Te Whatu Ora announces two new Board appointments

GP Dr Jeff Lowe and former Inland Revenue Commissioner Naomi Ferguson, QSO have been appointed to Te Whatu Ora’s Board.

Dr Jeff Lowe trained at University of Otago and graduated in 1984. He is a GP with particular interest in travel medicine and working with children. He worked at Karori Medical Centre as a registrar and locum before becoming a partner. He is a trainer in general practice and has a role teaching general practice to doctors training in this speciality. He is currently chair of General Practice New Zealand, a trustee of Cosine Primary Care Network, and a board member of the Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa and Collaborative Aotearoa.

He also recently worked on Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand – Health New Zealand’s Planned Care Taskforce and COVID-19 Health System Preparedness group.

Naomi Ferguson, QSO brings more than 20 years senior leadership experience in the public sector in New Zealand and the UK to the board of Te Whatu Ora. She was the first woman to be appointed Commissioner of Inland Revenue NZ and led the organisation between 2012 and 2022.

She is on the board of Education Payroll Ltd and on the Ministry of Justice – New Zealand’s Risk and Assurance Committee. Her previous governance roles have been in the tax administration, health and social welfare sectors in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and in international forums such as the OECD.

She also served as a trustee of Diversity Works New Zealand and was the founding sponsor of the Government Women's Network | Te Aka Wāhine o Aotearoa.

The other members of the Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Board are Amy Adams, Tipa Mahuta, Dame Dr Karen Poutasi, Vanessa Stoddart, Dr Curtis Walker and chaired by Rob Campbell.