John has been a member of the PMMRC since 2017 and has served as the Chair of this Committee since 2018. He was also Co-Chair of the Maternity Morbidity Working Group (MMRWG), a working group of the PMMRC.
John is the Chief Medical Officer at Capital & Coast DHB and Hutt Valley DHB. He has been a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in Wellington since 1986.
John is an active member and leader of several other groups including but not limited to:
- Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board (CV-ISMB)
- Vice President of the Asia & Oceania federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AOFOG)
- member of the National Maternity Monitoring Group (NMMG)
- member of the ACC Neonatal Encephalopathy Taskforce
In June 2022, Dr Tait was made an Officer of the Order (ONZM) for services to obstetrics and gynaecology.
Rose is an obstetrician and gynaecologist working in Wellington. Currently she is the clinical leader for obstetrics at Capital & Coast DHB. She has been a local coordinator for PMMRC for several years.
Rose also serves on the committee’s maternal working group.
Robin Cronin is a research midwife specialist based in Auckland. Her midwifery experience includes home birth to high-level hospital care and continuity of care, and she continues to work in clinical practice at Middlemore Hospital. Robin teaches at the Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland and is a member of international research teams working on perinatal bereavement, maternal sleep, stillbirth and fetal movements. She is also a member of the steering committee of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand. She has completed a Master of Midwifery on midwives’ management of perineal care (Victoria University of Wellington) and a PhD in obstetrics and gynaecology on modifiable risk factors for late stillbirth (University of Auckland). She has published over 30 articles in quality peer-reviewed journals and presented at more than 50 national and international conferences in the past decade. Her PhD research on maternal late pregnancy sleep position and stillbirth prevention is cited in clinical guidelines in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Liza (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) is a neonatal paediatrician; Children’s Health and NICU Neonatal Paediatrician, at Southern District Health Board; Clinical Senior Lecturer Kohatu Centre for Hauora Māori, Division of Health Sciences and Clinical Senior Lecturer, at the Dunedin School of Medicine University of Otago. Liza is the lead author on the recently published ‘He Tamariki Kokoti Tau: Tackling preterm incidence and outcomes of preterm births by ethnicity in Aotearoa New Zealand 2010-2014’ which shows that evidence-based medical care is systematically advantaging and privileging outcomes for some women within Aotearoa New Zealand’s maternity system.
Claire is a midwife with experience in community, hospital, urban and rural settings, from home birth to complex tertiary-level care. Claire has also served in a number of positions as a regional and national midwifery representative, as a liaison midwife and has led the development of maternity clinical guidelines.
Claire works as a midwifery advisor for the New Zealand College of Midwives. She is a public health masters student and has a strong interest in working towards equitable health outcomes, not just outputs.
Claire brings a national midwifery perspective to the committee.
Lisa (Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Porou) stands on behalf of bereaved families and whānau to bring a voice to spaces that are typically data driven and has been a member of the PMMRC since 2017. Lisa also is a member of Ngā Pou Arawhenua, the Māori Caucus which sits across Suicide, Family Violence, Perinatal, Perioperative and Child and Youth Mortality Committees.
Lisa is a ‘friend of Sands’, a peer to peer bereaved parents support network. Her daughter Jasmine Lee, along with her five siblings who did not enter the world of light bring her to this important work.
Lisa works as the Chief Advisor Māori Health, Whānau Āwhina Plunket.
She has been involved in the Sleep on Side project, which is a campaign to share information on safe sleeping positions for women in pregnancy. Lisa has also been involved in the Whetūrangitia website. This is a site which supports people to find up-to-date truthful information from a number of organisations and agencies.
Kasey (Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Te Arawa) is an Obstetrician Gynaecologist currently working at Rotorua Hospital, Lakes DHB. She has long held roles that focus on Maori womens health and striving for health equity, and is a current committee member of He Hono Wāhine, RANZOG; and Te Roopu Whakakaupapa Urutaa. Through MIHI (Maori Indigenous Health Institute, University of Otago, Christchurch) she has helped develop cultural competency and safety modules for both medical students and postgraduate RANZCOG trainees and fellows.
Dr John Tait (ONZM) - Chair
John has been a member of the PMMRC since 2017 and has served as the Chair of this Committee since 2018. He was also Co-Chair of the Maternity Morbidity Working Group (MMRWG), a working group of the PMMRC.
John is the Chief Medical Officer at Capital & Coast DHB and Hutt Valley DHB. He has been a consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist in Wellington since 1986.
John is an active member and leader of several other groups including but not limited to:
- Chair of the COVID-19 Vaccine Independent Safety Monitoring Board (CV-ISMB)
- Vice President of the Asia & Oceania federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecology (AOFOG)
- member of the National Maternity Monitoring Group (NMMG)
- member of the ACC Neonatal Encephalopathy Taskforce
In June 2022, Dr Tait was made an Officer of the Order (ONZM) for services to obstetrics and gynaecology.
Dr Rose Elder - Deputy chair
Rose is an obstetrician and gynaecologist working in Wellington. Currently she is the clinical leader for obstetrics at Capital & Coast DHB. She has been a local coordinator for PMMRC for several years.
Rose also serves on the committee’s maternal working group.
Robin Cronin
Robin Cronin is a research midwife specialist based in Auckland. Her midwifery experience includes home birth to high-level hospital care and continuity of care, and she continues to work in clinical practice at Middlemore Hospital. Robin teaches at the Auckland University of Technology and the University of Auckland and is a member of international research teams working on perinatal bereavement, maternal sleep, stillbirth and fetal movements. She is also a member of the steering committee of the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand. She has completed a Master of Midwifery on midwives’ management of perineal care (Victoria University of Wellington) and a PhD in obstetrics and gynaecology on modifiable risk factors for late stillbirth (University of Auckland). She has published over 30 articles in quality peer-reviewed journals and presented at more than 50 national and international conferences in the past decade. Her PhD research on maternal late pregnancy sleep position and stillbirth prevention is cited in clinical guidelines in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.
Dr Liza Edmonds
Liza (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Whātua) is a neonatal paediatrician; Children’s Health and NICU Neonatal Paediatrician, at Southern District Health Board; Clinical Senior Lecturer Kohatu Centre for Hauora Māori, Division of Health Sciences and Clinical Senior Lecturer, at the Dunedin School of Medicine University of Otago. Liza is the lead author on the recently published ‘He Tamariki Kokoti Tau: Tackling preterm incidence and outcomes of preterm births by ethnicity in Aotearoa New Zealand 2010-2014’ which shows that evidence-based medical care is systematically advantaging and privileging outcomes for some women within Aotearoa New Zealand’s maternity system.
Claire MacDonald
Claire is a midwife with experience in community, hospital, urban and rural settings, from home birth to complex tertiary-level care. Claire has also served in a number of positions as a regional and national midwifery representative, as a liaison midwife and has led the development of maternity clinical guidelines.
Claire works as a midwifery advisor for the New Zealand College of Midwives. She is a public health masters student and has a strong interest in working towards equitable health outcomes, not just outputs.
Claire brings a national midwifery perspective to the committee.
Lisa Paraku
Lisa (Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Porou) stands on behalf of bereaved families and whānau to bring a voice to spaces that are typically data driven and has been a member of the PMMRC since 2017. Lisa also is a member of Ngā Pou Arawhenua, the Māori Caucus which sits across Suicide, Family Violence, Perinatal, Perioperative and Child and Youth Mortality Committees.
Lisa is a ‘friend of Sands’, a peer to peer bereaved parents support network. Her daughter Jasmine Lee, along with her five siblings who did not enter the world of light bring her to this important work.
Lisa works as the Chief Advisor Māori Health, Whānau Āwhina Plunket.
She has been involved in the Sleep on Side project, which is a campaign to share information on safe sleeping positions for women in pregnancy. Lisa has also been involved in the Whetūrangitia website. This is a site which supports people to find up-to-date truthful information from a number of organisations and agencies.
Dr Kasey Tāwhara
Kasey (Ngāti Raukawa ki te tonga, Ngāti Porou, Taranaki, Te Arawa) is an Obstetrician Gynaecologist currently working at Rotorua Hospital, Lakes DHB. She has long held roles that focus on Maori womens health and striving for health equity, and is a current committee member of He Hono Wāhine, RANZOG; and Te Roopu Whakakaupapa Urutaa. Through MIHI (Maori Indigenous Health Institute, University of Otago, Christchurch) she has helped develop cultural competency and safety modules for both medical students and postgraduate RANZCOG trainees and fellows.
Last updated: 13th November, 2021
