Council Members

Brett Besley

Chair

Brett is an anaesthetic technician and was appointed to the Medical Sciences Council in June 2019. He has worked in both the public and private sector since qualifying in 2004 and is currently working for Te Whatu Ora - Counties Manukau. Having been born in Papakura, and growing up in South Auckland, he has spent extensive time in both the Manawatū and Canterbury regions and has affiliations to Ngāti Kahungungu and Ngāti Tūwharetoa. Throughout his career he has specialised in clinical education and development, contributing to both the former AUT Applied Science diploma,  MSC CPD audit process, and the online registration examination.

Nicola Swain

Lay member

Associate Professor Nicola Swain was appointed to the Council as a lay member in late 2018. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago, where she does health research. She has published over 70 peer-reviewed journal articles. She also teaches and supervises in well-being programmes at Te Pukenga. Nicola has been, and is currently, involved in a number of boards including: ADL (a mental health provider); Sport Otago; and the Medical Sciences Secretariat. She also sits on the Human Rights Tribunal and the Health and Disability Ethics Committee. Nicola lives in Arrowtown with her family. 

Judy Campbell

 Lay Member

Judy Campbell was appointed to the Council as a lay member in October 2020. Judy is a senior manager who has worked in the public and not for profit sector for the past 30 years, including as the national Education Director for St John, where she was responsible for both First Aid training and the training of Ambulance officers. She has been a Chief Executive in a number of organisations, including the Sport Fitness and Recreation ITO (SFRITO), Tairāwhiti Polytechnic and Gisborne District Council. Her career has a focus on organisations with a strong bicultural focus or need and she recently acted as Chief Executive for an iwi trust board (Tāmanuhiri Tūtū Poroporo Trust). She is currently a consultant helping organisations address issues of strategic change and financial sustainability. She is an experienced board member and Director and is a member of the Institute of Directors. 

Angela Dewhirst

 Anaesthetic Technician

Appointed to the Medical Sciences Council in May 2021, Angela started as a Histology and Cytology Laboratory Technician in 1984. She gained a position in Cardiology in 1986 and completed the qualifications to become a Cardiac Technologist. Angela became a qualified Anaesthetic Technician in 2008. Angela continues to work as an Anaesthetic Technician, part time. Her other job is in clinical governance, as the Quality Improvement leader at Mercy Hospital, Dunedin. Previous to this role, Angela simultaneously held the district wide positions of Professional Lead for Anaesthetics, and Professional Development Facilitator, for Allied Health, Scientific, and Technical, at Southern DHB. For over forty years, Angela has been on various boards and committees such as Parents Centre Aotearoa, School Board of Trustees, NZ Resuscitation Council CORE Instructors Executive, and is a past Chairperson of NZ Anaesthetic Technicians’ Society. Angela has previously been involved with the Council as an auditor of Continuing Professional Development, a member of the Professional Conduct Committee, and was part of the Registrations and Recertification Committee.

Erolia Rooney

Medical Laboratory Scientist

Erolia, a registered Medical Laboratory Scientist, was appointed to the Medical Sciences Council in June 2019. Erolia was the Supervising Scientist for the NZ Blood Bank in the Dunedin hospital but is now the Regional Pacific Lead Te WaiPounamu at Te Whatu Ora. Erolia has been a registered practitioner in NZ for over 18 years. She has been involved in the profession as a NZIMLS examiner and conference organiser, an IANZ technical auditor, a University of Otago pathology tutor, a NZBlood staff trainer, a Samoa measles volunteer practitioner and a promoter of the profession as a career, especially to the Pasifika youth. Erolia is currently involved as a Community Board Trustee on The WellSouth Primary Health Network, The Otago Youth Wellness Trust and recently Diabetes NZ. Erolia volunteers as a Director of The Lupe Faalele a Samoa i Otago Incorporated Societies; as a Catholic Chaplain for the Otago Tertiary Chaplaincy; as a Pasifika voice on the Ōtepoti Community Support Group; the Otago Polytechnic External Advisory Committee; as a Samoan Cultural tutor and interpreter and most recently as an appointed Justice of the Peace.
“O lē pale i le tauasuasu i le vao, e úla i manuia i maota” (Blessings come through good service and deeds).

Varsha Desai

A registered medical laboratory pre-analytical technician, Varsha was appointed to the Medical Sciences Council in June 2019. Varsha has worked as an MLPAT in New Zealand since 2000. Varsha has a NZQA recognized Bachelor of Science (India). Varsha has integrated from being a Phlebotomist, to Phlebotomy trainer, to Team Leader, then to Phlebotomy Quality and Compliance Coordinator. She is currently an Area Manager, managing ADHB Central Collection Centres with Labtests. She coordinates, monitors and oversees the running of the area within best practice while reviewing staff competency levels to ensure all staff are compliant with NZIMS and MSC regulations.

Natasha Caldwell (Packer)

Natasha is a registered medical laboratory scientist who was appointed to the Medical Sciences Council in June 2019. Natasha graduated with a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science from Massey University in 2004 and a Masters in Science, majoring in Medical Laboratory Science in 2009. Natasha worked briefly in Haematology before finding her passion in Histology where she has worked for more than 17 years.  She is now managing the Counties Manukau laboratory and is involved in a number of workforce projects both regionally and nationally. Natasha has been involved in a range of teaching and training opportunities, with her particular focus being in specimen dissection, quality management and workforce development. Natasha joined the Registration Committee in 2016 and Chair of the Registration Committee in 2019.