Youth Health

Members of the Youth Health Advisory Group

Chris Habinshuti

Chris Habinshuti has a youth work background and is currently the Programme Director at Te Koru Pou Iho, a youth facility in Christchurch. Chris has worked with young people in a range of settings, including, in the community, schools and faith based environments. Chris enjoys working with young people, their families and communities and is committed to ensuring that young people have access to accessible and holistic services.

Gill Alcorn

Gill Alcorn is a Nurse Practitioner at VIBE Youth Health Services in the Hutt Valley, where she leads the clinical team. Gill has 15 years experience working in youth health, and worked as a school nurse at a local secondary school for 11 years. Gill became a Nurse Practitioner with a youth health focus in December 2005. She has supported youth health nurses nationally in the area of policy and practice development, and provides individual mentoring support to Nurse Practitioner candidates in the Wellington region.

Gilli Sinclair

Gilli Sinclair is a Project Manager at Counties Manukau District Health Board, and has responsibility for the youth health portfolio. Gilli has a nursing background, originally as a general nurse and then as a psychiatric nurse, specialising in suicide intervention. She has considerable experience in designing, funding and establishing youth health services, and is committed to ensuring young people have access to appropriate health services.

Peter Watson

Peter Watson is a Paediatrician and Specialist Youth Health Physician. He is currently working at the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAHMS) in Counties Manukau District Health Board. Peter is a Senior Research Fellow at the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Auckland and is Co-investigator of Youth’07, the second national secondary school youth health and wellbeing survey. Peter is a member on many professional, government and youth health related committees and bodies.

Sarah Helm

Sarah Helm is National Executive Officer of New Zealand Aotearoa Adolescent Health and Development, a national network organisation for people who work with young people.

Selio Solomon

Selio Solomon is the Campus Manager at Martin Hautus The Pacific People’s Learning Institute – a service that provides alternative education programmes for young people who have been excluded from the mainstream school system.

Sharon Davis

Sharon Davis is of Nga Puhi and Ngati Whatua descent, she has worked as a social worker and has over 20 years youth work experience. Sharon lives in Whangarei and works for Te Ora Hou Aotearoa, a national network of Maori youth development organisations. She has been actively involved in the Whangarei Youth Workers Collective and has a particular passion for Maori models of youth development.

Sue Bagshaw

Sue Bagshaw works as a primary care doctor in adolescent health at a one stop community youth health centre for 10-25 year olds. Sue is a part time senior lecturer in adolescent health in the department of Paediatrics at the Christchurch School of Medicine, and she is chairperson of the Trust that runs the Collaborative (a research and training centre for youth health and development). She is on the Council of New Zealand Aoteaora Adolescent Health and Development and the Council of the International Association for Adolescent Health as Immediate Past President.

Tania Pinfold

Tania Pinfold is a GP specialising in youth health, based in Rotorua. Tania is Clinical Leader Youth Health for Health Rotorua PHO. She works in secondary school wellness centres and at Rotovegas Youth Health. Tania is a Committee Member of the Society of Youth Health Professionals Aotearoa New Zealand.

Trissel Mayor

Trissel Mayor is the Director of the Youth One Stop Shop in Palmerston North, an organisation that provides a range of accessible, youth appropriate and holistic services to young people aged 10 to 24 years. Trissel is a qualified Social Worker and provides professional supervision for other social workers. She is a Committee Member of the Manawatu Youth Workers Forum and is the Secretary of the New Zealand Aotearoa Adolescent Health and Development National Council.

Yvonne Kainuku Walsh

Yvonne Kainuku-Walsh is of Cook Island and Irish decent. She resides in South Auckland with her husband and their 4 children. Yvonne has a nursing background and is currently working towards her masters thesis with an interest in Youth Participation. Yvonne's clinical experience extends 15 years mostly in the areas of Sexual and Youth health. She has worked mainly within community based settings such as a Youth Drop-in Centre, secondary, mainstream and Alternative Education Schools. Her experience in workforce development includes her role as relieving Program Leader for the Bachelor of Human Services (Youth Work major) at the University of Auckland. More recently she has project managed the Auckland DHBs Youth Health Improvement Plan 2008-2012.

Yvonne is currently an Independent Youth Specialist Contractor and is Project Managing the HEHA Pacific Youth Participation project within Auckland based Pacific Island churches. She is actively involved as a volunteer in 'Absolute Rush' a youth development performing arts program and SPY (Shades of Pacific Youth) an organisation that connects people working with Pacific young people, and is a member on many professional and community youth related committees and bodies.

Mollie Wilson

Mollie Wilson is a registered nurse with a background in child and maternal health, and has worked in a range of clinical settings, including neonatal intensive care services, public health nursing and as a Plunket nurse. Mollie is currently working in the Planning and Funding Division at the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board with responsibility for the maternity, child and youth portfolios, and is also part-time CEO of the Paediatric Society of New Zealand.

Page last updated: 22 October 2008