Board
Dr Jim Mather, Board Chair
Dr Jim Mather has served as Chief Executive Officer of three organisations over the last 16 years. A qualified accountant by profession, he has led Māori Television and Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. Dr Mather’s current governance roles include Chair of RNZ, Director of Auckland Transport, Member of MBIE Risk and Advisory Committee, and Director of Ngati Awa Group Holdings Limited. Dr Mather has held a variety of private sector management roles and holds a PHD in Māori economic development.
Dr Johan Morreau, Deputy Chair
Johan Morreau retired as a paediatrician in 2017, after working at Lakes from 1984. He was elected to the Board in 2016.
He has served in a range of senior health administrative roles focussed on maintaining, sustaining and advocating for health services regionally and nationally.
Chair of the Community and Public Health Advisory Committee (CPHAC) and Deputy Chair of the Hospital Advisory Committee (HAC). Member of the Taupō District Community Health Forum
Ngahihi-o-te-ra Bidois
Ngahihi was elected to the Board in 2019. His iwi affliations are Ngāti Rangiwewehi in Awahou, Ngāti Tahu/Ngāti Whaoa in Reporoa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa in Taupō.
Ngahihi’s family members are new health professional graduates.
Ngahi holds a Business degree in Marketing and a Masters of Education with honours.
Member of HAC, CPHAC and the Taupō District Coummunity Health Forum.
Janine Horton
Janine Horton is a second term elected Board member. She holds a BHSc (Medical Imaging), Post Graduate Diploma in MRI and National DHB training and development. She has worked in healthcare settings in Rotorua, Auckland and London.
A Justice of the Peace, Janine has a background in policing.
Member of HAC and CPHAC and Deputy Chair of the Taupō District Community Health Forum.
Lana Ngawhika
Lana Ngawhika (Te Arawa/Tuhoe), served the former Te Arawa Māori Trust Board on the treaty settlement that saw the return of 14 Rotorua lakes to Te Arawa ownership. Lana is a business development manager with Fonterra.
Member of HAC and Disability Support Advisory Committee (DSAC).
Christine Rankin
Christine Rankin is a third-term elected member. She is also on the Taupō District Council and serves as Taupō’s Deputy Mayor.
Christine has long experience and a history of performance as a leader in business, the public sector, and local government.
Member of HAC and FAC and Chair of Taupō District Community Health Forum.
Merepeka Raukawa-Tait
A long-serving elected member, Merepeka says the decisions made by the DHB must support and reflect local health needs. She says health planning needs to focus on wellness and take account of all the things that impact on our lives, including housing,education and employment.
Member of CPHAC and DSAC.
Dr Rees Tapsell
A psychiatrist, Rees Tapsell sub-specialised in forensic psychiatry, working at the Mason clinic in Auckland as a consultant psychiatrist for 10 years where he worked on, and wrote about, models of forensic mental health service provision for Māori. He has worked in governance, operational, management and clinical leadership roles both in district health boards and Māori non-governmental organisations and was on the Lakes Board when it was set up in 2001. Member of DSAC and FAC.
Lyall Thurston
Lyall has extensive experience in health, disability and community representation at local, national and international level. Along with his numerous directorships, he is a board member of joint ventures established by the Crown to purchase health services for the iwi of the Bay of Plenty, Taranaki, Waikato and Tairawhiti.
Lyall chairs the HAC and is a member of CPHAC.
Rob Vigor-Brown
Rob is a lawyer and has served on the Lakes DHB Board for four terms. He is passionate about mental health, youth health and financial accountability. Rob Vigor-Brown chairs the Disability Support Advisory Committee, is a member of FAC and also the Taupō District Community Health Forum.
Rob Vigor-Brown passed away on March 29.
Aroha Morgan
Iwi representative Aroha Morgan was appointed to the Board as the Te Arawa representative in March 2020.
Aroha Morgan is from Tuhourangi, Ngāti Wahiao, Ngāti Rangiwewehi, Tapuika and Waitaha and is the Chair of Te Roopu Hauora o Te Arawa. She has worked in the health sector for over 30 years as a service provider, in planning and funding and at a governance level.
Trudy Ake
Trudy Ake was appointed to the Board as the Ngati Tūwharetoa iwi representative in March 2020.
Trudy was formally welcomed in July, accompanied by Tā Tumu Te Heuheu and a delegation from Tūwharetoa as well as family members.
Trudy Ake has been involved in health for many years including facilitating the development of a Tūwharetoa health strategic plan under the guidance of Sir Hepi Te Heuheu which led to the establishment of Tūwharetoa Health Services. She has links to Ngāti Pikiao and has worked in the Rotorua community before when Lakes was part of the Bay of Plenty Health Board.
Allison Lawton
Allison’s professional background is supported by extensive senior management and chief executive experience across public, corporate, tertiary, tourism, and management consultancy sector experience. Allison’s iwi affiliation are Tuwharetoa and Rongowhaakata. She is currently the Managing Director/Consulting Director at Avid Business Agency - an accounting and management consulting practice. Member of FAC – Finance and Audit Committee. Allison was appointed from the 16 April 2021.