ASM 2025 Speakers

Invited Speakers

Hear from an exciting lineup of international and local speakers. The programme will inform and inspire through thought-provoking lectures and stimulating discussions.

Keynote Speaker

Prof Bruce Biccard

Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetic Science

Oxford University, United Kingdom

Prof Bruce Biccard

Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetic Science

Bruce Biccard is the Nuffield Professor of Anaesthetic Science at the University of Oxford. His research interests include perioperative medicine, perioperative outcomes and global surgery. A proponent of international collaborative research, Professor Biccard collaborates with the African Perioperative Research Group (APORG), which has delivered the African Surgical Outcomes Study (ASOS), the ASOS-2 Trial, the African Covid-19 Critical Care Outcomes Study (ACCCOS), the African Surgical Outcomes Study in Paediatric patients (ASOS-Paeds), and the African Critical Illness Outcomes Study (ACIOS). He is the co-lead for the NIHR Global Health Group on Perioperative and Critical Care and a National Research Foundation (NRF) A-Rated Scientist. Prof Biccard has also published a book titled Safer surgery for Africa: Challenges and Solutions.

Keynote Speaker

Prof Fred Mihm

Professor of Anaesthesiology Perioperative and Pain Medicine (ICU)

Stanford University, California, USA

Prof Fred Mihm

Professor of Anaesthesiology Perioperative and Pain Medicine (ICU)

Fred Mihm is Professor of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine at Stanford University Medical and has been on the faculty at Stanford since 1979

His major area of interest is critical care medicine, regional anaesthesia and the care of complex medical patients requiring high-risk anaesthetics and surgery. He has a particular interest in a rare, life-threatening endocrine tumor (pheochromocytoma) and has cared for more than 300 patients with this condition.

After medical school at Saint Louis University, postgraduate training followed in internal medicine at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Irvine campus.

He changed tracks into anaesthesiology at Stanford University and finished with a fellowship in critical care medicine at Stanford and Harvard Universities. He has held various leadership positions within the Anesthesia Department, including; Residency Program Director, CCM Fellowship Program Director, Division Chief of Critical Care Medicine and Co-Medical Director of the intensive care units at Stanford University Medical Center.

He has published more than 100 articles or book chapters in areas of cardiopulmonary monitoring, regional anaesthesia and the preoperative care of pheochromocytoma patients.

Aside from his routine academic duties, he has enjoyed volunteering at the San Francisco and San Diego Zoos and the Gorilla Foundation (Woodside, California) for more than 40 years. He has assisted in more than 100 anaesthetics involving many rare and exotic animal species (gorillas, giraffes, lions, tigers, elephants). His favourite animal patient was Koko, the gorilla who knew sign language.

Dr Mihm has a passion for global health missions. On many missions he has provided anaesthesia for life-changing plastic/reconstructive surgery for the poor.

Some excursions have been entirely educational. He has completed 50 trips (two years total) to various Central/South American countries, Africa, and Southeast Asia. His most recent trips were to Honduras, Rwanda, Guatemala, Palestine, Zimbabwe, Trinidad and Ethiopia.

These experiences provide a poignant connection with the rest of the real world. They are a powerful opportunity to give to those patients who can never repay and equip low-resourced providers with practical, bedside education.

NZSA Invited Speaker

Iris Reuvecamp

Lawyer

Vida Law, Wellington

Iris Reuvecamp

Lawyer

Iris is a barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and a Solicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales. Iris has been practising as a health and disability law specialist for twenty years both as inhouse counsel and as an external advisor. Iris appears regularly in a range of courts and tribunals and is a court appointed lawyer for the subject person under the Protection of Personal and Property Rights Act 1988 and lawyer for the child. She is an Affiliate of the Law Faculty and a Professional Practice Fellow of the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago and teaches on health and disability law. Iris has published on a range of topics relevant to health and disability law. Iris was co-editor of Mental Capacity Law in New Zealand (Thomson Reuters, Wellington, 2019). Iris holds a number of health and disability sector governance roles. She is also chair of the Ethics Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology and a member of the Clinical Advisory Ethics Group for Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley District, Te Whatu Ora.

ANZCA Invited Speaker

Dr Mark Hamilton

Clinical Lead, Vascular Surgery

Northern Territory, Australia

Dr Mark Hamilton

Clinical Lead, Vascular Surgery

Mark Hamilton is the Clinical Lead for Vascular Surgery in the NT. He trained in NZ and Australia, and was a consultant at Waikato Hospital before moving to Australia to follow the golden rainbow and increase the IQ of both countries. For almost ten years he was the sole vascular surgeon in the NT, with a catchment of 1.8 million sq km and 300,000 people as a sole provider. The NT is the most socially disadvantaged jurisdiction in Australasia, with ~30% Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who make up 70% of healthcare users. The vascular service in the NT provides comprehensive evidence based vascular treatments for all of the NT and the upper 1/3 of WA as well as Timor Leste. He is also part of AUSMAT Humanitarian Assistance Teams, is actively involved in education at both undergraduate and post graduate level, and for many years has been part of outreach programs to the pacific, particularly for provision of dialysis access. He’s not much of a clever researcher, but has muddled through a few publications over the years. His main interest is in provision of high quality, timely and evidence based care to the people who need it most.

Alan Merry Orator

Prof Jamie Sleigh

Professor of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care

Waikato Clinical School, University of Auckland, Hamilton, New Zealand

Prof Jamie Sleigh

Professor of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care

Jamie Sleigh is Professor of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care at the Waikato Clinical School, of the University of Auckland, Hamilton, New Zealand. He grew up in Zimbabwe, and specialised in anaesthesia in the United Kingdom, before moving to New Zealand in 1988. He has practiced in both intensive care medicine and anaesthesia – with particular interests in anaesthesia for vascular surgery and neurosurgery. His current research interests include: the practical use of EEG in anaesthesia; EEG signal processing; the modelling of brain dynamics in anaesthesia, sleep, and seizures; pharmacokinetics of anaesthetic drugs; and the development of ketamine ester analogues.

Dr Nabeela Ahmed

Maxillofacial Surgeon

Tauranga Hospital

Dr Nabeela Ahmed

Maxillofacial Surgeon

Nabeela is a UK trained OMFS surgeon, who has trained in London and the East Midlands. She undertook post training fellowships in Darwin, Australia and Hamilton, New Zealand before returning to work in the UK as a consultant at Queens Medical Centre (QMC), Nottingham until January 2024. Across her training she worked in several major trauma centres including Kings, St George’s and at the QMC, hence her specialist interest in trauma, both primary and secondary management. She has authored a handbook for juniors managing OMFS on-call, alongside several book chapters in key OMFS textbooks, reflecting her interest in teaching/training the next generation of maxillofacial surgeons. She relocated to New Zealand with her family in January 2024 and currently works in Tauranga.

A/Prof Martyn Beaven

University of Waikato

Adams Centre for High Performance, Mount Maunganui

A/Prof Martyn Beaven

University of Waikato

Originally from Rotorua, Associate Professor Martyn Beaven has worked in High Performance sport in Australia, Sweden, Malaysia, America, and New Zealand. He is based at the University of Waikato Adams Centre for High Performance in Mount Maunganui and works alongside the NZ sevens programme and provided sports science support to the Chiefs, All Blacks, Emirates Team New Zealand, and the Waikato/BOP Magic as well as NZ Cycling.

Dr Rebecca Brinkler

Te Whatu Ora Waitematā

Auckland

Dr Rebecca Brinkler

Te Whatu Ora Waitematā

Dr Rebecca Brinkler is an anaesthesia SMO at Waitematā. Her specialty interests are in obstetrics and orthopaedics and she has a strong interest in global anaesthesia, working with mercy ships as well as other anaesthesia support and educational groups globally.

Dr Vanessa Caldwell

Deputy Commissioner Operations

Health and Disability Commissioner — Te Toihau Hauora, Hauātanga

Dr Vanessa Caldwell

Deputy Commissioner Operations

Dr Vanessa Caldwell (Kāi Tahu, Te Rapuwai, Waitaha, Kati Māmoe) was appointed to the role of Deputy Commissioner in 2021. She brings extensive knowledge of the health system with particular experience in mental health and addictions. Her previous roles have included Clinical Executive, Mental Health & Addictions, MidCentral DHB and National Director of Matua Raki, Addictions workforce development. Vanessa has a doctorate in Health Science, an MBA, and practised as a registered psychologist. She is an elected member of the Te Ati Awa/Ngati Toa Hauora Partnership Board and is passionate about developing consumer and whānau-centred health systems, workforce development, and ensuring that people of Aotearoa New Zealand have equitable access to high quality care when needed.

Dr Doug Campbell

Neuroanaesthetist and Clinical Researcher

Auckland City Hospital

Dr Doug Campbell

Neuroanaesthetist and Clinical Researcher

Dr Doug Campbell is a neuroanaesthetist and clinical researcher from Auckland City Hospital. He has been involved with the development of the Auckland and national stroke thrombectomy service since its inception. He has over 20 stroke related publications and is the principal investigator for the MASTERSTROKE trial, and developing other phase 1, 2 and 3 randomised trials in stroke. The theme of my talk will be to translate this clinical and research experience from stroke into practical lessons for anaesthetists involved in the care of brain injured patients.

Dr Elizabeth Cawson

Specialist Anaesthetist

Alfred Health, Melbourne

Dr Elizabeth Cawson

Specialist Anaesthetist

Dr Elizabeth Cawson is a Specialist Anaesthetist at Alfred Health, where she is the Clinical Lead for Perioperative Medicine and Coordinator of the High-Risk Anaesthetic Clinic. In these roles, she leads multidisciplinary services dedicated to the optimisation of complex surgical patients, the development of perioperative guidelines, and the delivery of quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient outcomes. Dr Cawson has extensive anaesthesia experience across a wide range of surgical subspecialties, with a particular focus on complex neuroanaesthesia and trauma. She is also a Lecturer in the Master of Perioperative Medicine program at Monash University and a Clinical Supervisor for ANZCA’s Chapter of Perioperative Medicine, contributing to the education of future leaders in the field. She is recognised for her clinical leadership and commitment to advancing multidisciplinary models of care for patients with significant comorbidities.

Dr Brian Chan

Cardiac Anaesthetist

Gold Coast, Australia

Dr Brian Chan

Cardiac Anaesthetist

My name is Brian, I’ve been a cardiothoracic anaesthetist in Waikato, NZ for almost 20 years and in the last year, the Gold Coast. When I started training; Beethoven had been dead for 14 years. I initially started my medicine career as a cardiology trainee. I am lucky enough after 20+ years to still love what I do. I am married to Andy, a saint of a woman, and have 3 sons. My passion is teaching. When I’m not at work I go down rabbit holes like listening to records very loudly, drink whisky, long distance cycle and obtuse things like high aspect ratio foils in the AC72s.

Dr Carolyn Deng

Consultant Anaesthetist

Auckland City Hospital, Auckland

Dr Carolyn Deng

Consultant Anaesthetist

Dr Carolyn Deng is a specialist anaesthetist at the Department of Anaesthesia and Perioperative Care, Te Toka Tumai Auckland and an Honorary Lecturer at the University of Auckland. She completed a Master of Public Health with first class honours in 2019. Her research interests are in surgical epidemiology, health equity, and studying the effects of anaesthesia on the brain, such as in acute ischaemic stroke and understanding cognitive outcomes after surgery. She is the principal investigator on a proposed multicentre clinical trial studying the effects of depth of anaesthesia on postoperative delirium.

Mr Hamish Deverall

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Waikato Hospital

Mr Hamish Deverall

Orthopaedic Surgeon

Mr Hamish Deverall completed his Orthopaedic training in 2010. He undertook fellowship spine training at Waikato Hospital and in Brisbane, where he trained at the Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane Private Hospital, and Mater Children’s Hospital. During this time, he was fortunate to be mentored by leaders in spine surgery at the AO Spine Reference Centre in Brisbane. His training encompassed surgical procedures for adults and children affected by trauma, tumours, infections, deformities, and degenerative conditions of the spine. Since joining the Orthopaedic Department at Waikato Hospital in 2012, Mr Deverall has been dedicated to providing a tertiary-level spine service to the central North Island. His practice is focused exclusively on spinal conditions, allowing him to deliver high-standard care for complex spinal disorders.

Dr Louise Ellard

Deputy Director of Anaesthesia; President Safe Airway Society for Australia and New Zealand

Austin Hospital, and Department of Critical Care, Melbourne Medical School, Melbourne

Dr Louise Ellard

Deputy Director of Anaesthesia; President Safe Airway Society for Australia and New Zealand

Deputy Director of Anaesthesia, Department of Anaesthesia, Austin Hospital

Honorary Clinical Senior Fellow, Department of Critical Care, Melbourne Medical School

President, Safe Airway Society for Australia and New Zealand

Dr Ellard attended The University of Melbourne medical school and completed her Anaesthesia training at Austin Health and Canberra Hospital. She was awarded the Cecil Gray prize for the FANZCA Part 2 Anaesthesia examination in 2009.

She was chief fellow at Toronto General Hospital in 2011 – 2012 and during this time completed fellowships in difficult airway, liver transplantation and cardiac anaesthesia, as well as obtaining accreditation with the National Board of Echocardiography for the advanced peri-operative Trans-oesophageal echocardiography examination. Dr Ellard’s clinical interests include Cardiac surgery, Liver transplantation and major hepatobiliary surgery. She maintains a strong interest in difficult airway management and has published several book chapters and review articles on airway management topics. She completed a Masters of Clinical Leadership (Hons) in 2019.

Dr Dan Frei

Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist and Research Lead

Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Wellington Regional Hospital

Dr Dan Frei

Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist and Research Lead

Dr Dan Frei is a Cardiothoracic Anaesthetist and Research Lead at the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, Wellington Regional Hospital. He also serves as the Anaesthesia Programme Lead at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ). Dr Frei completed his PhD in perioperative oxygen therapy and is the lead investigator of the HRC-funded Hospital Oxygen Therapy – Randomised Oxygen (HOT-ROX) trial. This large-scale randomised clinical trial is designed to evaluate the impact of different perioperative oxygen regimens on the incidence of surgical site infections and other major postoperative complications, as well as explore potential racial bias in pulse oximeters amongst the range of skin tones encountered in the NZ population. He is committed to building research capacity within the anaesthesia profession and currently supervises three PhD candidates in Wellington.

Dr Amy Gaskell

Specialist Anaesthetist, and Senior Lecturer

Te Whatu Ora, Waikato and the University of Auckland

Dr Amy Gaskell

Specialist Anaesthetist, and Senior Lecturer

Amy Gaskell is a Specialist Anaesthetist at Te Whatu Ora | Waikato and Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. Her research interests include EEG monitoring, postoperative delirium, study design, and causal inference in perioperative medicine.

Dr Chris Jephcott

Consultant Anaesthetist, Waikato Anaesthesia Trauma Lead

Te Whatu Ora, Waikato

Dr Chris Jephcott

Consultant Anaesthetist, Waikato Anaesthesia Trauma Lead

Chris grew up in England and graduated in medicine from the University of Birmingham Medical School in 1993. Having completed house jobs in the UK he came out to New Zealand where he fell in love with the country and a Kiwi psychologist called Mel. He has lived and worked in New Zealand since then. Chris was appointed as a consultant anaesthetist at Waikato Hospital in 2007 and as head of the acute pain service developed processes that helped to address and improve burns management at Waikato Hospital. He was awarded the NZ Society of Anaesthetists visiting lectureship in 2011 and has used this opportunity to disseminate some of these techniques to other hospitals around the country. Having handed over the acute pain portfolio, he is the current Waikato anaesthesia trauma lead and teaches on DSATC, the European trauma course as well as the ‘home grown’ multidisciplinary Waikato Trauma Team Training Course. Outside of work he enjoys travel, photography and playing (pretty average) guitar in a local band.

Prof Guy Ludbrook

Professor of Anaesthesia, Head of Acute Care Medicine

Central Adelaide Local Health Network and Adelaide University, Adelaide

Prof Guy Ludbrook

Professor of Anaesthesia, Head of Acute Care Medicine

Professor Ludbrook is Professor of Anaesthesia at Central Adelaide Local Health Network and Adelaide University, Head of Acute Care Medicine at Adelaide University, Medical Lead of Advanced Recovery Room Care, and the Director of PARC Clinical Research. He practices in clinical anaesthesia and increasingly in postoperative care. His research interests focus around health systems and health economics, and early phase clinical trials of new medicines. He sits on a number of healthcare-related boards, including the Perioperative Quality Initiative (POQI) and AusHealth Pty Ltd, and a number of ANZCA and Federal Department of Health advisory committees.

Dr Te Aro Moxon

Paediatrician

Waikato Hospital, Hamilton

Dr Te Aro Moxon

Paediatrician

Dr Te Aro Moxon is of Ngāti Kahungunu and Ngāi Tahu descent. He graduated from Auckland University medical training in 2009. Te Aro is both a general paediatrician and community child health physician, working at Waikato Hospital. Te Aro is also a Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland working for Te Kupenga Hauora Māori and the Department of Paediatrics. In 2019 Te Aro was awarded RACP Trainee of the Year. In 2021 he completed a Master of Science in Global Health Science and Epidemiology at the University of Oxford, supported by the UK government as a Chevening Scholar. Outside of medicine, Te Aro is a graduate of Te Panekiretanga o Te Reo - The Institute of Excellence in the Māori language. He was recently included as one of Te Rau Ora’s 100 Māori Leaders.

Dr Sweta Mudalier

Consultant Anaesthetist

Pacific Society of Anaesthetists, Fiji

Dr Sweta Mudalier

Consultant Anaesthetist

My career in anaesthesia began with a deep fascination for the delicate balance of physiology and pharmacology that keeps patients safe during their most vulnerable moments. Over the past 4 years as an anaesthestist and a year as a Junior Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care at CWM Hospital, Fiji, I’ve had the privilege of honing my skills in everything from routine surgical anaesthesia to high-stakes critical care. In 2024, I achieved a significant milestone by completing my Master's in Anaesthesia, supported by the prestigious Pact Seelye Scholarship —an opportunity that profoundly advanced my clinical expertise and research capabilities. Every day brings new challenges—whether it’s managing complex cases with limited resources, mentoring junior staff, or refining protocols to improve patient outcomes. What drives me is the knowledge that our expertise can transform fear into comfort and uncertainty into safety for both patients and their families. Beyond the hospital walls, I’m committed to lifelong learning and collaboration. The Pact Seelye Scholarship not only supported my academic growth but also reinforced my belief in the power of education to elevate patient care. I actively participate in conferences and workshops, not just to stay updated, but to contribute my frontline experiences—particularly in resource-constrained settings. When I’m not in the operating theatre or ICU, you’ll find me exploring Fiji's sea and beaches and nature. Looking ahead, I’m excited to keep growing as a clinician, educator, and advocate, always guided by the belief that compassionate, evidence-based care can make all the difference.

Dr Phil Quinn

Consultant Anaesthetist

Capital and Coast DHB

Dr Phil Quinn

Consultant Anaesthetist

Phil Quinn is an anaesthetist at Wellington Hospital. He has a particular interest in safety and quality, and currently serves as the NZSA representative on the ANZTADC Webairs committee. He loves cycling, but wishes he had a bigger left ventricle.

Dr Jamie-Lee Rahiri

Te Piringa Kōtuku, University of Auckland

Auckland

Dr Jamie-Lee Rahiri

Te Piringa Kōtuku, University of Auckland

Dr Jamie-Lee Rahiri (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Whātua o Kaipara, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) is a General Surgery trainee and internationally recognised researcher transforming surgical care for Māori in Aotearoa. Her pioneering work addresses inequities in surgical outcomes and reframes how conditions like obesity are understood and managed from a surgical perspective, driving more culturally informed care. Recently honoured with the Dr John Corboy Medal and a L’Oréal-UNESCO For Women in Science Fellowship, Jamie-Lee’s leadership unites clinical excellence, research innovation and community engagement to inspire systemic change and equity in healthcare.

Dr Pablo Richly

Clinical Lead of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

Waikato Hospital, Hamilton

Dr Pablo Richly

Clinical Lead of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

Pablo Richly is an Argentinian psychiatrist who is currently the Clinical Lead of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry at Waikato Hospital in Hamilton, New Zealand. He is a strong advocate for cost-effective healthcare and quality improvement, and has published in several peer-reviewed journals.

Dr Richard Sim

Veterinarian

Hamilton Zoo

Dr Richard Sim

Veterinarian

DVM, MANZCVS (Medicine of Zoo Animals), Dipl. ACZM. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine, USA, Dr. Richard Sim is the Head Veterinarian at Hamilton Zoo. He started his career with post-graduate training in zoo and wildlife hospitals for 4 years. He is a Diplomate of the American College of Zoological Medicine, and was a staff veterinarian for two zoos in the USA before moving to New Zealand in 2022. He loves living here. Being a zoo vet requires using general anaesthesia to achieve good health outcomes across all taxonomic classes. There is always something new to learn and problems to solve; he loves this challenge.

Dr Leigh Solomon

Consultant Anaesthetist

Te Whatu Ora, Bay of Plenty

Dr Leigh Solomon

Consultant Anaesthetist

Leigh Solomon is an anaesthetist, currently based at Tauranga Hospital in New Zealand. Originally from South Africa, she completed her anaesthetic training and early specialist years in Durban before relocating to New Zealand, where she has spent the past five years. While she maintains a reluctant interest in obstetric anaesthesia, her professional focus is increasingly centred on safety and quality improvement initiatives within the perioperative space. Outside of the hospital, Leigh enjoys trail running through native bush, ocean swimming in the Bay of Plenty, and occasionally enjoying the quiet complexity of a well-chosen mezcal.

Dr Tim Starkie

Specialist Anaesthetist

Te Whatu Ora, Waikato

Dr Tim Starkie

Specialist Anaesthetist

Tim Starkie is a specialist anaesthetist based at Waikato Hospital. He has a passion for quality improvement through data-driven care. He currently serves as the ANZCA Quality and Safety Officer for New Zealand and was the chairperson of Anaesthesia Quality Improvement NZ (AQINZ) for a number of years. Tim recently completed his Masters in Health Leadership, further developing his skills in leading healthcare change. He has played an integral role in developing a high acuity area for postoperative patients, and his talk will focus on this journey.

Prof Dave Story

Head of the Department of Critical Care at the University of Melbourne, President ANZCA

Melbourne

Prof Dave Story

Head of the Department of Critical Care at the University of Melbourne, President ANZCA

Dave Story is Professor of Anaesthesia and Head of the Department of Critical Care at the University of Melbourne. He is President of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and sits on the Board of the Council of Presidents of Medical Colleges. His main research interest is clinically and cost-effective approaches to reduce perioperative risk, complications, disability, and mortality. His clinical work covers most procedural specialties including liver transplantation.

Dr Doris Tang

Anaesthetist

Flinders Medical Centre, Adelaide

Dr Doris Tang

Anaesthetist

Doris Tang is an anaesthetist in Adelaide, Australia. Her special interests include advanced airway management and acute pain medicine, having completed fellowships in these areas. Doris loves spending time with her dog and is a big fan of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings Trilogy films - she’s looking forward to the Meeting Dinner!

Dr Meg Walmsley

Consultant Anaesthetist

Deputy Chair of ASAs Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC), Fiji/Timor

Dr Meg Walmsley

Consultant Anaesthetist

Dr Meg Walmsley is an Australian anaesthetist working at the Royal Darwin and Canberra Hospitals. She spent 2 ½ years working in Fiji as the Assistant Professor of Anaesthesia for Fiji National University. During this time she worked in both clinical anaesthesia and was heavily involved in the training of anaesthetic registrars from a number of Pacific Island countries. As deputy chair of ASAs Overseas Development and Education Committee (ODEC) she has ongoing involvement in training and education projects in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Timor Leste and Samoa. Meg has also previously spent 3 seasons in Nepal working as the doctor for Everest Base Camp.

Prof Jennifer Weller

Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education

University of Auckland School of Medicine

Prof Jennifer Weller

Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education

Professor Jennifer Weller leads the Centre for Medical and Health Sciences Education at the University of Auckland School of Medicine, where she established the Masters of Clinical Education programme, an Education PhD pathway and multiple teach the teacher training courses for clinicians, as well as simulation-based crisis management programmes for ANZCA and for New Zealand healthcare teams. She is DPA (Director of Professional Affairs) Education for ANZCA, and sits on multiple education committees within ANZCA. She was a final examiner for 12 years and sat on the Final Exam Committee. She has published widely on workplace-based assessment, simulation-based education and patient safety. She is Patient Safety section editor for Anesthesia and Analgesia and on the Editorial Board of the BJA. She has worked for many years as a specialist anaesthetist first at Wellington Hospital and then at Auckland City Hospital.

Dr Danny Wong

Consultant Anaesthetist

Department of Anaesthesiology, Singapore General Hospital

Dr Danny Wong

Consultant Anaesthetist

Dr Wong obtained his undergraduate medical degree in 2008 from King’s College London, UK. He subsequently completed his specialty training in anaesthesia in London, including subspecialty fellowships in complex airway anaesthesia and regional anaesthesia at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals. He was appointed a Consultant Anaesthetist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust in 2021, before relocating in 2024 to Singapore and taking up a post as a Consultant in the Department of Anaesthesiology at Singapore General Hospital. He has clinical interests in airway management and anaesthesia for ENT, oral-maxillofacial and head and neck Surgery.

During his training in the UK, Dr Wong undertook a period of research with the Royal College of Anaesthetists' NIAA Health Services Research Centre and University College London, obtaining his PhD in 2020. His PhD research investigated the epidemiology of critical care provision after surgery. During the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic, he co-led intubateCOVID, a large international multicentre prospective observational cohort study, which looked at the risks to emergency airway operators performing, and patients undergoing emergency airway management for COVID-19.

For his research contributions to UK anaesthesia, Dr Wong was awarded the Royal College of Anaesthetists President's Commendation in 2019. He was a 2017 Fellow of the Software Sustainability Institute, a UK national facility for cultivating and improving research software to support world-class research. His ongoing research interests are in risk prediction, perioperative outcomes and health services research.

Dr Hamish Wright

Intensivist and Infectious Diseases Physician

Te Whatu Ora - Counties Manukau, Auckland

Dr Hamish Wright

Intensivist and Infectious Diseases Physician

Hamish is a dual trained Intensivist and Infectious Diseases physician, having completed his training across New Zealand as well as some spells in more far flung spaces including Africa and the Pacific. He spent a polar winter as the Physician for the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station run by the United States Antarctic Program. This included the first ever mid-winter medevac of two sick station residents. His professional interests include management of the septic patient, and hospital sepsis management pathways, as well as retrieval medicine and paediatrics.