Senior Management 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. 

Contact details are:

Email: Andrew.Swanson-Dobbs@wellsouth.org.nz 

Mobile 021 962 746 

Wendy Findlay

Director of Nursing

Wendy Findlay, Director of Nursing leads our organisation's clinical programmes and is responsible for long term conditions team, primary mental health services, and clinical programmes such as Primary Options for Acute Care, Client Led Integrated Care programme (CLIC) and palliative care.

Wendy joined WellSouth from – Southern District Health Board, Director of Nursing Women and Childrens Directorate.

Wendy holds a Master of Nursing degree from Otago Polytechnic.  Wendy is also a member of Nurse Executives New Zealand and on a number of South Island Alliance Working Groups.

Kyle Forde

Chief Information Officer

Kyle Forde, Chief Information Officer leads our organisation's IT department. Kyle is primarily responsible for ensuring the clinical IT programmes are delivered across general practice including providing advice around future innovations and capabilities to enhance patient care.

Kyle joined WellSouth from a long history in the private sector working for SparkDigital, Gen-I and his own consultancy firm.

Kyle studied for a Bachelor of Information Technology at Otago Polytechnic and is currently studying for his Master in Professional Practice in Primary Care IT.  Kyle is a board member at Health Informatics New Zealand and Anglican Family Care. Other roles and activities include Member of the Institute of IT Professionals, Member of the Institute of Director and Member of the NZ Telehealth Leadership Group Member.

Graeme Quinn

Chief Financial Officer 

Graeme Quinn, Chief Financial Officer leads our organisation's finance department. Graeme is primarily responsible for ensuring the monitoring and management of WellSouth’s financial processes and information.

Graeme joined WellSouth with a long history in the public sector working for University of Otago, Te Papa, NZ Post and Department of Corrections.

Graeme studied for a Bachelor of Commerce & Administration at Victoria University in Wellington and is currently studying for a Master of Business Administration through University of Otago. 

Graeme has worked as a qualified paramedic for over 30 years and fits in casual frontline ambulance work for St John around his WellSouth duties.

Peter Ellison

Associate Māori  Health Strategy & Improvement Officer 

Peter Ellison (Kāi Tahu), Associate Māori Health Strategy & Improvement Officer – Primary & Community, leads our organisations commitment to reducing health disparities for Māori. He is part of the new 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 Stephen Graham

Medical Director

Dr Stephen Graham, Medical Director WellSouth, is responsible for provision of clinical leadership and advice to Wellsouth. Stephen joined WellSouth in April 2017 from private general practice in Dunedin. He has in the past been a Partner at Fiordland Medical Centre 1997 to 2010 and 2012 to 2017, a Rural Australian GP and worked in a rural Hospital 2010 to 2012 (part-time 2012 to 2015).

Qualifications and Fellowships are MBChB (Otago) 1990,  FRNZCGP and FRACGP.

Paul Rowe

Practice Network Director

Paul Rowe leads our organisation’s practice support team and is responsible for managing our day to day relationship with general practices.  This includes improving our performance against health targets and implementing projects such as Health Care Homes, National Enrollment Service, Patient Experience Survey and Foundation Standards.

Paul was appointed Practice Network Director in August 2016 and has been at WellSouth in a variety of roles since 2013.  Prior to working at WellSouth Paul worked at consultants Ernst & Young in Auckland and at Jones Lang LaSalle and Deutsche Bank in London.

Paul holds a Bachelor of Business Studies in economics from Massey University and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Studies and Maori Studies from the University of Auckland.

 Fiona Grayson

 Human Resources Manager  

Fiona has been an international business consultant, based in London for 7 years. She has owned and operated several businesses – café and catering, Business and HR Consultant. She has a Master of Arts in Sociology, and a Master of Professional Business Studies (People and Employment). Fiona and her partner, Warren, live in Dunedin with their two children, Thomas and Ella.

 Moira Finn

Senior Communications Advisor

Moira leads promotions and communications for WellSouth, providing updates to WellSouth's general practice network and other providers and stakeholders and sharing stories of the wonderful work being done by WellSouth staff and our colleagues in primary care. 

Moira has an BA from Memorial University and an MA from Western University (Both Canada) and has more than 30 years experience in journalism and public relations in Canada, the UK and New Zealand, in the areas of health, technology and business. 

Amira Dabaliz 

 Programme Manager

Amira leads our organisation’s project office. Amira is primarily responsible for ensuring WellSouth projects have the necessary resources and tools to deliver on the Primary Care responsibilities in the Primary and Community Strategy.

Amira joined WellSouth with a long history in IT and project management working for Air New Zealand, Port Otago, Student Job Search and Te Kete Putea.

Amira holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Otago University and a Bachelor of Applied Management in Business Transformation and Change from Otago Polytechnic.

Gilbert Taurua

 Chief Maori Health Strategy and Improvement Officer 

Gilbert joined Southern DHB and WellSouth in November 2018, from New Zealand Drug Foundation where he has been the principal adviser, Tautāwhihia Kaua e whiu.

Gilbert, along with Nancy Todd, Associate Māori Health Officer, Secondary/Tertiary – and Peter Ellison, Associate Māori Health Officer, Primary and Community, based at WellSouth PHO.