Staff

Christine Gill – Executive Director

Christine is the Executive Director of Osteoporosis New Zealand.

After graduating from Massey University with a BSC (Biochem), Christine started her career as a member of the Connective Tissue Research Group, Department of Surgery, at Auckland University’s School of Medicine.

Following some years gathering experience in the infant nutritional and pharmaceutical sectors, Christine held the position of General Manager of Horleys where she and her team developed a number of nutritional products targeting specific demographics within the market.

For the past decade Christine has co-founded Flavorjen – a company providing innovation through the incorporation of specialised ingredients into the food and beverage manufacturing sector.

The Board

Peter Fergusson – Board Chair

Peter is currently Chief Executive at Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. He brings with him over twenty years of CEO and governance experience in the commercial, health, sporting and disability sectors.

Drawn to values-driven organisations that ‘make a difference’ in people’s lives and are committed to leading their sector, he believes that Osteoporosis New Zealand is a natural fit.

Jan Clark

Jan is a marketing strategist with a solid background in media and communications; launching and sustaining some of New Zealand’s best-known brands, PR (media relations), marketing, sponsorship, charity fundraising and business development.

With over twenty years’ experience working with high profile Australasian advertising agencies: highlights include strategically leading Air New Zealand’s media (2001-2008) with the award-winning delivery of the grabaseat launch, two brand re-works and brokering their NZ Fashion Week sponsorship.

Jan has recently spent seven years working with a well-known charity; building awareness and branding, a multi-million-dollar donor comms. programme and securing major fundraising dollars.

Passionate about the not-for-profit and social enterprise sector of NZ business Jan loves to inspire and motivate others to achieve shared vision, strategic goals and results.

Professor Jillian Cornish PhD

Jill leads the Cell and Molecular Bone/Joint Biology Research Group in Department of Medicine, University of Auckland, New Zealand. Jill’s group investigates peptides and lipids that are anabolic to bone cells, cartilage and tendon cells for which they hold international patents.  The group has established numerous in vitro and in vivo models in skeletal biology and developed a keen interest in skeletal regenerative medicine. Jill is on the boards of the International Bone and Mineral Society, International Bone Morphometry Society and is a past-president of Australian and New Zealand Bone and Mineral Society.

Sue Hornblow

An experienced executive coach and facilitator, developing people, leaders and culture is Sue’s passion. Her clients value her positive encouragement, savvy commercial nous and coaching ability. She expertly challenges people and organisations to stretch and grow their capability to achieve their vision and strategy. Woking closely in the public and private sector she brings perspective at the individual and enterprise level that seed fresh thinking..

Sue feels a deep responsibility to contribute to making a better NZ for current and future generations She recognises that a significant challenge exists for leaders to create the environment for others to thrive while delivering short- and long-term organisational results that benefit the communities they are part of.
Sue’s credentials include an MSC in Microbiology from Massey University, a Business Diploma from Auckland University. She is accredited in a broad range of globally respected facilitation and leadership tools.

Sue is a keen sailor, and is part of a regular racing crew. She has even been known to take people out sailing on the Waitemata as part of leadership and team development programmes.

Lynne Hayman BBus

Lynne is a current chief executive and has held various senior management positions in the Wellington corporate arena.  She is a qualified Chartered Accountant and a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants as well as a member of the Institute of Directors of NZ.  Lynne brings her knowledge of senior management and governance experience to the Osteoporosis NZ Board.  She currently serves on 2 commercial boards of NZ companies, and has served on other charitable boards from time to time.

Dr David Kim MBChB, FRACP

David is an Auckland trained consultant endocrinologist and physician at Waitemata District Health Board, and is the clinical leader for General Medicine at Waitakere Hospital.  He is the lead clinician for the fracture liaison service at Waitemata DHB, and his clinical and research interests include osteoporosis, diabetes, obesity and bariatric medicine.

Paul Mitchell BSc (Hons), C.Chem, MRSC

Paul has spent the last 20 years working on programs to improve fragility fracture care and prevention throughout the world. Paul has published extensively on implementation of Fracture Liaison Services and was an author of the 2012 International Osteoporosis Foundation World Osteoporosis Day Report on the ‘Capture the Fracture’ Campaign. He is Managing Director of Synthesis Medical NZ Limited, an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Notre Dame Australia and a member of the ANZ Hip Fracture Registry Steering Group. Paul served as Board Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Osteoporosis NZ between March 2014 and June 2018.

Adrienne von Tunzelmann (QSO) MA (Hons), MPP (Dist), CFInstD

Adrienne brings a governance and also a community perspective to the Osteoporosis NZ board. She has served on a variety of government and non-profit boards and charitable trusts, which has included the board of Pharmac (the New Zealand Government’s pharmaceutical management agency). Adrienne is currently an appointee to Pharmac’s Consumer Advisory Committee (click here for further details) and is on the national board of Age Concern NZ. Her work as Principal Consultant with independent public policy specialist firm McKinlay Douglas Ltd follows a senior executive career in the public sector and experience in government policymaking and legislation. Adrienne has seen the effects of osteoporosis in her immediate family. She holds Masters degrees in Economics and Public Policy and is a Fellow of the NZ Institute of Directors.

Advisory Group

Dr Nigel Gilchrist MB, ChB, FRACP

Nigel is a Specialist Consultant Physician for the Canterbury District Health Board and works with medical and post-operative surgical problems of the elderly in The Department of Surgery and Orthopaedics at Christchurch Hospital.  He is also a Senior Clinical Lecturer in medicine for the University of Otago, Christchurch Clinical School and principal Investigator for the CGM Research Trust.

Dr. Stella Milsom MB ChB, Dip Obs, FRACP

Stella is consultant reproductive endocrinologist to National Womens’ Hospital, Auckland and for the Reproductive Endocrine group, Fertility Associates Auckland, and a senior clinical lecturer in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Auckland.

She is the Chairman of the Specialist advisory committee in endocrinology for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, a member of the New Zealand Guideline Committees for Menopausal Hormone therapy and Fertility Preservation, an advisor to Pharmac NZ, and the New Zealand Medical Council, and on the Boards of Human Fertility UK and Osteoporosis NZ.  Her clinical and research interests include polycystic ovary syndrome, anovulatory infertility, hypothalamic amenorrhea, menopause, and osteoporosis.

Dr. Michael Nowitz MB, BCh  FFRad (D)  FRANZCR

Mike practices as a diagnostic radiologist in Wellington. He was the Senior Lecturer in Radiology at the Wellington School of Medicine and Health Science and has many years of teaching and research experience. Mike is now serving a third term as a member of the board of Osteoporosis NZ. Working daily with patients’ bone density scans he brings a practical patient focused perspective to the board.

Dr. Susannah O’Sullivan MBChB, FRACP, PhD

Susannah is consultant general and reproductive endocrinologist with the Reproductive Endocrine group, Fertility Associates Auckland, and an honorary senior lecturer in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Auckland. She completed doctoral and post-doctoral research in bone metabolism and bone diseases as a member of the Bone and Joint Research Group at the University of Auckland.  She is a member of the NZ Endocrine Society committee and the ANZBMS Professional Affairs Committee. Her research interests include polycystic ovary syndrome, hypothalamic amenorrhea, menopause, and osteoporosis.

Distinguished Professor Ian R Reid (CNZM), MD FRSNZ

Ian Reid MD is a Distinguished Professor in Medicine at the University of Auckland, where he is Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences.  His research interests include calcium metabolism, vitamin D and osteoporosis. He is a past-president of the International Bone and Mineral Society (IBMS), and a recipient of research awards from the American Society of Bone & Mineral Research, the IBMS, the European Calcified Tissue Society, the Health Research Council of New Zealand, the Royal Society of New Zealand (Rutherford Medal) and of the New Zealand Prime Minister’s Science Prize.

Dr. Jacob Munro MB ChB, FRACS, PhD

Jacob Is a New Zealand trained Orthopaedic surgeon primarily based at Auckland City Hospital. He is Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland and completed  his PhD at the Auckland Bioengineering institute. One of his key clinical interests is the management of hip trauma and also optimising care for patients with neck of femur fracture. Jacob also sits on the board of the ANZ hip fracture registry.