Staff
Adam Gilshnan
Adam has had a wide ranging and varied vocational background including being a hotelier, before joining the PHO Health Navigator team in 2007.Adam is also actively involved in sports administration and runs a private West Coast Rugby Museum, while also doing freelance writing for the Greymouth Star newspaper and is a trustee on the West Coast Community Trust.
Alisa Duncan
Alisa is working for the PHO as a Health Coach for the Melon Programme. She registered as a Dietitian in 2003 and has worked in various clinical and primary health roles in both NZ and the UK. Alisa is passionate about helping people to develop a healthy relationship with food for improved health and welbeing.
Alison McDougall
Over the last 18 years Alison has worked in a range of primary care and hospital-based service development and management roles, focussing on building systems and services that respond to the needs of individuals and communities. Ali joins West Coast PHO as Project Manager for the Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addictions Service, and to co-ordinate a collaborative design process for transformation of the West Coast mental health and addictions system.
Alivia Bowe
Alivia is a Melon Youth Wellbeing Counsellor primarily working with youth from 12-24 years old. She has a background in Mental health and addictions and has been practicing since 2014 in a variety of settings including DHB, Kaupapa Maori Services, Schools and Private Practice. Alivia has a passion to enable and support young people in a way that works for them taking into account individual perspectives and how they are seen in their own worldview. She has an open mind and is passionate about supporting an enabling young people to be the best versions of themselves.
Amy Bruhn
Amy has previously worked as a Pharmacy Technician for nine years, seven of those years here in Greymouth. She is now currently studying a degree in Health Science with a major in Integrated Human Health through Massey University. She is passionate about keeping a healthy, active lifestyle, and hopes to help others achieve this.
Andrew Buglass
Andrew has a background in the youth, mental health, counselling, social work, and addiction fields and has worked on the Coast, in Nelson and in Christchurch. He is a qualified counsellor and has studied mental health and addiction to Post Graduate level. His focus currently is working with 12-19 year-olds with mild to moderate mental health issues in Grey and Westland.
Anne Hines
Anne has worked in the NGO sector for the past 6 years before joining the PHO. Anne is a born and bred West Coaster, thru and thru. Anne's strength lies in her local knowledge and a vast number of contacts.
Beth Wiechern
Beth is a Psychologist with a focus on children, young people and families. She has had experience in the NGO sector working closely with families, children and young people with difficulties in mental health, parenting, and behaviour management. She is passionate about children and young people and supporting them with difficulties they are facing to facilitate change.
Bronwyn Beavon
Bronwyn works part time as a dietitian for the PHO. Registered since 2004, Bronwyn has experience in clinical dietetics, health promotion, online nutrition consultancy and private practice. Bronwyn believes in weight inclusive nutrition care for everybody in any body – this means ditching the scales and body weight goals! Bronwyn supports people to reconnect and to listen to their bodies when it comes to what, when and how much to eat or move.
Caro Findlay
Caro is a proud West Coast, born and raised in Greymouth. After finishing her education at the University of Otago; she spent some time in Wellington and London before returning home to the Coast to be with family and enjoy the advantages of living in the most beautiful part of the world. Caro is motivated by the opportunity to see the West Coast thrive - our people, our communities, our economy, and our environment. She has a background in law, politics, immigration, community development, human resources and health.
Catherine O'Leary
Catherine is a Registered Social Worker and Mental Health Clinician with 20 years experience in both Primary and Secondary services. Catherine has a strong passion and background in working with children, young people and their families/whanau, and has spent the past 12 years working at Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service for the Nelson/Marlborough DHB.
Christine Dwyer
Christine joined the PHO in June 2021 having moved to the West Coast from Christchurch where she was a hospital midwife, and for the last 5 years, Maternity Quality Coordinator for the Canterbury DHB. Christine’s role covers the whole of the West Coast and whilst focusing on Smokefree 2025 across the whole population, she has a strong interest in enabling those who are building their families to be smokefree from conception and beyond.
Danielle Dawson
Danielle has worked in the NGO sector for many years before joining the WCPHO. Danielle's strengths are her links with the community and pulling local people together to share resources to get the best outcome for people and organisations.
Erin Turley
Erin provides breastfeeding support and education for West Coast mothers, whanau, and health professionals. Breastfeeding is a skill that both mum and baby learn together and having the right information and support available makes it far easier to reach breastfeeding goals. As a Pregnancy, Birth, and Parenting Educator with a BA in Sociology and Women’s Studies, Erin is passionate about helping women make informed choices at all stages their breastfeeding journey.
Gary Bowden
Gary qualified as a registered nurse in mental health in the UK in 2004 after working in the NHS in the mental health and addiction services moved to the wonderful West Coast in 2007.Gary spent 12 years working for the West Coast DHB working with community mental health, child and adolescent mental health service and the alcohol and drug service before joining the West Coast PHO in 2019.Gary has a post graduate qualification in addiction and co existing mental health problems. Gary is a keen trail runner and loves the combination of exercise and being in nature and in his free time can be found on the trails all around the West Coast.
Holly McHugh
After completing her education at the University of Liverpool, Holly has worked in a variety of roles within the NGO, teaching, and mental health sectors both in the UK and New Zealand. Holly is passionate about health equity and is motivated by supporting whairoa to achieve their full health and well-being potential. Holly is pursuing a postgraduate qualification in counselling and in her spare time can be found enjoying the stunning West Coast outdoors or tending to her first beehive.
Jenni Beckett
Jenni is a Registered Psychologist with over 20 years’ experience working in mental health. She has worked in primary care, tertiary education, anxiety disorders clinic, and in training/ supervising psychologists. Jenni is passionate about youth having access to care. She loves providing telehealth (phone, video) to meet people in their own relaxed space- sometimes with their pets on their laps, reducing barriers to get support. Jenni uses a variety of therapy models within her coaching, including DBT, CBT, ACT, mindfulness, and narrative therapy.
Joanne Smith
Joanne has worked in a variety of administration roles over the past 30+ years. She is enjoying working with a team of people who are dedicated to the health and well-being of people on the West Coast.
Kylie Carlson
Kylie is a qualified Exercise Consultant and Fitness Instructor currently studying Sports Nutrition & Health and Performance Coaching. Proud Mum to three girls and loves to get out running the trails around Kawatiri in her spare time. Kylie is looking forward to her new role as a Health Coach and is passionate about helping people become the best versions of themselves.
Laurence Bell
Laurence has experience and qualifications in nursing, teaching, counselling and career advice. He has extensive experience within the health and disability sector both in the UK and New Zealand. Passionate about person-centered approaches. He is committed to improving health outcomes through efficient and effective behavioural support in primary care.
Lexine Jarden
Lexine has worked in a variety of Office roles over the past 30+ years, making the move to the Health Sector in 2016. She is enjoying working with the PHO Team and meeting and talking to lots of new people during her working day.
Martin Greaney
Martin has a background in Exercise Prescription and previously worked as a personal trainer for 15 years. Martins speciality is mobilisation, movement, and helping people with exercise that are unsure where to start.
Michelle Stevenson
Michelle joined the PHO team in 2021 and is working in the Westport area. She moved to the Buller region 3 years ago with her family and two horses and is enjoying the friendly people and exploring the beautiful scenery. Michelle is looking forward to being part of the PHO team.
Nancy McNoe
Nancy has worked in Administration Management for NGO Health & Social Sectors for many years before joining the WCPHO as a Kaihautu/Cancer Navigator. Nancy's strengths are working Kaupapa Maori, and indeed with all ethnicities.
Nicola Searle
Nicki is a general counselling practitioner and facilitator. She has been working with individuals, couples and families, and has been a member of the NZ Association of Counsellors since 2000.
Nicki has trained in and uses a variety of therapy models, including ACT, CBT and BIC, which she adapts to each person’s needs. She has practiced and taught Mindfulness over this time, and specialises the science of the brain and how to manage stress, relationships, life changes and difficult emotions. Nicki believes all people can be calmer and happier with coaching, and practice of these skills.
Patricia Hsu
Patricia is a New Zealand trained and registered counselling psychologist. Before coming to the West Coast, Patricia lived in Auckland for ten years working at different mental health NGOs. Patricia also worked at AUT University as a tutor for Health Professional Practice and Ethics as well as conducting clinicial supervision for mental health students. Patricia has a wide range of clinicial experiences from primary care to secondary mental health.
Pauline Ansley
Pauline is a registered nurse with both primary and secondary experience. She worked for the West Coast DHB for over 15 years including 11 years in primary care at Buller Health Medical Centre.
Whilst at Buller Health Medical Centre, she spent the last 6 years as Clinical Nurse Manager, charged with leading the nursing team through the development of nursing services and long term condition management clinics to provide, maintain and stabilise patient care through on-going GP shortages. Pauline has a Masters of Health Sciences, Nursing-Clinical.
Rebecca Smith
Rebecca is a New Zealand Registered Nutritionist and School Teacher and has just moved to the Coast. Before moving here she worked in a variety of roles in Christchurch and the Cook Islands. This ranged from Primary Care, Public Health and teaching children how to prepare and cook healthy nutritious food. Rebecca is passionate about motivating and supporting individuals of all ages to develop identified goals towards healthy lifestyle changes and excited about enhancing the health and wellbeing of the members of our community.
Roz Stuart
Roz joined the PHO in 2019 having previously worked in secondary education. Roz is looking forward to working in the Health Sector and is enjoying being part of a team dedicated to the health and wellbeing of our community.
Rusty
Rusty came to the PHO on 20th February 2010, making his debut appearance at the Greymouth Relay for Life. He is dedicated to helping West Coasters to stay healthy and live long happy lives. Rusty is the star of the 2012 Real West Coasters Tips for Good Health Calendar. Keep an eye out for Rusty at PHO events.
Stacey Hazeldine-Johnson
Stacey joined the PHO team in 2020 and is covering the Karamea, Westport and Reefton regions.Stacey has a passion for working with people and finds helping people in different situations a real reward. Stacey is enjoying the role and outside of work she continues to be involved in a number of sporting and voluntary organisations in Westport.
Stephanie Blackman
Stephanie has been a NZ registered Dietitian since 2006 and has experience in clinical dietetics and healthy promotion across primary and secondary services. Stephanie works as a body and weight inclusive dietitian, walking alongside people to explore nutrition and lifestyle challenges in a non-judgmental,self-caring way that suits an individual's stage of life and personal aspirations.
Stephen Bassett
While on the Coast, Stephen has worked in youth work, domestic harm support and prevention as well as smoking cessation. He has experience in martial arts, coaching, training, and teaching. Stephen is qualified in exercise prescription, youth work and is currently doing further study in counselling. His spare time is spent out on walks with his dog, in the gym or rehearsing for the next local theatre production.
Tina Emsden
Tina is a registered nurse who has worked for over 20 years in a diverse number of clinical roles around NZ, from IVF to occupational health. She is passionate about holistic health and people centred care. When not working, Tina can be found with a book in her hand or experimenting in the kitchen, the results of which her long-suffering husband agrees to eat.