Full name: Northern A Health and Disability Ethics Committee
Short name: Northern A HDEC
Abbreviation: NTA
OHRP(external link) ref: IRB00008714
Please note it is inappropriate to contact committee members directly regarding HDEC matters.
Download HDEC Terms of Reference [PDF, 109 KB]
No meetings were postponed or cancelled due to inability to make quorum.
Membership category: Lay (Law)
Date of appointment: 09 June 2025
Current term expires: 08 June 2030
Catherine qualified from the university of Auckland with a LLB/BA. Catherine is a barrister at Quay Chambers in central Auckland. She has been practising law with a particular interest in medico-legal issues, since 2000.
Catherine is currently the Deputy Chairperson of the Social Workers Complaints and Disciplinary Tribunal, and a member of the Massey University Human Ethics Committee.
Membership category: Non-Lay (Observational Studies)
Date of appointment: 09 June 2025
Current term expires: 08 June 2029
Kate works at the University of Auckland as Programme Manager of the NETwork! Project, a NZ-wide multidisciplinary project investigating the incidence, treatment and genomic basis of neuroendocrine cancer. Previously, Kate was Director of Business Operations, for Proacta, a biotechnology start-up company developed new treatments for oncology in partnership with the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre. Kate has also worked with Auckland UniServices, focusing on commercializing technologies invented at the University of Auckland.
Before moving to New Zealand, Kate worked at GlaxoSmithkline in the United Kingdom as a Manager in the Business Projects Team, advising the R&D business on strategic and operational issues. She also spent five years at ISO Healthcare consulting (now part of the Monitor Group) and six years at CMR International, a not for profit research organisation that advises the pharmaceutical industry on issues in international drug development.
She has a PhD in drug development from the University of Wales (Cardiff) and a MSc in Clinical Pharmacology from the University of Aberdeen.
Membership category: Lay (Law/Ethical Reasoning)
Date of appointment: 15 September 2025
Current term expires: 14 September 2030
Based in Auckland, Jonathan has considerable insight into the Health and disability sector with lived experience of disability. He works as a community liaison with the Electoral Commission. He served as a member of the Advisory Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technology from 2013 to 2020. Jonathan holds a law degree from Canterbury University and a Post Graduate Diploma with Distinction in Health Sciences (Endorsed in Bioethics) from Otago University.
Membership category: Non-lay (Intervention studies)
Date of appointment: 09 June 2025
Current term expires: 08 June 2030
Andrea is a public health physician with executive level expertise in governance and regulation.
Andrea is currently employed as a member of the Environmental Protection Authority, Hazardous Substances and new Organisms Committee. Her previous roles include Vaccines Medical Director at GSK Australia and New Zealand, and Medical and Regulatory Affairs Director Australia and New Zealand at Sanofi Pasteur. She has also held a range of roles at the Ministry of Health including Senior Advisor Public Health Medicine in Communicable Disease and Principal Technical Specialist in Medsafe.
Andrea is a member of the Australian Society of Infectious Diseases, the International Society of Infectious Diseases, and the Public Health Association of Australia.
Membership category: Lay
Date of appointment: 03 March 2025
Current term expires: 02 March 2030
Dr Catriona McBean has a career in Sport Management, most recently in disability sport. She holds a PhD in Disability Sport from the University of Waikato. In 2025, Dr McBean was appointed to the Sport Integrity Commission Disciplinary Panel.
Membership category: Non-lay
Date of appointment: 09 June 2025
Current term expires: 08 June 2029
Dr Katrina Gibson has a broad range of clinical experience having worked in a variety of specialties in the UK and New Zealand. She initially trained and worked in General Practice, developing an interest in Palliative care which eventually led her to retrain. She has also worked as a national facilitator teaching advanced communication skills. Her current clinical work is as a locum Palliative Medicine Specialist. Katrina's particular interests are in paediatrics, advocating for equity and inclusion for people with disabilities and in all aspects of communication.
Membership category: Lay
Date of appointment: 15 September 2025
Current term expires: 14 September 2028
[Bio to come]
Membership category: Non-lay
Date of appointment: 15 September 2025
Current term expires: 14 September 2028
Sophie Woodger is a Registered Nurse with over a decade of senior leadership experience in health and social services. She currently serves as General Manager in the mental health and wellbeing sector, leading strategic direction and operations in complex healthcare environments. Her background combines clinical expertise with extensive executive experience. Sophie brings to the Committee a commitment to ethical practice informed by both frontline clinical experience and senior governance perspective.
