Senior Leadership Team

Andrew Swanson-Dobbs

 Chief Executive Officer

Andrew Swanson-Dobbs joined WellSouth as the CEO early 2019.

Andrew graduated as a registered psychologist many years ago from the University of Waikato and has worked in health ever since. Beginning his career in child and adolescent mental health services before moving into primary care where he has worked as Clinical Services Manager at Rotorua General Practice Group, CEO at Nelson Bays Primary Health and most recently as a General Manager at Pinnacle Midlands Health Network.  

Damon Campbell

Chief Operating Officer

As Chief Operating Officer, Damon Campbell leads several of our organisation’s corporate and operational portfolios, including Data and Digital, Practice Network Relationships, Health Care Homes initiative, Pou Tōkeke Project Coordinators, and WellSouth’s People & Culture team.

Damon is primarily responsible for ensuring these teams are delivered across general practice and community providers, including providing advice around future innovations and capabilities to enhance patient care. The Pou Tōkeke team will be focused on supporting equity and clinical improvement programmes.

Externally, Damon is co-chair of the GPNZ Data and Digital Hui and sits on the Te Whatu Ora Capability Uplift Portfolio Governance Group as the primary and community representative.

Damon joined WellSouth after an extensive career in local government, where he led several significant digital transformation programmes. A number of these were recognised by various sector organisations, most recently, the ALGIM COVID-19 Response Special Awards and Taituarā — Local Government Professionals Aotearoa for Award for Better Policy and Regulation.

Damon holds a Master of Business Administration from Massey University and other industry certifications.

Mistelle Jack

Chief Financial Officer

Peter Ellison

Pou Oraka Matua (Director of Māori Health and Equity)

Peter Ellison (Kāi Tahu), Pou Oraka Matua/Director of Māori Health and Equity, leads our organisation's commitment to reducing health disparities for Māori and Pacific Peoples. He is part of the Southern DHB Māori Health Team tasked with driving strategy and improvement initiatives to support gains in Māori health status across the Southern Health System.

Peter joined WellSouth in 2014. He previously held Māori Health leadership roles at Bpacnz and Otago DHB.

Peter holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Otago.  He is affiliated to Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou and Kāti Huirapa Rūnaka ki Puketeraki - where he is a member of their executive committee.

Dr Carol Atmore

Clinical Director

 Dr Carol Atmore is a general practitioner and WellSouth Clinical Director, providing clinical leadership for our practice network. A passionate advocate for health system change, Carol helped lead whole of health system change on the West Coast, in her role as Chief Medical Officer for West Coast DHB. She has also held leadership roles at the South Island Health System level and national clinical director roles with the Ministry of Health.

Carol joined WellSouth in July 2021 from the Department of General Practice and Rural Health at the Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, where she has been a senior lecturer and Head of Department since August 2019.

Stuart Barson

Localities Advisor

Stuart has a long background in health policy, management, and research, most recently as the Health Care Home lead for WellSouth. 

He has also been a community worker, Ministry of Health policy analyst, Private Secretary to three Ministers of Health, teacher, health promoter, project manager care planning software salesperson, and Research Fellow in health system quality improvement. Stuart is seconded part-time to the Te Whatu Ora national localities team.