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Meet our Team
Governance Board
Rose Camp
Chairperson
Rose joined the MECFS Canterbury committee in 2019, with a focus on improving how people with ME/CFS are treated by the health system.
Both Rose and a family member have ME/CFS, and she is currently unable to work consistent regular hours because of it. Rose has a background in software development (as a tester), and in charity administration.
With Nicola Stokes, our Manager, Rose forms a part time Leadership Team to manage our organisation and services.
Nicola McDowell
Secretary
We have had the privilege of having Nicola on our committee since November 2021.
Nicola brings the lived experience to our discussions and written material, as she has had ME/CFS and Fibromyalgia since 2003. Her health has significantly interrupted her professional career as a biologist, teacher, and librarian, but she has enjoyed volunteering and contributing to a variety or community organisations over the years.
Siju Thomas
Treasurer
Siju kindly joined our committee in February 2024, to help us monitor our cashflow and grants pipeline, and to participate in governance discussions.
Siju brings experience in financial management overseas and is a semi-qualified Chartered Accountant.
Jan Barber
Jan is a Clinical Pharmacist by training but since 1997 worked in various roles in the New Zealand health system, including the Health Funding Authority, General Practice Organisations and Regional District Health Board organisations.
From 2011 until May 2017, she was employed by the five South Island DHBs as the General Manager of the South Island Alliance Programme Office (SIAPO). Jan also has a history of governance experience for netball charities.
Jan joined our committee in Feb 2021 and makes a significant contribution around strategy, governance processes and recruitment.
Karen Lawton
Karen joined the MECFS Canterbury committee in February 2022, as a consequence of having a family member who lives with ME/CFS and its impacts.
Karen has experience in writing applications for government funding for companies, in sponsorship and funding for various regional and national photographic events, and as registrar for the NZ Acupuncture Standards Authority.
Her main focus for our organisation is to ensure that the organisation attracts funding to sustain and grow the support that is available to our local ME/CFS community.
Tom Harris
Tom joined MECFS Canterbury and the Committee in April 2022.
He has had CFS on and off for about 8 years.
Tom trained as a psychology researcher, is an avid follower of new ME/CFS research (which he blogs about) and contributes to the quality of our written material and awareness raising activities.
Advisors
Angus Mackay, Science Advisor
Dr Angus Mackay joined us as Science Advisor in April 2024. The role is designed to support our staff and our services by providing evidence-based scientific information on ME/CFS. This advisory role is non-clinical.
Angus brings both the ability to carry out in-depth reading of published research, and also, a personal understanding of ME/CFS having developed the illness in 1995 after contracting glandular fever.
Angus graduated with a PhD from the University of Otago in April 2023 after publishing several papers on his literature /theory-based neuroinflammatory hypothesis for ME/CFS that is also applicable to Long-COVID related post-viral fatigue syndrome (same model, different trigger).
Operations Staff
Nicola Stokes
Manager
Nicola Stokes started in the role of part time Manager in June 2021.
Prior to this she had many years of working in Community Health in the Canterbury region, both in clinical and management settings.
Nicola has responsibility for developing appropriate services, building our team of employees and volunteers, and networking with other service providers.
Amanda
Registered Nurse
Amanda joined our team in January 2023 in a part-time role.
She brings experience in community nursing, where she supported people with palliative care, wound care, and chronic health conditions.
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Wendy
Registered Nurse
Wendy joined our team in March 2024 in a part-time role.
She has a community nursing background and spent most of her working life in South Auckland.
She has personal experience of ME/CFS having a close family member who lives with it.
Rose-elle
Work and Income Advocate
Rose-elle is a social work student and joined our volunteer Outreach team in 2022.
She moved into a part time Work and Income Advocacy role for us in 2023.
Vacant
Volunteer Coordinator
We are currently recruiting for a Coordinator for our Volunteer Outreach Service.
This is an important role and involves onboarding volunteers and matching these to clients who need practical or friendly support.
Emily
Office Administrator
We welcomed Emily to the volunteer administrator role in June 2024.
Emily responds to email and phone queries, processes new member requests, plus more.
Hannah
Accounts Administrator
Hannah joined us in May 2021 to be our part time volunteer Office Administrator, later moving to an employed capacity.
In January 2023, she changed focus to the Accounts Administrator role and now looks after our day-to-day financial accounts.
She manages these tasks while living with ME/CFS and POTS.
Desiree
North Canterbury Support
Desiree has been a volunteer with us since March 2024 in a Client Outreach and Support role.
She helps connect people in our ME/CFS community with others and the wider community. She also provides assistance for working through a next step, developing a special interest, or just catching up with a friendly call. Desiree also helps facilitate our group meetings in Rangiora..
Rissa
South Canterbury Support
Rissa has provided advice around Work and Income benefits and allowances on a volunteer part time basis for us since February 2022.
In the end of 2023, she moved to Waimate and is providing local support and facilitating gatherings in Timaru for people with ME/CFS.
Stéphanie
Seller of Donated Goods
Stéphanie joined us in December 2022 as a volunteer to sell items that are donated to us on Trade Me. She manages the listings and sales interactions, and helps us increase our income.
Jill
Afternoon Tea Host
Jill joined us in April 2022 as a volunteer.
She home bakes delicious gluten free and dairy free treats for our afternoon teas at our group meetings.
Volunteers
We have a remarkable team of volunteers who contribute to our organisation or support people one-on-one. Some help with one-off projects and others help on a regular basis. Their support makes a real difference to the lives of the people in our ME/CFS community.