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About PHAC membership
The Terms of Reference for the PHAC allow for a minimum of 5 and maximum of 7 members.
Chair: Dr Caroline McElnay
Appointed October 2024 to October 2027
Dr McElnay has over 30 years’ experience as a medical doctor and as a public health medicine specialist and was awarded the Queen’s Service Order in 2023 for her services to public health. She is currently the Chief Health Officer for Victoria, Australia and is based in Melbourne.
Dr McElnay is the Chair of the Assessment Panel and Member of the Education and Training Committee at the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine. She is also an Executive council member of Living Streets Aotearoa. She was previously the Clinical Lead, Immunisation, in the National Public Health Service and was the Director of Public Health at the Ministry of Health from 2017 to 2022. She was previously President of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine and the Director of Population Health, Health Equity Champion, and Clinical Director of Population Health at Hawke’s Bay District Health Board.
Deputy Chair: Professor Peter Crampton
Appointed November 2022 to November 2027
Professor Crampton is a Professor of Public Health at the Kōtahu Centre for Hauora Māori, University of Otago. He has qualifications in medicine and public health and is a Fellow of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.
He has an extensive career history of work in Māori and Pacific health, is a past member of the Health and Disability Review Panel, and a past Harkness Fellow.
Professor Matire Harwood
Appointed November 2025 to November 2026
Matire (Ngāpuhi) is the Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland; and continues to practice one day a week as a GP. She has served on several national Boards and Advisory Committees including Waitematā District Health Board, Health Research Council, and the Primary Care Strategy group at the Ministry of Health.
Matire has received national and international awards across research, teaching and clinical work, including the King’s Service Medal in June 2024 for her contribution to Māori health. She has 200+ research publications, teaches in the medical programme and supervises postgraduate students.
Professor Paula Lorgelly
Appointed December 2025 to November 2028
Paula Lorgelly is a Professor of Health Economics at the University of Auckland. She has had an international career working in academia in the UK and Australia and the independent sector in London. Paula returned home in 2022 to build capacity in health economics to support better decision-making across the health and care sector in Aotearoa.
Her research interests span three defined areas in health economics: the determinants of health, healthcare and health expenditure; economic evaluation; and outcome measurement. She is a member of the EuroQol Group, an Associate Editor for Health Economics, and past chair of the Scientific Committee of the 2023 and 2025 International Health Economic Association Congresses.
Associate Professor Kaaren Mathias
Appointed from December 2025 to November 2027
Kaaren Mathias is Associate Professor in public health and social justice at the University of Canterbury and Clinical Director of Health promotion, Te Whatu Ora. She is an experienced public health physician and researcher with a focus on community and lived experience participation, youth and child health and mental health in communities.
She works and researches in public health in New Zealand and India. She is a Training Programme Supervisor for the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine and has extensive experience in community engagement.
Former committee members
- Sir Collin Tukuitonga from December 2022 to December 2023
- Kevin Hague from November 2022 to November 2025
- Beverly Te Huia from November 2022 to November 2025
- Professor Jason Gurney from November 2022 to November 2025
- Associate Professor Ruth Cunningham from November 2022 to November 2025
- Faumuina Professor Fa’afetai Sopoaga from October 2024 to March 2026
