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Our Citizens Health Council

Our Citizens Health Council supports and enables our communities to have a say in the design and delivery of health services in the greater Wellington region. The Citizens Health Council does this by facilitating discussions between communities and the district health board (DHB). This helps ensure that the voices of people using health services are heard at every level of decision making, including board level.

The council is made up of a diverse group of people whose experience, networks and discussions with our wider communities will help inform the DHB’s future planning and design of health services for our region.

Citizens Health Council members

  • Diana Crossan Chairperson

    Diana was the Chief Executive for Wellington Free Ambulance from February 2013 to 26 May 2017.Prior to this she worked in the management team at AMP and has held several senior roles in the public service. Diana was Chair of the JR McKenzie Trust for 10 years and also the Ngai Tahu Savings Scheme, Whai Rawa for 9 years.

    She was New Zealand’s Retirement Commissioner for 10 years and is on several boards in the private, public and community sectors. These focus on justice and wellbeing for New Zealanders and include work with disadvantaged women and families, financial literacy, financial products and support for refugees.

    Diana was appointed Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the 2019 New Year honours.

  • Gregg Coyle

  • Ria Earp

    Ria has had extensive leadership experience in health, social services and the public sector. Ria now provides contract services as advisor (policy and service design) and locum manager (especially in the NGO sector). As well as being a member of the Citizen’s Health Council for Capital & Coast DHB, she is the current Chair of Te Rōpū Taki Māori, the Māori advisory group for Hospice New Zealand and the Chair of Te Rōpū, the Māori advisory group for Health Quality and Safety Commission.

    Ria has a BA in Anthropology, an MA in Applied Social Work and a Masters of Business Administration. Ria has a deep interest in quality health services and Māori community development. Ria is Te Arawa iwi (Ngāti Whakaue and Ngāti Pikiao).

  • Debbie Leyland

  • Dr Alvin Mitikulena

  • Brad Olsen

    Brad is a senior economist. He focuses on industry and region-specific economic trends and has an interest in wellbeing and government economics. He is a community leader in Wellington and New Zealand and serves on the Wellington City Youth Council and the Wellington District Licensing Committee as well as the Citizens Health Council.

    Previously, he has been the Chair of the Whangarei District Council Youth Advisory Group, a member of the Youth Steering Group for Octane Youth Health in Whangarei, a National Youth Advisor, and a UNICEF Youth Ambassador. In 2016, Brad was named as New Zealand’s Queen’s Young Leader for his youth leadership and engagement.

  • Jenny Rowan

Last updated 21 May 2019.