Introducing the Midwifery Council Members

 Dr Judith McAra Couper, PhD, BA, RM, RGON, Chair

Judith has worked as a midwife both in New Zealand and overseas. Judith is a midwifery lecturer at Auckland University of Technology. She teaches in the midwifery programme and until recently held a joint appointment at Counties Manukau as a clinical midwifery educator in the birthing unit.  In 2009 Judith was awarded a post doctoral scholarship which she has taken up in 2010 and is at present focusing on midwifery and women’s health research. Judith has also been involved since 2009 with the World Health Organization in Bangladesh, developing a midwifery curriculum with the Bangladesh Nursing Council and working with the teachers who teach the new midwifery programme.  Judith is past chairperson of the Auckland region of the New Zealand College of midwives. Judith lives in Auckland with her partner and two cats and is an avid Warriors supporter.

Andrea Vincent, RGON, RM, Deputy Chair

Andrea has worked as a midwife in a variety of settings in New Zealand and overseas. She has worked as a self-employed case loading midwife in Nelson since 1993, covering rural and urban areas, home and hospital births. She is a past chairperson of the Nelson-Marlborough region of the New Zealand College of Midwives. Andrea lives in semi-rural Nelson with her husband and two teenage children. Andrea was appointed in February 2010 for a three year term.

Marion Hunter, MA (Hons, 1st Class), BA, ADN, RM, RGON 

Marion Hunter was appointed to the Midwifery Council in August 2010 for a three year term. She is a Senior Midwifery Lecturer at the School of Midwifery, Auckland University of Technology and for the past 6 years, Marion has maintained a small LMC caseload in a rural/remote rural area. Previous experience includes tertiary and rural hospital midwifery including a clinical midwife specialist position at Counties Manukau DHB.  Marion is currently a Director of the PHARMAC  Seminar Series and has served on a  Ministry of Health committee assessing new prescriber groups in New Zealand.  Marion was approved by NZCOM as an expert advisor and has undertaken various reviews in relation to service and midwifery practice.  Marion has co-authored two chapters in the Australasian midwifery text book and published elsewhere in relation to birthplace.

Annette Black, MA, Dip Ed Stud, Dip Tchg, MBA

Annette Black was appointed as a consumer member for a three year term in August 2009. She began her career as a history teacher in   secondary    schools in Wellington, Invercargill and Tawa before joining the New Zealand Law Society as its Director of Education in 1983. In 1987 she was appointed Deputy Executive Director and held both positions concurrently until her retirement in 2005. Since then she has continued to work with the Society as a consultant. She assisted with the implementation of the Lawyers and Conveyancers Act which came into force on 1 August 2008 and is currently working on a competency assurance scheme for lawyers. Annette is a Trustee of the NZ Law Foundation and of the Douglas Wilson Scholarship Trust, and is a Director of NZ Continuing Legal Education Ltd.  Annette lives in Wellington and is married with two adult children and four grandchildren.

Korina Vaughn, RN, RM Ngati Hako, Ngati Maru

On leave.  Korina is married with 4 children who are Samoan and Maori descent. Korina and her family live in Huntly, her children attend a local total immersion Kura Kaupapa. Korina completed her Registered Comprehensive Nurse training in 1992. She then worked as a Practice Nurse at Waahi Marae in Huntly for 2 years. In 1994 she began her midwifery training and in 1995 registered as a Midwife.
Korina has worked in a variety of clinical midwifery settings but predominantly as a self employed midwife in Huntly and the surrounding districts. Korina is currently employed as the Clinical Manager of Birthcare Huntly. She continues to carry a small caseload to maintain midwifery competencies.

Lee Mathias, DHSc, MBA, BA, RN  

Dr Lee Mathias was appointed as a health professional member for a three year term in August 2009. She is an experienced director and manager in health services including time spent as the Principal Nurse at Middlemore Hospital, General Manager, Strategic Planning for Auckland Healthcare. Lee was the founding director of Birthcare, New Zealand's largest private provider of primary maternity services to the public sector. Lee has a BA (Soc. Sci.) from Massey University and an MBA from University of Auckland. Her doctoral subject is Decision-making in Governance in NZ's Public Healthcare Services. Dr Mathias is deputy chair of the Auckland DHB and Chair of the Health Promotion Establishment Board and she has directorships in diagnostic, maternity and disability enterprises. She is an accredited Fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand.

Debbie Fisher, BN, RN, Grad Dip Midwifery, RM

Debbie Fisher was appointed to the Midwifery Council in September 2011. She is the Midwifery Advisor at the Nelson Marlborough District Health Board where her role is an integral part of maternity services across the region. She also works clinically on a casual basis within a variety of settings. Debbie is a member of the National DHB Midwifery Leaders Group and enjoys supporting and facilitating effective midwifery leadership at a national level. She is also a Lactation Consultant and a current committee member of the New Zealand Lactation Consultants Association. Debbie has lived in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom and worked in all types of maternity care settings, including maternity projects and presenting at national and international midwifery conferences. She has been a NZCOM regional chairperson. Debbie is currently completing a Master in Health Care at Victoria University and has completed a Te Reo level one certification and postgraduate study in adult teaching and learning and clinical midwifery practice. Interwoven with the passion for midwifery, Debbie has a particular interest in midwifery care for women who face additional challenges in their journey into parenthood. She places a lot of value on partnership and continuity, maintaining high quality, safe midwifery care based on essential core elements that include effective communication, professional responsibility and enabling continual reflection, learning and development through effective processes. Debbie currently lives in Nelson with her husband. Debbie loves to travel and enjoys the experience of different cultures and environments.

Bronwen Golder

Bronwen Golder was appointed in August to fill the lay member position which has been vacant since last November. Early in her career, Bronwen worked as a political risk analyst for an investment bank and then Development Director for health care start up in New York. Upon returning to New Zealand, Bronwen joined the Community Employment Group of the Department of Labour from where she was seconded to the Beehive as advisor to the Minister of Employment. Since 1993 Bronwen has worked in Geneva, Brussels, Wellington and Santiago Chile - leading international conservation programmes for two of the largest environmental NGOs in the world. Bronwen is currently leading a large scale New Zealand conservation initiative and providing strategic advice and support to conservation projects in Australia, the South Pacific and Southeast Asia and Chile. Bronwen brings to the Council extensive experience in public private sector partnerships, risk analysis, strategic and project planning and facilitation, communications, and monitoring and evaluation. Bronwen lives in Wellington with her husband and 11 year old son.