PINNACLE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
- Independent Chair
Amit is very passionate about helping contribute towards building a brighter future of our nation and is a keen advocate of diversity, inclusion, equity and bringing a lived experience dimension into the board room.
He was born in Fiji, lived, and worked there for numbers of years before migrating to Aotearoa. Amit is always keen to add diversity of thought, perspective, ethnicity and varied experience to the strategy dialogue.
He holds an MBA from Deakin University, Australia and is a current member of Institute of Directors, Chartered Accountant of Australia and New Zealand and Fellow Certified Practicing Accountant Australia.
Amit has broad experience in all aspects of accounting, auditing, financial, governance and risk management and has 25 years of professional work experience in various sectors.
He has held multiple governance roles over the years and is currently involved in various sectors in a governance capacity including local and central government organisations.
Amit is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- General Manager, Corporate Services
Avi joined Pinnacle in August 2023 and is a Chartered Accountant (CA) qualified professional with more than 15 years ‘big four' experience across corporate finance, financial advisory, management consulting and financial accounting.
Avi has worked across small and medium-sized enterprises, health, manufacturing, education, energy, Māori and iwi business, agritech and local government sectors. He has a passion for helping organisations be successful in an ever evolving and disruptive business environment, which includes adopting an outcomes focus, a stronger role for strategy, and new and collaborative operating models.
Connect with Avi on LinkedIn Avi is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- General Manager, Primary Health Care Ltd
Job Titles:
- Independent Director
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
Craig is an independent and full-time professional company director. He chairs the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee, Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board and Pinnacle Ventures Ltd Board.
Craig has an MBA from Henley Management College in the UK, has extensive offshore commercial experience, and holds current directorships in waste, health, tertiary education, B2B consultancy as well as numerous not-for-profits and community groups. He has previously also been an Independent Director in land planning/geotechnical/surveying, construction, early childhood education and advertising.
Craig is a permanent resident of Waihi Beach.
Craig is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
- Owner
- Representative
Brendon is a GP/owner at Health Te Aroha Medical Centre.
After graduating from the University of Auckland in 1998, Brendon completed further training at Auckland and North Shore Hospitals before spending five years in the United Kingdom where he completed his vocational training in general practice. Brendon returned to New Zealand in 2004 where he was employed as a Pinnacle Incorporated locum.
Following completion of his New Zealand vocational training in 2007, Brendon joined the Pinnacle Incorporated Quality Committee. In 2008 he was elected as a Pinnacle Incorporated executive committee member, and appointed as a director on the Midlands Health Network Limited Board in 2009.
Brendon is active in teaching trainee interns and was appointed as a GP registrar seminar teacher by The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.
Dr Brendon is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
I grew up in Taupō and went to Otago Medical School. I have always had an interest in general practice, and it was always my intention to become a GP once I was trained. After qualifying as a GP, I worked in Tauranga for a few years, until I met my husband Richard who was dairy farming at the time. This prompted a move to Te Aroha and rural medicine, and I joined the practice in 2006. I became a partner in 2010 after having my children and have worked full time since then.
As a female GP, I have developed an interest in women's health and have a post graduate certificate in this subject from Otago. I also has a diploma in child health. Additionally, I have worked in the area of smoking cessation and am passionate about helping people stop smoking and live healthier lives.
I have two children who keep me and my husband busy at home. I also have a passion for patchwork, and my husband is involved in agility training of our fox terriers.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chair of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Community Representative
Gary Thompson is the Kaiwhakarite, joined by committee members and representatives from the Pinnacle board and leadership teams.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- General Manager MHN / Nursing Director
Before joining Pinnacle, Jan was the managing director for Bupa villages and aged care in Australia and New Zealand, and was Bupa's global chief nurse.
She is a registered nurse and midwife and has held various senior nursing and management posts in the UK, New Zealand and Australia.
Jan's career in health spans forty five years and she has seen enormous change to health systems during that time! She was chief operating officer at Waikato DHB for eight years and was closely involved in the redevelopment programme as well as managing the operational and financial day to day performance of the provider arm.
Jan was a member of the Nursing Council of New Zealand for five years and until recently was a board member of the New Zealand Aged Care Association and the national Aged Care Steering Group, having also represented nursing on the national InterRAI board.
Outside of work, Jan enjoys reading and spending time at home after living and working away from home for the past five years.
Jan is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Clinical Director
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
Jo is a GP with a practice in Opotiki, a community he has served since 1992. Since starting work with Pinnacle MHN in September 2016, Jo's clinical work has been in practices throughout the network. As medical director Jo is the voice of general practice on the leadership team, and the face of Pinnacle general practice on numerous local, regional and national bodies. He has a role in practice liaison, quality, education and supports Ventures projects as well as being a great source of knowledge to the office team where he is constantly bombarded with "just a quick question".
Jo has had a long involvement in medical governance and has been the chair of the Rural General Practice Network, was the inaugural chair of the Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand, and is currently an elected member on the board of the RNZCGP. He has been an examiner for the RNZCGP and a Cornerstone assessor.
Jo has suffered from multiple diplomatosis in the past. His last diploma was in clinical education, he has a masters degree in general practice and has vowed never to do another university paper ever again!
Dr Jo leads a dual life on twitter - @opotikigp and @pinmhnmd
Connect with Jo on LinkedIn Jo is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- Director of the Pinnacle Ventures Ltd Board
The Pinnacle Chief Executive is appointed as a Director of the Pinnacle Ventures Ltd Board by the Executive Committee.
Justin has been with Pinnacle since 2013 in a variety of roles, and has over 20 years' experience working in New Zealand's health system. His general practice knowledge, and clinical background as an intensive care paramedic, give him a deep understanding of the complexities the health workforce face on a daily basis.
Health system leadership is Justin's area of special interest, and he holds a Masters in Strategic Leadership and Innovation. Justin enjoys fostering collaboration to solve problems and develop new services. He played a key role in the development of the Te Manawanui integrated primary mental health and addiction service, and establishing Pinnacle's partnership with Parihaka Papakāinga Trust to deliver culturally appropriate health care in the Taranaki region.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- General Manager, Strategic Development
Originally from Northern Ireland, Katie moved to New Zealand over 20 years ago as a physiotherapist, working clinically in Waikato and then moving into project and programme management roles in several district health boards.
Her passion for health system innovation and improvement has offered opportunities to learn from and contribute to work in Singapore and the Middle East. She has honed her strategic development skills working in primary care innovation and the home and community sector. With her strong desire to learn and continuously improve, she works hard and plays harder, leads with empathy and has a talent for recognising and cultivating the potential in others.
Katie is committed to achieving equity by reducing health disparities, and a future which delivers pae ora for all.
Katie is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Community Representative
- Community Representative, Lecturer, Department of Sport & Leisure Studies, Faculty of Education, University of Waikato
Lisa Hayes is a graduate of Otago University and Victoria University of Wellington. Lisa qualified as a physical education teacher, teaching for several years in Waikato and Auckland. She then focused on work in the recreation sector in both local authority and NGO, before moving to the public service working for the NZ Council for Recreation and Sport, and then the Hillary Commission. A period as a leisure consultant, working primarily with the voluntary sector, preceded a shift to working in tertiary education.
Lisa has been active in the voluntary sector throughout her adult life, firstly in surf lifesaving, and then with the YWCA at local, national and international levels. Currently Lisa is involved with the Maungatautari Educational Island Trust and INA (Māori and Pacific Island AIDS Foundation).
Lisa was a director on the Waikato Primary Health (WPHO) board from May 2009 to February 2011 when it was wound up. She was also a member on the WPHO Financial Audit and Risk Committee.
Lisa is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Independent Director
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
Michelle has over 20 years of experience in senior roles including health and a strong background in leading the delivery of Māori strategies. Michelle was the group manager for tribal development for Waikato Tainui Te Kauhanganui Inc from 2011-2017. Michelle managed and led Tainui Tribal Development Unit which included oversight of core business, strategic projects, government responsiveness and tribal and community engagement.
Michelle brings a wealth of knowledge including change management and strong relationships within Tainui and government agencies. Michelle has over 20 years of executive leadership experience in operations and financial planning, through to policy and analytical processes.
Michelle was previously CEO of Tainui MAPO (Māori purchasing organisation which managed the relationship between Tainui, Counties, and Manukau DHB), followed by positions with Ministry of Education, ACC, Counties Manukau Health and the National Regional Health Co-ordination Centre.
Michelle is currently the Community Funding Advisor for the Department of Internal Affairs (Waikato-Hauraki region).
Michelle is a member of the following leadership teams:
Job Titles:
- Member of the Pinnacle Leadership Team
- General Manager, Māori and Equity
Job Titles:
- Member of the Executive Committee
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Member of the Pinnacle Incorporated Executive Committee
- Representative
Job Titles:
- Member of the Midlands Regional Health Network Charitable Trust Board
- Founding Māori Partner Representative
Willow is of Italian/Māori descent and was born and raised in Tūrangi. After some years away overseas she returned to Tūrangi and started working for Tūwharetoa Health Charitable Trust, working in various positions both at operational and managerial levels.