About the board
The interRAI Leadership Advisory Board (iLAB) is one part of the interRAI governance ecosystem, together with the interRAI Network. The iLAB has a specific focus on responsiveness to Māori, service performance and demand, clinical excellence, technology, and data governance.
iLAB members
Nigel Millar
interRAI Fellow
Dr Nigel Millar is the former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Southern District Health Board, and former CMO at Canterbury District Health Board.
Trained in Newcastle, UK as a geriatrician and internal medicine physician, he came to Christchurch in 1992. During ten years as Clinical Director of the Older Persons Health Service he participated in the Elder Care Canterbury initiative which created a unified and coordinated aged care community. Nigel has led from the front in championing the implementation of clinical information systems, such as shared records across the health service. As part of his work in aged care, Nigel has promoted the implementation of interRAI as a standardised clinical assessment.
Nigel is an interRAI Fellow, an advisor to the Health Quality and Safety Commission, and a director of the Health Round Table. He is a committed lifelong cyclist and an advocate for active transport.
Dr Nigel Millar is the former Chief Medical Officer (CMO) for the Southern District Health Board, and former CMO at Canterbury District Health Board.
Trained in Newcastle, UK as a geriatrician and internal medicine physician, he came to Christchurch in 1992. During ten years as Clinical Director of the Older Persons Health Service he participated in the Elder Care Canterbury initiative which created a unified and coordinated aged care community. Nigel has led from the front in championing the implementation of clinical information systems, such as shared records across the health service. As part of his work in aged care, Nigel has promoted the implementation of interRAI as a standardised clinical assessment.
Nigel is an interRAI Fellow, an advisor to the Health Quality and Safety Commission, and a director of the Health Round Table. He is a committed lifelong cyclist and an advocate for active transport.
Kahli Elvin (Ngāti Ranginui)
Kahli Elvin toku ingoa Te Rūnanga O Ngāti Ranginui. Kahli is Data and Performance Analyst/Māmā Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāruahine, Taranaki.
Kahli's passion is in supporting wellbeing to improve whānau outcomes - to be happy, healthy and well. She is an advocate for people navigating complex government systems, providing knowledge and empowerment.
At Ngāti Ranginui Iwi, Kahli takes an active role in policy changes for the betterment of communities with a focus on quality and business improvement. She has developed a client management database, streamlining staff efficiency to make a difference and provide positive outcomes for whanau. She has also implemented a staff wellbeing Kaupapa to support mental and physical health, overall wellbeing and happiness in mahi and person, creating a safe and healthy staff culture.
Kahli's passion is in supporting wellbeing to improve whānau outcomes - to be happy, healthy and well. She is an advocate for people navigating complex government systems, providing knowledge and empowerment.
At Ngāti Ranginui Iwi, Kahli takes an active role in policy changes for the betterment of communities with a focus on quality and business improvement. She has developed a client management database, streamlining staff efficiency to make a difference and provide positive outcomes for whanau. She has also implemented a staff wellbeing Kaupapa to support mental and physical health, overall wellbeing and happiness in mahi and person, creating a safe and healthy staff culture.
Ngaire Kerse
Professor Ngaire Kerse is a GP academic at the University of Auckland and the inaugural Joyce Cook Chair in Ageing Well.
She has led gerontology research into maintaining independence and equity in health care for older people, for two decades .
She has led over 50 competitive research grants, authored over 350 papers, contributes to teaching at undergraduate and post graduate levels and
advices government on falls prevention, quality medication use and the use of data from comprehensive assessments of older people. She has a particular interest in people with advanced disability living in aged residential care and people in advanced age - 85 and over.
She has led gerontology research into maintaining independence and equity in health care for older people, for two decades .
She has led over 50 competitive research grants, authored over 350 papers, contributes to teaching at undergraduate and post graduate levels and
advices government on falls prevention, quality medication use and the use of data from comprehensive assessments of older people. She has a particular interest in people with advanced disability living in aged residential care and people in advanced age - 85 and over.
Catherine Cooney
JP, RGON, RM, BA (Hons), MInstD, FACHSM, FNZIHM, FCNA (NZ)
Cathy is the Director of Kowhai Health Associates Limited, a health consultancy. She has a background in governance, health sector leadership, public health, community development, nursing and midwifery. She was the Chief Executive of Lakes DHB from 2001 to 2012 and the Director of Nursing and Midwifery from 1994-2000.
Cathy's also holds governance roles for Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, the Kaiāwhina Workforce Action Plan, Healthy Families Rotorua, the West Coast Hospital Redevelopment Partnership Group, Buller Integrated Family Health Centre, Project Mauri Ora - Lakes DHB Mental Health & Addictions Facility redevelopment, and she is also sits on the Health Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal.
Cathy is also involved in faith-based and community organisations in her Rotorua community, including being a Justice of the Peace since 2006 and a Judicial JP since 2013.
Cathy is the Director of Kowhai Health Associates Limited, a health consultancy. She has a background in governance, health sector leadership, public health, community development, nursing and midwifery. She was the Chief Executive of Lakes DHB from 2001 to 2012 and the Director of Nursing and Midwifery from 1994-2000.
Cathy's also holds governance roles for Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology, the Kaiāwhina Workforce Action Plan, Healthy Families Rotorua, the West Coast Hospital Redevelopment Partnership Group, Buller Integrated Family Health Centre, Project Mauri Ora - Lakes DHB Mental Health & Addictions Facility redevelopment, and she is also sits on the Health Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal.
Cathy is also involved in faith-based and community organisations in her Rotorua community, including being a Justice of the Peace since 2006 and a Judicial JP since 2013.
Karen Evison (Ngai Tahu)
Karen joined the interRAI Governance Board in February 2018.
She is the former Director, Strategy Planning and Funding for the Lakes District, Te Whatu Ora. Previously Karen held a number of leadership positions at the Ministry of Health, including as National Programme Manager, CVD/Diabetes and Long Term Conditions. She is a physiotherapist by background.
Karen's passion is supporting the best outcomes for people and communities. She enjoy new challenges and looking at problems in a different way, and delivering outcomes in complex systems.
She is the former Director, Strategy Planning and Funding for the Lakes District, Te Whatu Ora. Previously Karen held a number of leadership positions at the Ministry of Health, including as National Programme Manager, CVD/Diabetes and Long Term Conditions. She is a physiotherapist by background.
Karen's passion is supporting the best outcomes for people and communities. She enjoy new challenges and looking at problems in a different way, and delivering outcomes in complex systems.
Eamon Merrick
Dr Eamon Merrick is Associate Professor of Nursing at the Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney. He is passionate about research that is directly translatable to the clinical environment.
His academic work has been internationally recognised with awards for excellence in clinical governance, and quality improvement. Eamon has been an associate investigator and project manager for research projects funded by the Australian Research Council, New South Wales Health, and the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care; as well as acting as a principal and associate investigator on several internally funded studies.
Eamon has published on the topics of quality and safety in healthcare, workforce development, health service reform, and organisational design.
His academic work has been internationally recognised with awards for excellence in clinical governance, and quality improvement. Eamon has been an associate investigator and project manager for research projects funded by the Australian Research Council, New South Wales Health, and the Australian Commission on Quality and Safety in Health Care; as well as acting as a principal and associate investigator on several internally funded studies.
Eamon has published on the topics of quality and safety in healthcare, workforce development, health service reform, and organisational design.