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.

Grant O'Kane

Human Resources Manager

Grant O’Kane, Human Resources Manager leads our organisation's Human Resource function and is responsible for the provision of HR strategic and business advice and working in a business partnership model to ensure WellSouth meets its Primary Health goals and aspirations. 

Grant joined WellSouth from the Southern DHB where he was in a senior HR Manager role. Grant has also worked in other HR roles at the Dunedin City Council and University of Otago.   

Grant holds a BA and Post Graduate Diploma in Classical Studies from the University of Otago and is a member of the Human Resources Institute of New Zealand (HRINZ), having also served on the local  branch committee for a number of years. 

Chief Financial Officer TBC

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.