Our Advisory Groups

Pacific Advisory group

The Pacific Advisory Group provides cultural advice and guidance to Mary Potter Hospice to support improved health equity outcomes for Pacific peoples.

The group works alongside the Hospice to help ensure hospice care is culturally safe, accessible, and responsive to the diverse values, beliefs, and needs of Pacific patients and their families.

The Pacific Advisory Group supports the Hospice by:

  • Providing cultural insight and advice informed by lived experience
  • Supporting service development and organisational practice
  • Advising on engagement with Pacific families and community networks
  • Helping improve awareness and understanding of hospice services within Pacific communities

Their guidance supports care that recognises the importance of family, connection, spirituality, and collective decision-making at the end of life.

Members of the Pacific Advisory Group

Anthony Carter, Chair

Anthony is Project Manager at Central Pacific Collective. He is responsible for the management, coordination and relationships relating to specific projects and contracts that contribute to the Collectives strategic plan and outcomes.

Anthony is married with three children and a grandfather to three.
Anthony is Tuvaluan, Kiribati and Samoan decent.

Tiumalu Maria Goretti Sialava’a

Tiumalu Maria Goretti Sialava’a is a Samoan-born New Zealander with ancestral ties to the villages of Siumu, Lepa, Saleaumua, and Lotofaga. Honoured with the chiefly matai title from Siumu, she proudly carries the name Tiumalu.

Tiumalu has been associated with Mary Potter Hospice in many capacities, including serving as the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Secretary to the Board, and the first Pasifika Liaison for Palliative Services. She now serves as a member of the Mary Potter Hospice’s Pacific Advisory Group.
In addition to her work with the Hospice, Tiumalu is the director of Vinepa Trust, a family trust that offers various community programmes. She is also an active member of the Kilbirnie Salvation Army leadership group.
As a consumer, professional and advisor for palliative services, Tiumalu supports and offers her skills and experience proudly as a Pacific person.

Agnes McKay

Agnes is a Fijian Nurse who trained and served in Fiji before migrating to New Zealand in 2008. She is an experienced General and obstetric nurse who the past 21yrs has practised in surgical, medical, orthopaedic, urology, paediatrics, maternity, ICU, Maori and Pacific health services. Her experience has equipped her in her current role as Interim Clinical Service Manager for the Pacific Health team Capital Coast and Hutt District. Primarily this role oversees the operations of the Pacific unit in the Wellington and Hutt hospitals.

Agnes obtained a Masters of Professional Practice in Nursing Leadership through the ANIVA programme at Whitireia. Her thesis highlighted the need for Pacific resources to support Pacific cultural safety in the secondary health care. This passion to support Pacific Equity has motivated her to pursue a PHD focussing on Pacific Cultural Competence.

Agnes also provides clinical support to nursing students of the Master’s program at Victoria University and the Bachelor of nursing Pacific program at Whitireia.

She is also an active member of her community, working with the Fijian Nurses Association and women’s group in church to provide health promotion and awareness events in collaboration with Pacific NGOs for the Fijian and wider Pacific community.

Faimafili Henry Ugapo

I am a devoted pastor who serves the Samoan Seventh Day Adventist Church in Porirua and Titahi Bay, as well as the Tongan SDA Church in Wellington. I am based in Tawa and married with five children. My passion is to connect with people, serve with integrity and spreading the message of faith and hope to our community. Member of the Wellington Samoan Ministers Association (inter-denominational).

Emily Toimata-Holtham

My name is Emily Toimata, and I am proud to represent the Pacific community in various health and wellbeing initiatives. I hail from Niue and Kiribati and currently lead the clinical nurse team for Ora Toa Community Outreach Services, focusing on health promotion and Mana Wahine support to screening cervical & breast screening.

Over the years, I have had the privilege of contributing to several Pacific advisory groups, including working with Plunket to develop their Pacific strategy, Asthma NZ to create resources tailored to Pacific communities, and Pacific national campaign supporting cervical and breast screening programs through the creation of Pacific-specific resources. I have also been involved in promoting the uptake of the new HPV self-test initiative within our Pacific communities.

One of my proudest roles was serving as the Chairperson for Strong Pacific Families Porirua. This campaign worked to strengthen family relationships through a strengths-based approach, with a particular focus on reducing the risk of family violence.
I am passionate about advocating for Pacific voices in health and wellbeing, ensuring that our communities receive the support, education, and services they need to thrive.

Fakaaue lahi

Michael Rongo

Michael Rongo is of Kuki Airani and Pākehā descent and was born and raised in Dunedin. While he enjoyed a positive upbringing, his experiences reflected challenges that many whānau continue to face today. From a young age, Michael developed a strong commitment to addressing health and social disparities.

He is currently the Director of Health Services at Ora Toa PHO. Prior to joining Ora Toa, Michael spent 18 years working with Ara Poutama Aotearoa (Department of Corrections), where he gained deep insight into the intersections of health, wellbeing, and social equity. Shaped by his upbringing and professional experience across both Corrections and Health, Michael is passionate about improving access and creating equitable solutions for the community.

Ngaire Lerwill

My name is Ngaire Lerwill (née Anesone Te’o). I was born in Wellington, raised in Samoa, in the villages of Mulinu’u and Alafua, and returned to Wellington in the late 1980’s to continue my education. I have ancestral ties to the villages of Safa’ato’a Lefaga, Faleasi’u, Avao and Lefagaoali’i Safune.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside Pasefika families and communities through programmes such as Oranga Tamariki Family Start and Te Whatu Ora CAMHS, focusing on building strong relationships, improving access to services, education and supporting mental health and wellbeing. I also helped project lead a qualitative research study at Massey University Centre for Public Health Research (formerly RCHH) and co-authored a paper on a co-design program using a Pacific family-based approach to address pre-diabetes risk among Pacific children, New Zealand.

Now, as a Senior Cancer Prevention Advisor at Cancer Society NZ Wellington, I’m passionate about working with communities, health services, and local leaders to create healthier environments, reduce the risks of getting cancer and champion equitable health outcomes for all – particularly Māori, Pacific peoples and other vulnerable groups.

Pacific Responsiveness Strategy

The Pacific Responsiveness Strategy provides guidance for how Mary Potter Hospice works to improve equity of access and outcomes for Pacific peoples and to deliver culturally appropriate hospice care for Pacific patients and families.

The strategy supports the Hospice to:

  • Better understand the needs and values of Pacific communities
  • Reduce barriers to accessing hospice services
  • Strengthen culturally safe and inclusive models of care
  • Support staff to work confidently and respectfully with Pacific families

The Pacific Responsiveness Strategy reflects an ongoing commitment to partnership, learning, and culturally responsive care.