PAST
EVENTS
EmpowerHer
A Women in Health Tech Breakfast event
Tuesday 27th of June
From 6.30am to 8.00am
Cordis hotel Auckland (part of HealthTech Week)
We're excited to be hosting a breakfast panel event again at this year's HealthTech Week conference in Auckland. And we're even more excited about the topic...
We will shine a spotlight on mentoring alongside launching our new Mentorship Program, EmpowerHer!
Mentoring can enable career and personal development for women at any stage in their career, supporting a deeper understanding and confidence in their development. WiHT are committed to facilitating a program for our local New Zealand health tech sector to support our members career development.
To launch this event we will have a variety of speakers with expert knowledge and personal experience of mentoring, facilitated by a WiHT steering group member to take you through the program design.
Dr Erica Whineray - Surgeon, Advocate and Entrepreneur
Erica is a surgeon, advocate and entrepreneur based in Auckland who has co-founded two medical practices whilst practising as a breast cancer surgeon. After 20 years as a surgeon, Erica has transitioned into health consulting to provide clinical leadership and solutions in the health space. Erica has benefited both from being a mentee and mentor over many years and is a keen advocate for the process.
Chelsea Gibson - BCom/BProp (Accounting & Commercial Law)
As a recent graduate of the University of Auckland, Chelsea has current experience in deriving value from various mentoring programmes. Subsequently, Chelsea has been able to harness this experience in professional environments through her work as an Accountant and as a mentor through dance teaching.
Dr Patricia Bossons - Executive MBA Director and Director of Executive Qualifications
Patricia has been working in Executive Leadership development and as an Executive Coach and Supervisor for over 25 years. She developed her practise through her professional background as a Business Psychologist and Executive Education specialist. Patricia came to Massey, and New Zealand, in 2016, from Henley Business School in the UK. At Henley Patricia was the Director of the Henley Centre for Coaching and Behavioural Change, ran the Mentoring Focus Group for the Henley Partnership and was a Client Director, Executive Education. At Massey, Patricia has been the Executive MBA Director and Director of Executive Qualifications and teaches Leadership and delivers coaching into the MBA programmes.
Facilitator Melina Laredo - Arthrex Country Lead NZ
Melina Laredo is an experienced leader in medical devices, with a career spanning over 21 years in the healthcare industry. After completing a Bachelor of Nursing degree in 2001 in Christchurch, Melina moved overseas to further her professional development. In 2006 Melina transitioned into a commercial role in medical technology, based out of Chicago IL, and has represented Arthrex, a global leader in new product development and orthopaedic medical education, since 2009. Having worked with Arthrex in Chicago IL and Los Angeles CA for 10 years, Melina returned to New Zealand in 2019 with her young family and accepted her current role of Country Lead for Arthrex New Zealand in 2020. Melina is passionate about expanding and fostering diversity within the medical devices industry, with a particular focus on orthopaedics.
50 ways to fight unconscious bias
To mark International Women's Day 2023, we are organising a workshop to discuss how we can identify and challenge bias in the workplace.
Thursday 9th of March
From 4.30pm to 6pm
Where: 75 France Street South Denstply Eden Terrace, Auckland 1010
Combating the unconscious biases women face at work is critical to ensuring women are hired, retained and promoted in the workplace. Research shows that gender bias contributes to women being passed over for jobs and promotions. Almost three in four women experience bias at work, and those who do are more likely to leave their jobs. And women of colour, LGBTQ+ women, and women with disabilities face more acute biases. Yet only one in three employees, including managers, challenges biased behaviour when they see it.
Knowing that unconscious & gender biases exist isn’t enough. We need to take action and ‘Lean In’s 50 Ways to Fight Bias’ training programme can help to empower all employees to identify and challenge bias head on. In this workshop we will discuss specific examples of bias, brainstorm solutions together, and learn research-backed recommendations for what to do.
Our facilitator for this workshop will be Julie Choisne, Aotearoa Research Fellow and Associate Director of Equity and Diversity at the Auckland Bioengineering Institute, The University of Auckland.
Spaces are limited for this event.
VIP Networking Event
Bioengineering the Future showcase
Wednesday 10th of May
From 5:30 to 7:30pm
Where: The Cloud, Queens Wharf, Auckland Waterfront
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Join us for a Women in HealthTech networking evening at "Bioengineering The Future", a showcase of the latest research in bioengineering hosted by the Auckland Bioengineering Institute.
With over 40 interactive demos, this event is a must-attend for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and healthcare.
Buy your ticket today and discover how bioengineering is shaping the future of healthcare!
Tickets include drinks, nibbles and entry to the event.
Christmas Networking Event
Numbers limited, please register
Wednesday 30th of November
From 5pm to 7pm
Where: Arthrex New Zealand, 6 Fox Street, Parnell, Auckland
Women in HealthTech invites you to reconnect after another busy year!
Refreshments will be provided. Please register as numbers are limited.
We look forward to seeing you in person!
Reaching for the stars
A Women in Health Tech Breakfast event
Wednesday 29th of June
From 7am to 8.30am
Cordis hotel Auckland (part of HealthTech Week)
A woman's career path can often be bumpy – gender bias, pay inequity, the ever-present glass ceiling, and for some the juggle of raising a family continue to be obstacles to women's career advancement. Research has found that engaging in career planning can help women proactively manage their careers, navigate obstacles to advancement, and overcome gender bias and stereotypes. In this panel session we will interview three female executives about their career journeys and find out whether careful planning, luck, or a combination of both played a part in their success.
Dr Emma Ellis (formerly Parry) MBBS, FRANZCOG,FRCOG, MD, CMFM
Emma has had a varied career in Medicine encompassing Leadership roles in Public Hospitals, Otago and Auckland University academic positions and Governance and Medical Leadership in the private Healthcare sector.
Throughout her career Emma has had an interest in technology and its ability to transform healthcare. She has often been an early adopter and even had research using Expert Systems in her MD completed in the late 1990s.
Emma has varied clinical interests, but is especially interested in screening, nutrition, ultrasound imaging and improving Maternal and Perinatal Health in the Developing World. In 2008 she established the New Zealand Maternal Fetal Medicine Network (NZMFMN) and the New Zealand Fetal Therapy centre.
In 2010 Emma was awarded the inaugural Next Woman of the Year award for her work in the area of development of Maternity Services. In 2013 Emma was a finalist in the Women of Influence Awards and in 2015 she received an award for Excellence in Teaching by the University of Auckland. In 2018 she was elected Chair of the Certificate of MFM sub-specialty committee of RANZCOG. In 2021 she joined the BOT of the NZ Gynaecological Cancer Foundation and is co-Chair.
Gina Hills, Orion Health’s Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice-President of People
Ingredients:
GINA HILLS
Chief Financial Officer, EVP People
2 cups private practice
100g payments
6 Tbsp travel
Icing:
150g people leadership, softened
1 ½ cups health IT
1 cup executive duties
1 Tbsp passion & ambition
Decorate with humour!
Method:
Combine 2 cups of private practice advisory with 100g payment solutions management accounting, beat together creating a firm foundation. Add 6 Tbsp travel, mix well and put in the oven to bake.
Prepare icing; whisk people leadership to a smooth consistency, sift in executive duties and combine 1 ½ cups health IT, gradually add 1 Tbsp of passion and ambition to complete the mixture.
There are many variations on the finished CFO product, but this is my own recipe.
Hanie Yee, Chief Operating Officer at Alimetry
A senior industry leader, Hanie has over 20 years of international experience in research and commercialisation in the biotech, pharmaceutical and medical device industries, including almost a decade a Fisher & Paykel Healthcare.
Hanie has a BSc in Molecular Biology, MSc (Hons) in Medical Science from the University of Auckland and has recently completed her Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management and Leadership from Darden Business School, University of Virginia.
Hanie has a passion in helping to nurture and grow start-ups especially in healthcare. She joined SheEO (as an Activator) and ArcAngels in 2017, and has been an independent member of the Return on Science Medtech and Surgical Investment Committee since 2019 for which she is also currently the Chair. Hanie is the Executive-in-Residence at Matū, an early-stage deep tech venture capital fund, where she supports portfolio companies post-investment and contributes to MedTech, pharmaceutical and regulatory expertise. Hanie also has an interest in strategy and governance, and is an associate member of Institute of Directors and currently an observer on the board of Sweet Louise, which provides support to patients with incurable breast cancer.
Outside of work, Hanie is a mum of two toddlers and lives in Auckland with her husband, kids and dog.
Leading Through Adversity
"You should never view your challenges as a disadvantage. Instead, it's important for you to understand that your experience facing and overcoming adversity is actually one of your biggest advantages." Michelle Obama
Friday 13th of May
From 12:30 to 1.30pm
Online
Please join us for our next event “Leading Through Adversity”. This webinar will be structured as a one-on-one interview with Sarah Najdek, hosted by Erin Currie.
In the past 2 years, the COVID -19 pandemic has had a global impact on the healthcare system and the HealthTech companies that support the delivery of healthcare. Leading a New Zealand business through this time has been challenging, especially in the latest Omicron outbreak, which has had a large and ongoing impact. Join us for a fireside chat style webinar to hear an experienced female Country Director share her experiences and insights from the recent events, and what she will take forward in her leadership journey.
So come join us on Friday 13th of May over lunch!
Sarah Najdek: General Manager & Country Director, Johnson & Johnson MedTech
Sarah is a driven and commercially astute senior leader with more than 20 years of strategic management expertise across the manufacturing, medical device and pharmaceutical industries in New Zealand, Australia, and Asia. In addition to being the General Manager & Country Director of Johnson & Johnson MedTech New Zealand, Sarah is a board member of both Johnson & Johnson MedTech ANZ, and the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand (MTANZ).
Sarah has held diverse senior leadership roles across Johnson & Johnson MedTech and Janssen in the disease state/specialty areas of General Surgery, Bariatrics, Orthopaedics, Diabetes Management, Oncology, Immunology and Medical Affairs.
Sarah is passionate about women in leadership and was a founding member of J&J’s ANZ Diversity and Inclusion strategy committee. Her purpose is to reimagine the way healthcare is delivered in New Zealand, improve inequity, and help New Zealanders live longer, healthier lives.
Erin Currie: Country Manager Philips Health Systems and WiHT founding member
Erin is an experienced Business and Governance Leader in the healthcare sector with a career spanning 30 years. Her knowledge and expertise are in medical devices and digital healthcare across radiology, surgical specialties, cardiology, gastroenterology, and endoscopy. Originally a registered nurse, she then transitioned into medical device sales and developed an aptitude for management, commercial strategy, and governance.
Erin is currently New Zealand Country Manager for Philips Health Systems, part of the ANZ leadership team, after joining in November 2020. Previous roles included 6 years leading Olympus NZ, and 10 years with Medtronic in various roles including sales, sales management, and branch leadership.
Erin is passionate about the New Zealand healthcare sector and represents the industry as the President and Chair of the Medical Technology Association of New Zealand (MTANZ). She also has a passion for personal development and is a founding member of Women in HealthTech (WiHT).
Looking out for Me and You
Focusing on women's mental health and wellbeing. How do we balance life, our health, and our jobs?
Friday 12th of November
From 12:30 to 1.30pm
Online
Please join us for our next webinar “Looking out for Me and You”. This webinar will be structured as an intimate discussion with Anna Elders hosted by Ryl Jensen.
In this time of hardship and restriction, many women in the HealthTech industry are experiencing long-term uncertainty and challenges in their personal and career environments. Anna will talk from her expertise both as a mental health clinician of twenty years now working in the HealthTech space, and as a woman and mother living with pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder through covid lockdowns (and home schooling).
Our webinar will focus on Mental Health Awareness by bringing to life the theme for this year; taking time to kōrero during these ongoing uncertain times. Anna and Ryl will discuss the real challenges women are facing and the tools and strategies we can use to support ourselves and our whānau.
So come join us on Friday 12th of November over lunch!
Anna Elders is a practicing senior specialist mental health nurse practitioner and cognitive behaviour therapist with Tamaki Health PHO and Clinical Lead for the eCBT digital tool, Just a Thought. She is a member of the HealthTech industry, chair of NZHIT’s eMental health and wellbeing industry group is and a passionate expert in using technology to care for her own and others mental health.
Ryl Jensen is the CEO of NZHIT and a new addition to the Women in HealthTech steering group. She will host the discussion with a series of questions and then facilitate an interactive Q&A session with attendees.
HealthTech week breakfast
Panel discussion
Wednesday 23rd June, 7-8.30am
Great Hall 1, Cordis Hotel Auckland
Call Out for Change
Following on from the successful WiHT breakfast at the 2019 HealthTech week, we are pleased to bring you our second breakfast event in conjunction with the 2021 HealthTech Week. This is a networking breakfast with a panel discussion focused on the theme “Call Out for Change”. The panellists are knowledgeable and experienced women and man with expertise in the health sector, technology or diversity.
Our first panellist is Dr Elizabeth Berryman. Founder and Director of chnnl, she is a governance guru, with roles on both industry and community-based boards. She has a wealth of experience in the health sector, starting her career as a Registered Nurse in community Māori Health, before becoming a Medical Doctor.
Liz is focused on solutions that help workplaces combat issues such as employee burnout, depression, anxiety and suicide, and is an active researcher in this space. After founding a peer-mentoring programme for medical students and seeing its success, she is now wildly passionate about supporting people’s mental wellbeing through digital tools. Liz will discuss her company chnnl, a start-up with a mission to engage employees, monitor personal mental wellbeing and provide direct feedback enabling management to take action in real-time.
Our second panellist is Margaret Wilsher. She is a practising respiratory physician, Honorary Professor University of Auckland and CMO Auckland District Health Board. Her research interests lie in the field of interstitial lung disease and structure function relationships. She has enjoyed a longstanding collaboration with ABI.
Margaret has been a director of the NZ Health Innovation Hub, oversees research and innovation at ADHB, leads the DHB relationship with University of Auckland and is a member of the steering committee overseeing the implementation of the new NZ Health Research Strategy.
Our final panellist is Grant Frear. He is a Consulting Partner at Deloitte and a member of the Deloitte Board. Grant’s main focus is on facilitating strategic discussions with executive teams and boards, he primarily works at the intersection of technology and strategy, the place where most businesses are experiencing significant disruption.
Grant previously served as the Executive General Manager of Corporate Strategy at ASB Bank, where he defined the digital strategy for the bank and developed an operating model that allowed the business to deliver on its digital objectives and reconfigure its physical network.
During this time Grant was the executive sponsor for Diversity and Inclusion whilst serving on the executive team for ASB Bank and now leads the LGBTI+ activities for Deloitte NZ.
Grant views technology as one of the key things that underpins growth, development and prosperity in a society where businesses have rich opportunities to transform themselves through the use of digital technologies. Doing so in a way that provides equitable opportunities for all New Zealanders is one area that Grant is passionate about and brings into the work that he does with Deloitte and its clients.
Tickets can be purchased on the HealthTech week website
$35 Non-Members
$30 Member rate
$15 Students
Encouraging collaboration and sparking connections
Join us for a Deloitte Business Chemistry Workshop
Thursday 27th May, 5-7pm
Deloitte Centre, 80 Queen Street, Auckland
For women, professional success in the world of technology often hinges on navigating the unspoken and often conflicting “rules of the road”, where some working and communication styles may be more valued than others. And yet each of us brings a unique, valuable approach to the way we innovate, foster relationships and create value across our organisations and communities.
Deloitte’s Business Chemistry survey is an analytics-driven tool for understanding and leveraging the power of our diverse working styles. Throughout the last decade it has been used by hundreds of thousands of professionals across the globe to build healthier teams, enhance stakeholder engagements and become more effective leaders.
Join us for an engaging, thought-provoking and fun networking session that will highlight your work style strengths, and show how you can flex to engage even the most difficult stakeholders.
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Deloitte Business Chemistry Workshop
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Thursday 27th May, 5-7pm
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Deloitte Centre, 80 Queen Street, Auckland
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Tickets are $45 each ($35 for students)
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Drinks and nibbles will be served
Another world is not only possible, she is on her way.
On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.
Arundhati Roy