Philippa Catchpole

Chairperson
Pip has been a practicing occupational therapist since 2000. She completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (Occupational Therapy) from Auckland University of Technology in 2004. Pip Catchpole was appointed to the Board in 2005, and appointed as Chairperson in 2010.

Philippa has worked in areas including elderly care, spinal rehabilitation and hand therapy. She now has a private practice in Auckland and over the past 9 years, within the private sector and for ACC she has specialised in workplace assessments, graduated return to work programs, workplace injury prevention and management, functional reactivation programs and functional job descriptions. .

Jane Hopkirk

Deputy Chairperson
Jane Hopkirk (Ngati Kahungunu, Rangatane ki Wairarapa) is an active member of hapu and iwi organisations. She is currently a trustee for a Hauora Service in Masterton and experience over 20 years in Maori communities including working in a Marae health service. She identifies as a Maori occupational therapist with eight years experience working in mental health and three years in the Maori Mental Health Service in the Hutt DHB.

She has lead the establishment of a workforce development strategy for Maori occupational therapists. Jane's areas of interest are in the development of Maori health and occupational therapists, and in practitioners being relevant and accessible to whanau.

Susan Kennedy

Susan graduated with a BHSc (Hons) Degree from the University College of Ripon and York St John, York, England in 1994. Prior to her training, she worked as an occupational therapy assistant in mental health for four years. After graduating, Susan worked for Lincolnshire County Council Social Services as a community occupational therapist, later moving into the mental health service working as a senior practitioner with older adults. In 2003, she took up the post as County Occupational Therapy Clinical Leader for Lincolnshire Partnership Mental Health Trust for Older Adult Service.

In March 2006, Susan moved to Gisborne, New Zealand, and is currently working as Clinical Leader for Community and Older People's Service within Tairawhiti District Health. Her professional interests are dementia care and occupational science.

Dean Kerr

Dean started training in occupational therapy as a mature student. He completed his BHSc at AUT, graduating in 2001. He completed a Diploma in Applied Science at AUT prior to this. Dean brings a wealth of vocational experience with him, having worked in a number of industries prior to beginning his studies. These include completing an apprenticeship in butchery, working in the construction industry and tutoring high school students at nights and weekends.

He has worked in mental health and physical health settings, including forensic community mental health, early psychosis intervention and community-based elderly care also contracting to ACC.  He has also worked as a volunteer for Mental Illness Education New Zealand (MIENZ), presenting educational topics about mental illness to high school students. Dean has been proactive in supporting students on clinical placement, developing a close working relationship with AUT in the process.

He is currently working in community mental health as a Rehabilitation Support Coach.

Fiona Mains

Fiona Mains graduated in 1989 from the Glasgow School of Occupational Therapy and in 1993 completed a Master Degree in Health Science at the University of Edinburgh. Fiona has worked as an occupational therapist both in Scotland and New Zealand in a variety of areas, including healthcare, non-government agency, research and education

Fiona moved to New Zealand in 1996 and until recently worked as a senior lecturer at the School of Occupational Therapy at Otago Polytechnic. Fiona is now the director of Athena, a health education and facilitation service. Fiona is married and has two young children.

Rangimahora Reddy

Rangimahora Reddy is a recent appointment to the Board as a layperson. Originally from Himatangi, Rangimahora is affiliated to Ngati Raukawa, Ngati Maniapoto and Ngati Rangiwewehi. Educated at Massey University, Rangimahora holds a Masters of Business Studies, a Postgraduate Diploma in Accountancy and a Bachelor of Business Studies Degree. She is currently CEO for the Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable Trust in Hamilton.

Rangimahora considers it a fantastic opportunity to work alongside and for those she describes as "Nga Matauranga Taonga" and the involvement with the Occupational Therapy Board of NZ means that Kaumatua as consumers of Occupational Therapy will have an ability to have their thoughts expressed. She has been a member of the NZICA for well over a decade and her main work experience has included both the education and health sectors with key roles being based in accountancy and finance throughout each. The range of organisations that she has served over the last two decades have included the Ministry of Education, Massey University, the International Pacific College and Tui Ora Ltd.

Colleen Naughton

After graduating from Auckland Institute of Technology in 1999, Colleen worked as a rotational occupational therapist in the acute hospital at Healthcare Hawkes Bay.    Following this she spent six years working in London (UK), in both the public and private sectors.  During this time she worked within the new practice domain of occupational therapists in emergency departments and was involved in the emergence of new rapid response/intermediate care teams.  Within these roles Colleen was trained to complete non-traditional occupational therapy clinical tasks, such as phlebotomy, removing sutures and assessing for mobility aids, and as such has an interest in extended scope of practice.   

Colleen is currently working at Healthcare Hawkes Bay covering the Emergency Department, Acute Assessment Unit and developing new skills in the specialised area of driver assessment.  She also has a keen interest in supervision and mentoring new graduate occupational therapists.

Bonnie Johnstone

Bonnie looks upon this recent appointment to the board as a great opportunity to share knowledge experience and in return meet and learn from others.  Bonnie’s career has seen her aspire in government departments such as Customs, Lands and Survey’s and Inland Revenue.  She is now working in the private sector completing a stint in the oil and gas industry and then a retirement village in New Plymouth. 

Bonnie believes that her BBS degree in Management services has strengthened her career in the Management sector of financial and administration services.  Bonnie hopes that her overall knowledge and experience will add value to the board.