Farhaan Mirza

Director - Data Science Research Centre
Auckland University of Technology

Farhaan Mirza is the director of Data Science Research Centre at AUT and deputy chair of HiNZ scientific publications committee. He has published many articles on data science & health informatics. Farhaan delivered many public sector projects in digital health, transport planning, and technology innovation. He holds a PhD from University of Auckland and MEng and BEng in Software. His industry experience includes working with many health IT organisations in NZ.

Becky George

Clinical Director - Data and Digital - Hira
Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand

Becky is passionate about advocating for the safe and effective delivery of health care services, across the health and disability system, integrated with digital health and innovative technology. As Clinical Director with Data and Digital, Te Whatu Ora, she applies her extensive experience in clinical informatics and digital health to provide strategic leadership for the Hira Programme.

Becky is an Occupational Therapist, Doctoral student, Fellow of HiNZ, Associate Fellow of the Australasian Institute of Digital Health, Te Whatu Ora Liaison for CiLN, and was elected chair of the Health Informatics New Zealand Board for 2019 - 2021. She is driven by the belief in effective leadership, robust governance, and collaborative partnership across our services to achieve lasting change for consumers.

Becky has provided leadership to the co-design, implementation and change management of digital solutions across primary and secondary services. She co-authored the Allied Health National Data Set Standard (2018), and the 2020 position statements for Allied Health Leading Data and Digital Driven Services and Clinical Informatics Leadership.

Becky was also awarded the inaugural Clinical Informatics Leadership Award 2019, recognising the achievements of a clinician working in Digital health in New Zealand. She continues to champion effective change within our health and disability system for the benefit of our whānau and workforce.

Nathan Kershaw

Specialist Anaesthetist and Clinical Informatician

My vision is for a connected, collaborative, and effective New Zealand health informatics sector that is the envy of the world. My clinical, health informatics, academic, and online community experience equip me to contribute.

As a Specialist Anaesthetist, I work across a variety of health settings. I experience clinical informatics problems first hand and understand the practical barriers that must be overcome to embed positive change. I have witnessed a variety of approaches and informatics systems at various stages of maturity and observed that partnership between clinical and technical expertise is the hallmark of successful systems.

I spent 18-months undertaking a Digital Health Fellowship at a very large and highly digitised NHS Trust and gained insight into the realities and challenges of work as a health informatician. To further extend my knowledge and understanding I completed a Masters focusing on health informatics at The University of Auckland, and am committed to the need to communicate research findings effectively in our sector.

I became Co-chair of CiLN six months following its establishment. During my tenure, I have overseen the provisioning of the CiLN Advisory Panel, the creation and implementation of governance structures and founding documents, and the establishment of the CiLN working groups. The relationship between CiLN and HiNZ has been fundamentally important throughout this time and has led to CiLN now being included with the HiNZ governance structure. Through this process, I have established collaborative relationships with key people across the health informatics sector.

I have particular expertise in online community development. I was impressed by the Digital Health Networks (DHN) community in the UK, which complements periodic meetings within the sector. In response, I established the NZ equivalent for CiLN and have sustained it since. This has now evolved into the HiNZ eHealth Forum, which I administer on a pro-bono basis.

Deb Boyd

CEO
Ormiston Surgical and Endoscopy

Deb Boyd is the Chief Executive Officer for Ormiston Surgical and Endoscopy and has been a member of the HiNZ Board since 2016. Deb is a Registered Nurse, has a Masters in Health Services Management and is a CHIA.

Deb has been leading private health organisations since 2007 and is part of the HIRA Clinical Reference group and the HiNZ NMI SIG.

Deb is passionate about digital technology and the potential for it to add value through systems improvement and innovation. Seeing people being able to participate in their own health outcomes through connected services and access to their information is powerful.

Deb is honoured to be recognised by her peers with this Fellowship. Digital Health leadership, advocacy and recognition is important for our progress nationally across the sector.

Geoff Sayer

CEO/Managing Director
Medtech Global

Geoffrey has supported the standards-based community through executive leadership for the development, implementation and harmonisation of standards for the exchange of health information by standards-based interoperability through partnering programs through HeathLink, Toniq and Medtech.

Geoffrey has been a vocal advocate and support for the role of primary care providers through delivery of IT services and innovation that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of practitioners. His innovative work has emphasised privacy, consent and security with the development of ALEX platform to ensure information is appropriately accessed with the consumer at the centre of information sharing for the democratisation of data. Vendors have also been supported for innovation through the adoption of secure and standards-based interoperability applications.

Geoffrey is CEO/Managing Director of Medtech Global, Chair of Z Software and Managing Director of Acclivis Group, an investment advisory service. He has over 30 years of leadership and executive management experience in contemporary product development, performance improvements, and change management for developing and mature Health IT businesses in Australia and New Zealand. Previously Managing Director Clanwilliam Group, Managing Director Toniq, General Manager Telstra Health, Head of Operations and Sales HealthLink and past President of MSIA.