Kirsten Davie - President
Kirsten was elected as the PNZ President in 2023. Her first term ends in 2026.
There has never been a more crucial time for our profession with the pressure on the current health system and the lack of equity of access. I have worked tirelessly advocating for physiotherapy and our patients over many years and will continue to do so as your President.
Physiotherapy must strategically position itself so that we are visible and have clearly articulated key messages. We need to collaborate across both the private and public health sectors to gain traction on the issues facing our profession.
I have excellent insight into PNZ having been on the Executive from 1997-2006 and served as president for four years of that term. I have considerable knowledge on the funding of physiotherapy, having represented the profession on the 2007 Ministerial Review.
I own a multidisciplinary practice, work under a number of ACC contracts, and understand their cumbersome nature and the issues faced.
I align with Tae Ora Tinana values, having been instrumental in the rōpū’s formation during my previous presidency. It will be a pleasure working with Ulima Tofi, Tae Ora Tinana’s representative. We currently serve together for the profession on the Health Practioners Disciplinary Tribunal.
Rachel Cunningham - Appointed Member
Rachel was appointed as an independent PNZ Executive member in 2020. She was reappointed for a second term in 2023, which ends in 2025.
Rachel Cunningham has over 20 years’ experience as a senior executive in the private healthcare sector, and various governance roles spanning the past decade.
Rachel originally qualified and practiced as lawyer, gradually expanding her responsibilities to include leading the corporate communications/public relations, Government and stakeholder relations, brand strategy, corporate governance and in-house legal functions for the Southern Cross group of businesses.
She is stepping down as the CEO (Corporate Office) and Company Secretary of Southern Cross Healthcare Group at the end of 2019 to pursue governance and consulting opportunities.
Rachel is a member of the Institute of Directors (NZ) and affiliate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) as well as the Governance Institutes of NZ and Australia.
In her spare time Rachel enjoys Pilates, food, fashion and interior design
Monica Davis (Ngāi Tahu) - Appointed Member (Chair)
Monica was appointed as an independent PNZ Executive member in 2020. She was reappointed for a second term in 2023, which ends in 2024.
Tēnā koutou, ngā mihi ki a koutou katoa.
Ko Aoraki tōku mauka
Ko Waitaki tōku awa
Ko Takitimu tōku waka
Ko Kāi Tahu tōku iwi
Nō Aparima ahau
Kei Ōtautahi tōku kāika ināianei
Ko Monica Davis tōku ikoa
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa.
I am of Ngāi Tahu descent and come from Riverton. Christchurch is my home now where I live with my partner Wayne. I graduated with a Law and Arts degree and after a couple of years practice I then worked for several years in Australia in industrial relations, employee relations, personnel and human resources before returning to Aotearoa. I have worked at a senior management level in government, and for retail and manufacturing companies and more recently for my iwi. I now spend my time volunteering in the not for profit sector and am a director of Aviva, Ki te Tihi The Loft and have just come off the Psychologists Board of New Zealand. I am looking forward to learning more about and contributing to Physiotherapy New Zealand, Kōmiri Aotearoa as a lay member.
Mark Quinn - Elected Member
After being elected as PNZ President in November 2022 to fill a casual vacancy, Mark resumed his PNZ Executive elected member role in November 2023 which ends in 2024.
I am the founding director of Auckland Physiotherapy with 17 years’ experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy in New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Australia. My current workday involves clinical, business management / governance, advocacy and PNZ work. Since gaining my Masters in 2014, I have worked voluntarily on the Auckland Branch committee. I am on the Physiotherapy Conference 2022 Scientific Programme Committee and on the advisory group for the Outcomes Data Collection Project; an exciting initiative that brings data to the forefront of our advocacy negotiations.
In 2019 I worked with ProCare (a primary healthcare organisation) to develop an award-winning system that improves equity to care which has now been rolled out nationally. Subsequently, I was nominated to represent physiotherapy on the GP Connect Project. This involved working with major primary healthcare organisations, leading GP’s, specialists and ACC decision makers to effectively push the management of musculoskeletal injuries towards physiotherapists.
My past work and passion for promoting physiotherapy led to my successful election onto the PNZ Executive in 2018. I hugely enjoyed this role and gained valuable insight into how the team operates from a governance and performance perspective. Re-elected in 2021, I am seeking to ensure the PNZ Strategy 2021-2025 optimises the opportunities that the Disability Health Service will create for physiotherapy, to represent business owners and to advocate for higher levels of funding so that physiotherapy is both sustainable and valued across the health sector.
Oka Sanerivi - Elected Member
Oka was elected to the PNZ Executive to fill a casual vacancy from 2022 to 2023, created when Mark Quinn was elected as PNZ President in 2022. He was then re-elected as a PNZ Executive Member in 2023, with his term ending in 2026.
Tēnā koutou, Talofa lava and Malo e laumalie,
I am a Samoan/Tongan physiotherapist and PhD candidate at the Centre for Health, Activity and Rehabiliation Research at the University of Otago. I have been awarded the Health Research Council’s Pacific Clinical Research Training Fellowship for my research exploring how Samoan and Pacific cultural knowledge could enhance the theory and practice of physiotherapy. I was also the first Pasifika Head of Department at a District Health Board and one of the first Pasifika physiotherapists to be appointed to the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand as a Board Member.
I am passionate about promoting equitable health outcomes for Māori and Pacific peoples and has a special interest in paediatrics. I draw on my Pacific ancestral values of fa’aaloalo (respect), alofa (devoted commitment) and tautua (service) to produce a high standard of clinical, academic and governance work. This high standard of work is based on strong, constructive and often humorous relationships with professional colleagues across Aotearoa and internationally. This has been demonstrated in my extensive collaborations within Aotearoa, the Pacific and with members of World Physiotherapy.
Ulima Tofi (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Maniapoto) - Elected Member (Tae Ora Tinana endorsed) Vice President
Ulima was elected as the PNZ Executive Member who identified as Māori in 2022. His first term ends in 2025.
“O le ala i le pule o le tautua – The pathway to leadership is through service”
Kia Ora and Talofa, my name is Vaea Ulima Tofi (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Maniapoto, Tufulele, Vaipuna). Since graduating from AUT, I have been privileged to hold a variety of clinical and leadership roles across public and private health organisations both here and in the UK. My professional background is in MSK and sport performance physiotherapy, education, strategy and organisational development, and allied health leadership across public and private health organisations and professional sports.
I am an advocate for holistic, relational health care, and enabling communities to lead their own solutions. I am passionate about physiotherapy and allied health workforce support and development.
Having been a past Chair of Tae Ora Tinana, and a current executive member of both the Pasifika Physiotherapists Association, and Pasifika allied health Aotearoa NZ (PAHANZ) I recognise the importance of relationships in getting things done in a way where we all benefit.
I am interested in exploring how, with the power of whanaungatanga, culture and values-based connection we can advance the aspirations of PNZ members and our communities. By drawing on Indigenous knowledge and practices and unlocking our own cultural capability and cultural safety, I believe we can enhance both our clinical practice, professional connectedness and the future of physiotherapy.
Kirsty Walker - Elected Member
Kirsty was elected to PNZ Executive in 2022. Her first term ends in 2025.
I have been a registered physiotherapist for 22 years – 19 of those predominantly in musculoskeletal including even years with high performance sport with a career high in attending the 2012 London Olympics.
In 2016 I took a senior management role with an organisation that held district health board (DHB), ACC and private sector contracts. In 2019 I moved to Lakes DHB and held the position of Physiotherapy Team Lead and Professional Advisor before moving to the planning and funding (P&F) arm. Currently I am the System Integration Manager for P&F and am programme lead for one of the nine national locality prototypes that will help inform the future national health plan. I also volunteer my time as a classifier for Paracycling at national and international levels.
I stood for the PNZ Executive as there was previously no representation on the Executive from public health. With my role in the development of a locality prototype I understand the national health system reforms and the likely significant impact it will have on our profession, both public and private, in the coming years. I understand the challenges on my clinical peers in the public system and the continued frustration with the ACC system that my private peers face. My experience clinically, both private and public, as well as senior management experience, again in both domains, brings useful knowledge and guidance to the PNZ Executive.
Page updated November 2023