Dr Tan studied medicine at Melbourne University and trained as a plastic surgeon in New Zealand. Following a Craniofacial Fellowship at Oxford and Craniofacial Research Fellowship in Boston, he was appointed Consultant Plastic & Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgeon specialising in head and neck cancer surgery at Hutt Hospital in 1995, where he was the Director of Plastic Surgery 2000-2006 and Director of Surgery 2007-2013.

He founded the Centre for the Study & Treatment of Vascular Birthmarks, a supra-regional referral centre, in 1996, and was awarded a PhD by Otago University in 2001 for his work in strawberry birthmark. He is the Founder and Executive Director of the Gillies McIndoe Research Institute. He is an elected member of 13 national and international medical and scientific societies. He was the past President of the ANZHNCS 2008-2010 and the Founding Chair of the Head and Neck Cancer Foundation Aotearoa.

Well-known internationally for his research in vascular anomalies and cancer, Dr Tan is a recipient of 20 science prizes and 25 honours and awards including Wellingtonian of the Year – Science and Technology, KEA World Class New Zealand Award, and ONZM. He is an author of 205 book chapters and articles in peer-reviewed journals, and has delivered over 400 presentations at conferences.

Dr Dean Ruske is a New Zealand trained Otolayngologist Head and Neck Surgeon. He graduated from University of Otago Medical School in 1991 and completely advanced surgical training in ORL in 2000. Postgraduate fellowship was in Head and Neck Cancer Surgery at the Royal Adelaide Hospital in South Australia.

Dean has been clinical lead in the Dunedin Head and Neck Multidisciplinary Team since 2003 with areas of interest including H&N oncology, facial skin cancer and reconstruction, and thyroid surgery. He is honorary lecturer with University of Otago and actively involved in GP teaching, registrar and medical student teaching including previous roles in National Registrar Training committee.

Dr Samantha (Sam) Murton studied medicine at University of Otago and specialised as a General Practitioner. Sam spent many years working in surgery and on moving to general practice she continued to work as an associate in Plastic Surgery at Hutt Hospital for 14 years. Sam is a working GP and Senior Lecturer at University of Otago, Wellington. She is passionate about education and has been integrally involved in vocational education for general practitioners, undergraduate education at University of Otago, is a convenor or postgraduate papers in primary care, and regularly teaches minor surgical procedures. Sam has written and illustrated a book on office based Minor Surgery to support anyone starting out or extending their skills.

In the 2021 Queen’s Birthday Honours, Sam was appointed as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for her services to medical education, especially general practice.

Sam’s research interests are broad and she is currently investigating the use of drawing for explanation in consultation settings – Art in the Art of Medicine.

Sam is the President of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners, current Chair of the Council of Medical Colleges and the GP Leaders’ Forum.

Dr John Chaplin is an Otolaryngologist, Head and Neck Surgeon based at Auckland City Hospital and Mauranui Clinic in Auckland. John graduated from the University of Auckland School of Medicine in 1988. He began his specialist training at the Royal Throat Nose and Ear hospital in London in 1990. He completed ORL Head and Neck Surgery surgical training in Dunedin, Waikato and Auckland and passed the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons final examination in 1996. John did a Microvascular Reconstructive Fellowship at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and a Thyroid and head and neck Surgery Fellowship at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney.

John has been in practice in Auckland since 1999 and has a busy head and neck surgery practice including a high volume of thyroid and parathyroid surgery, salivary gland surgery, head and neck cancer and microvascular reconstruction. He is a key member of the Auckland Regional Multidisciplinary Head and Neck Team and he is widely regarded as a leader in head and neck surgery in Australasia.

Kevin is a Director of a private company in Christchurch. He became involved with the trust initially when his wife Gaye was appointed secretary and then he was later approached to become a trustee. He brings to the Trust management, administration and finance skills. I have no medical skills. He has personally seen the devastating effect of head and neck cancer on the recipient and their loved ones, and is passionate about seeing further research into detection, causes and treatment so all can get a greater understanding into how to treat, and live with for a successful outcome.

Dr Cathy Stephenson is a Wellington GP and health columnist, and mother to three children. In her 25 years’ experience working in primary health, she has witnessed first-hand the devastation that a diagnosis of cancer can bring to patients and their whānau, and is passionate about supporting and enabling research that will lead to improved patient outcomes.

Cathy has post-graduate qualifications in Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and has spent many years working as a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner. She is actively involved in teaching and mentoring others, and has a Senior Clinical Lecturer role at Otago University. She is also on the Board of STIEF, the STI Education Foundation.

Ross is very keen to do everything he can to prevent people getting head and neck cancer and to help those suffering from these cancers. Ten years ago Ross was diagnosed with a cancer on his tongue which required the removal of 20 percent of his tongue and this was followed up by radiotherapy of his tongue. Ross realises how severe and invasive these treatments are and when the opportunity came for him to join the board of the Head and Neck Cancer Foundation Aotearoa he was very keen to be involved, and hopes to use his business and fundraising skills to help head and neck cancer sufferers.

Dr Andrew Macann is a Radiation Oncologist at Auckland City Hospital where he manages patients with head and neck cancers and lymphomas. His research interests have included involvement with the Trans Tasman Radiation Oncology Group (TROG) which runs clinical trials involving radiotherapy in Australia and New Zealand. He has been on the executive board and scientific committee for TROG and was the trial chairman for the RadioHUM study conducted in 11 centres in Australia and New Zealand which investigated the role of domiciliary humidification in reducing mucositis associated with head and neck cancer radiotherapy. He was the co-chair of the TROG head and neck cancer interest group between 2015 and 2020.

Amelia (she/her) has a background in charity management, having previously worked in leadership roles for sexual health charities in Aotearoa and the UK. She has a passion for improving health outcomes and championing equity through advocacy, education, research and collaboration.

She has personally experienced losing a loved one to cancer, and has seen first-hand the vital role of the charity sector in driving forward cancer research, patient advocacy and support.

Amelia can be contacted on: amelia@headandneckcancer.org.nz