Board members

Chairperson

Dr Maika Veikune is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of Medical Administrators, MPH, he was the Tongan Kings physician (King Tupou IV), Chief Medical Officer-Public Health Division to the Ministry of Health in Tonga and multiple appointments in DHB’s, PHO’s. He was also a member from 2001-2003 of the Healthy Housing Inter-Sectoral Initiative CMDHB and Housing NZ.

Vice Chairperson

Educationalist and Teacher at Mt Roskill Grammar and runs a homework center largely for Pacific and Maori children. Parish Council Member.

CEO/Clinical Director/Board Secretary

Dr. Glenn Doherty, MB ChB (Otago), FRNZCGP, is a distinguished leader in the New Zealand healthcare sector, with over 42 years of experience spanning clinical medicine, health management, research, and policy. A prominent figure in both Māori and Pacific health, Dr Doherty has made significant contributions to primary care and governance, particularly in the Pacific health space.

As the CEO and Medical Director of the Tongan Health Society Inc., Dr. Doherty has been instrumental in the organisation's growth and success. The organisation serves a large percentage of the Tongan community in Auckland. Under his leadership, the Society was recognised with the prestigious General Practice of the Year award at the inaugural Primary Healthcare Awards in 2020, a testament to the team's unwavering commitment to providing holistic, high-quality care.

Dr. Doherty's vision extended beyond clinical practice with the establishment of the Langimalie Research Centre. This groundbreaking research facility is the only Pacific provider in New Zealand to have an affiliated research arm focused on Pacific health. The Centre's work addresses key health challenges within Pacific communities, enabling the Tongan Health Society to remain at the forefront of health innovation.

For over two decades, Dr. Doherty has worked extensively within the Tongan community, both in New Zealand and Tonga. His leadership and strategic alliances with government agencies, NGOs, and community organisations have significantly enhanced the delivery of healthcare services to Pacific populations. In recognition of his contributions, Dr Doherty has been awarded several honours, including a Community Service Medal from the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners.

In addition to his roles at the Tongan Health Society and Langimalie Research Centre, Dr Doherty is a Member of the Pasifika Medical Association and a Lifetime Member of the Te Ora Māori Medical Practitioners Association. He continues to serve as a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland's School of Medicine, mentoring the next generation of medical professionals.

Board Member

Ofa has worked in the public, private and international sectors and has strong personal and professional links with a number of Pacific countries and with research scientists and clinicians in New Zealand, who continue to influence the direction of her research with Pacific peoples. Ofa is an Affiliate Investigator of the Maurice Wilkins Centre for Molecular Biodiscovery/Department of Molecular Medicine & Pathology, and a Research Fellow at the School of Nursing, University of Auckland. She holds a Doctoral degree in Health Science from the University of Auckland and a Masters degree in Business Administration from Southern Cross University. Ofa is Chair of the Health Research Council of NZ Pacific Research Committee. She is Fiji-born of Rotuman, Tongan and Tuvaluan ethnicity, with affiliation to Ngati Porou.

Board Member

Pauline Taufa has 20 years of experience working in New Zealand as a psychologist and 17 years of experience working as a qualified Clinical Psychologist with people who have complex and long-standing psychological difficulties. She has worked in a range of secondary care adult mental health settings such as acute mental health wards, community mental health teams, primary health settings, non-government organisations and private practice providing psychological assessment and therapies.