involvement in community health issues as a board member of Tauranga's Prime Health Community Trust which has a focus on community health and wellness. She now resides in Canterbury, where she continues to be involved in Community Health.

Ruth Gardener

Ruth is a registered nurse working as an educator in the mental health arena. Prior to this she worked as a respiratory nurse at Dunedin Hospital and in a general practice.

She is committed to advocating for people with respiratory disease to ensure they have access to education and services to help them manage their disease. To assist this process, Ruth believes primary, secondary and tertiary care providers need to work closely together to effectively use, strengthen and develop services for people with respiratory disease. She sees the Foundation as ideally placed to provide advocacy and leadership to everyone involved in respiratory health.

Ruth is chairperson of the Otago Asthma Society and a member of the Respiratory Nurses' Section of NZNO. In her spare time she is a frustrated small farmer.

Professor Ian Town - President

Ian is a past Medical Director of the Asthma Foundation. He is currently Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury. He has had a long involvement with the Asthma Foundation and has previously served as a committee member of the Canterbury Asthma Society.

Until 2002, he was Director of the Canterbury Respiratory Research Group and has published extensively on asthma, COPD, pneumonia and pulmonary embolism.

Don McIver

Don spent 39 years in the New Zealand Army and eight years as Director of Security before being employed for two years in New York working for Dr Hans Blix in the United Nations Monitoring Verification and Inspection Commission (of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq). He retired in late 2002 and returned to New Zealand.

One of his ongoing commitments has been to the Eastern Hutt Rotary Club which was involved in the establishment of the original asthma society in 1964. He has a history of asthma in his family.

Gilbert Taurua

Gilbert is of Ngapuhi, Ngati Kawa and Ngati Pamoana descent.

Gilbert is Chair of the Foundation's Maori Reference Group.  He is the former Business Development Manager at He Oranga Pounamu, which was established under mandate from Te Runanga O Ngai Tahu to facilitate health and social service development and integration in the Ngai Tahu region.

He is representative on numerous organisations which include being a board member of Te Kahui Atawhai O Te Motu, membership of Te Korowai Hinengaro Oranga Ki Waitaha, being Director of Te Tau Matatini, of Te Whare Tukutuku and a member of the Canterbury Strengthening Families Management Committee to name a few.  He was also the co-author of a publication called "The impact of the responsible gambling Bill on Maori".

Gilbert has asthma and has a close association with the Canterbury Asthma Society.

Dr Matire Harwood

Matire is of Ngapuhi descent, Matire now lives in Wellington.  She graduated from the Auckland Med School in 1992 and worked as House Surgeon and Medical Registrar at Hutt/Wellington/Kenepuru hospitals until 2000.  She has a PhD in rehabilitation medicine.

Matire was on Te Ora (Maori medical practitioners) executive.  Member of the Paediatric asthma guidelines group and contributed to "Burden of Respiratory Disease in Children."

Her current positions include being a senior research fellow at Te Ropu Rangahau Hauora a Eru Pomare at Wellington School of Medicine.  She is a Maori health professional on Central Regional Ethics Committee and the Maori Advisory Board at ERMA.

Bill Smith

Bill has joined the Board after a long business career with Tasman Insulation, Carter Holt Harvey and Fletcher Building, latterly as General Manager of Tasman Insulation, New Zealand. He is chairman of the Building Industry Federation and a member of the Building Research Advisory Council. He was a member of the EECA board too. Bill has had a commitment to energy efficiency in homes for many years.

John Knight

John has been involved with Asthma Hawkes Bay for over 20 years, with about 15 years as President. During this time Asthma Hawkes Bay has gone from being a small society to becoming a registered charitable trust employing three asthma educators and with DHB funding.  

John has had a long involvement in voluntary and community organisations.  He brings strong strategic and leadership skills to the table and a good understanding of local voluntary organisations.