WHO WE ARE
In addition to the clinical and operational leadership team below, Third Age Health has over thirty experienced and professional clinicians practicing in care homes across New Zealand. If you would like to speak to any of the team members below, or would like to discuss joining our team, please get in touch by clicking here.
The Clinical Advisory Committee provides clinical advice to Third Age Health regarding clinical services, health innovations, high quality care and achieving better health outcomes for our older adults. The Clinical Advisory Committee comprises of clinicians and individuals with a variety of backgrounds. The Committee is supported by Third Age Health’s Medical Director and Associate Medical Director. You can view full committee Charter here: TAH Clinical Advisory Charter 2026
Clinical Advisory Committee
Emily Preston
Innovation Lead for Ember Innovation
Originally from Merseyside, Northern England, Emily has found home in Owairaka (Mt Albert), Tāmaki Makaurau with her partner and two children. Emily works as the Innovation Lead role at Ember Innovations. She has worked in social innovation and systems change roles across the non-profit, social enterprise and corporate sectors in the UK, Australia and New Zealand. Over the past decade she been based in Aotearoa and worked predominantly in the health and wellbeing space, leading mental health, health equity and social connectedness kaupapa.
Jane Casey
Psychogeriatric Specialist
Jane is a specialist psychogeriatrician where her main clinical role is as a community consultant in the public and private sectors in Auckland. Jane sees patients in their homes, in clinic and in residential care settings.Her focus includes depression, anxiety and dementia and related conditions. She has a special interest in spirituality, sexuality and capacity assessments and has considerable experience as a medico legal expert in the court setting. Jane has presented and published on a range of age-related topics, is an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland and past Bi-National Chair in the Faculty of Psychiatry of Old Age, RANZCP.
Joanna Hikaka
Pharmacist and Health Researcher
Joanna (Ngāruahine) is a pharmacist and health researcher with clinical and research experience in older adult health, Māori health and health service development. She has worked across primary, secondary, and aged residential care settings. Joanna has broad range of clinical and strategic advisory and governance experience in Māori health organisations, gerontology, quality medicines use, pharmacy, and research. Her current research focusses on pro-equity health intervention development.
Carol McCallum
Director of Quality & Partnerships for Mercy Hospice, Palliative Medicine Specialist
With over 40 years in healthcare, Carol is a seasoned palliative medicine specialist and former general practitioner. She has served in various clinical and academic roles, contributing to national palliative care policies and currently shaping service models for Health NZ Reforms. At Mercy Hospice Auckland, Carol leads quality initiatives and partnership development, enhancing palliative care standards.
Rod MacLeod
Professor | ONZM
Rod retired from clinical practice in 2019 having been a doctor for 45 years and worked in specialist palliative care for over 30 years in England, New Zealand and Australia. In 2003, he was appointed the inaugural South Link Health Professor in Palliative Care at the University of Otago, Dunedin School of Medicine and in 2013 was appointed Conjoint Professor in Palliative Care at the University of Sydney. He left there in 2019 and now holds an honorary position at the University of Auckland. He has published 140 peer-reviewed articles relating to palliative care in national and international journals and has written many book chapters for palliative care texts. He has also published two anthologies of poetry relating to death, dying and bereavement as well as contributing to a cookbook for people nearing the end of life. He was co-Editor in Chief of the Textbook of Palliative Care published by Springer in 2019, and the second edition published in 2025. He was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the Queen’s birthday honours in 2015 and an Officer of the Order in 2026. He has seven grandchildren and a small dog that keep him active.
Charmaine Fowles
Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative care
As a Clinical Nurse Specialist, Charmaine completed post-graduate qualifications and worked across several areas of specialist palliative care. Her nursing journey in NZ began in Aged Residential Care, which laid the foundation for her ongoing commitment to quality end-of-life care. Her current work includes reviewing and refining the Health Pathways with a palliative care focus. Her role with the Mercy Hospice Poi Team, she provides support, education, and mentoring to primary care providers, including GPs and residential care facilities. Charmaine is deeply passionate about palliative care and strongly advocates for enabling individuals and their whānau to make informed choices that support quality of life throughout the final stages of life.
Steffan Crausaz
Independent Director, Third Age Health
Steffan is a transformative leader in healthcare, with a background ranging from pharmacist to CEO. He is known for his strategic vision and ability to drive significant change in the healthcare and biotech industries. As the former CEO of Tāmaki Health Group, he significantly enhanced operating profits and margins through strategic growth in services and mergers & acquisitions. His leadership was instrumental in the development of innovative telehealth options during the COVID-19 crisis. Before Tāmaki, Steffan led Pharmac. His appointment to the board of Third Age Health Services brings a unique combination of clinical and management expertise, poised to contribute significantly to the organisation's growth and success.