Our people
Chris Roberts – Chief Executive
Before joining NZPSHA in May 2025, Chris was working as a business consultant. His varied career has included almost eight years as chief executive of Tourism Industry Aotearoa, and part-ownership of a respected research agency. He began his career as a radio journalist before working as a media advisor at Parliament. Chris then worked in Corporate Affairs in the energy and tourism sectors before taking on his first association head role with TIA, where he ably led the tourism industry through the COVID pandemic.
Blair Roxborough – President
Blair Roxborough is the Chief Executive Officer at St George's Hospital, Director St George's Cancer Care Centre, Director Heart Centre 2003 and Director RESS JV Ltd.
Prior to joining St George's Hospital, Blair held executive leadership positions in the Tourism sector in New Zealand and overseas, most recently in Melbourne where he was responsible for both luxury and main stream hotel accommodation brands in Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.
Blair is a Member of Certified Practicing Accountants (CPA) and a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Directors (GAICD).
Fiona Michel – Vice-President
Chief Executive – Braemar Hospital, Hamilton
Since 2021 Fiona has been CEO at one of New Zealand's largest private hospitals. She has executive and governance experience in health, technology, banking, insurance, public service, property, primary industry and utilities. She holds an MBA from the University of Auckland, is an alumnus of Harvard Business School, a Chartered Member of the NZ Institute of Directors and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, and a Chartered Fellow of the Australian Human Resources Institute. Fiona is an Independent Director for New Zealand Medical Indemnity Insurance and is Chair of the Board of Trustees for Dress for Success Hamilton.
Prior to joining Braemar Hospital, Fiona was seconded into the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Vaccination and Immunisation Programme to lead the identification and development of new vaccinators and manage health stakeholder relationships across the Northern Region.
Michael Quirke – Executive member
Michael is currently the Chief Executive Officer for Evolution Healthcare’s Hospitals and Day Surgeries. Michael has a breadth of experience across the public and private healthcare systems in New Zealand and Australia which includes executive leadership roles in surgical hospitals, primary care and radiology.
Michael’s most recent appointments have been as CEO of Mercy Radiology and Board Director for the Auckland District Health Board. Prior to this he has spent time with Medibank, Healthscope, Healthcare Holdings and Southern Cross Hospitals. He is a member of the Institute of Directors and has served on several boards as director, with recent Chair roles including the Child Poverty Action Group and Affinity Medical Imaging.
Michael’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Health Sciences and a Masters in Business Administration.
Richard Whitney – Executive member
Richard is the Chief Executive Officer of Mercy Hospital Dunedin Ltd, an entity of the Sisters of Mercy New Zealand Ministries Trust. He is a graduate of both Otago and Massey universities and has over 30 years health experience, across Public and Private, Primary and secondary sectors in New Zealand and overseas. In addition to his CEO role, he also holds Directorships with Mercy Heart Centre, Mercy Cancer Care, and is a Director of NZ Red Cross. Richard was elected to the NZPSHA Executive in 2011, taking the lead in the Health Workforce Development portfolio.
Angela Dewhirst – Chair, Quality Managers Network
Angela is the Quality Manager for Mercy Hospital Dunedin. Angela started as a Laboratory Technician and then trained as a Cardiac Physiologist, a role she practiced for eighteen years. Angela then retrained, doing the qualifications to practice in Anaesthetics; assisting anaesthetists, and specialising in perioperative patient care. Angela became President of the New Zealand Anaesthetic Technicians Society and served on the Medical Sciences Council. She was the Professional Lead for Anaesthetics in the Southern District, while also working in a districtwide clinical governance role. In 2022, Angela took up her present role with Mercy and she is a current member of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal. Angela’s postgraduate study has focused on Interprofessional Practice, Patient Safety, and Restorative Practice in healthcare.
Lynne Downing – Secretary, Quality Managers Network
Lynne is the Quality Coordinator and Infection Preventionist at Royston Hospital in Hastings. She has extensive experience in the health care field in New Zealand and the United States, including senior hospital management, infection prevention & control, quality & risk management, adult critical care and emergency nursing.
Her project management roles have included hospital construction and renovation, inpatient and outpatient services such as a comprehensive breast health navigation programme, electronic medical record implementation, and centres of excellence programmes including advanced primary stroke and coronary artery disease certification.
Lynne also served as the NZPSHA representative to the Strategic Infection Prevention and Control Advisory Group for two terms and is the lead Infection Preventionist for Evolution Healthcare.
Steph Feldbrugge – Co-Chair Nurse and Clinical Leaders Group
Steph is the Colleague and Capacity Manager at St George’s and her areas of focus within this role are wellbeing and culture, maximising colleague potential, payroll, and operational excellence within the HR portfolio.
Steph has a passion for working with people particularly in areas of developing leaders at all levels within St George’s and building a culture where people love to come to work. Her experience covers a wide range of industries including engineering banking, insurance and FMCG. She is also very passionate about her community involvement with the New Zealand Spinal Trust.
Jacky Bush – Co-Chair Nurse and Clinical Leaders Group
Jacky joined Healthcare Holdings Limited in October 2023 as Group Manager Quality, Safety and Clinical Risk. Before this, she served as the Quality and Risk Manager at Waitematā District Health Board (DHB) for eight years. During her tenure at Waitematā, she spent time supporting the Northern Region’s COVID-19 response as the Quality and Risk Lead.
Jacky has over 20 years of health sector senior leadership experience in both operational and corporate functions, working in the NHS in the United Kingdom and in DHBs in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has extensive experience of successfully creating and implementing governance structures that provide Boards with the confidence of quality and risk performance reporting and accountability. She is passionate about coaching and supporting staff, and organisations, to deliver a safe and effective service, one that learns and improves through the experiences and outcomes of staff, patients and whānau.