Our team is made up of people from all walks of life with diverse skills and experiences, including public health, health promotion, advocacy and clinical practice.

Isis McKay (she/her)

General Manager

Kia ora, Mālō e lelei, Talofa lava, Taloha ni, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Namaste, Ni sa bula, Hello! I joined WHA in 2008 and am currently the General Manager. I have spent the last 14 years in various roles primarily focusing on the area of maternal and child health. I have a background in public health and health promotion and enjoy challenging mainstream definitions of success and health! I believe that including whānau and communities in the design, implementation, governance, and evaluation of health and social services is fundamental to achieving Pae Ora. I have lead and supported the development of people-centred public health strategies, policies, and campaigns. As a mum of three young children, I am immersed in the realities of parenting and understand the joys and challenges faced by parents and caregivers.

Tasha Wharerau

Kaitiaki Wāhine Ora

Ina te oranga o mama- Ka ora te whanau katoa. Kia ora koutou – Ko Tasha Wharerau ahau, no Te Mahurehure ahau. Hi, my name is Tash I am from the Hokianga and live in Paihia. I am a mum of 3 beautiful tamariki – Vijay 16, Julian 11, Jacinta-Lee who is 7.  For the past 10 years I have been a breastfeeding advocate in Te Tai Tokerau, as well as a breast and cervical screening support to service and Maternity Support for Whānau with mental health and addictions.  Women’s health is important to me as when mum is in good health the family is in good health, and for the same reason it makes my heart happy to see mums breastfeed their babies! I am glad to be a Kaitiaki Wahine Ora at Women’s Health Action.

Izzy Montague (she/her)

Project Manager

Tēnā koe, I’m Izzy, I’m a Project Manager at WHA, and I’m from Auckland. I joined the organisation in March 2019. Utilising my Sociology background and intersectional viewpoints, I am a passionate advocate for the rights and equity of women, trans and non-binary people – particularly when it comes to access to affirming, culturally responsive healthcare services. As WHA’s Project Manager, I have overseen the annual Big Latch On and World Breastfeeding Week events, led several web-based projects including the development of Find Your Breastfeeding Support, written submissions on new legislation, and coordinated cross-sector networks and projects on topics such as body image and screening. I’m also passionate about prison abolition and transformation of the justice system – I spent 4 years working for an education service provider of life skills programmes in prisons, and I volunteer with People Against Prisons Aotearoa. I am also on the Board of the Auckland Women’s Centre.

Lou Kelly (they/them)

Gender Diversity Lead

Lou is a registered midwife, antenatal educator, and postgraduate student. They are the gender diversity lead for Women’s Health Action. Their clinical practice and research is focussed on the expansion of care, education, and health policy to include transgender, nonbinary, and gender diverse people. They have an interest in how current service provision and healthcare education can better meet the needs of the LGBTQIA+ Takatāpui population, and how LGBTQIA+ people receive affirmative and empowering care from clinicians across the childbearing continuum. 

Megan Boxall (she/her)

Health Promotion Lead

Kia ora, I‘m Megan and I’m the Health Promotion Lead at WHA. I have a background in nutrition and health promotion and I am a NZ Registered Dietitian. Since becoming a mum to two beautiful boys, I have felt a strong pull to support parents in their journey through parenthood and feeding their pēpi. Facing breastfeeding struggles myself, I know how challenging and often lonely the feeding journey can be. More importantly, I also know how empowering the right support can be and that’s something that every parent deserves.

Jeshua Manu (she/her)

Whānau & Community Rep

Kia ora! I’m Jeshua Manu and I have tried to be a true advocate for positive change since I was a young girl. In my adult life I have been blessed to become a mother to my beautiful, rascal boy, and have spent much of my personal time researching and advocating for social justice. I descend from Aitutaki, Te Whakatohea, and Samoa, and as such, I have a special interest in the rights and health of Pasifika and Māori communities, and the wisdom their healthcare has to offer. I deeply believe that true healthcare considers our body, mind, spirit, and whānau relationships. Reproductive health and healthy relationships betweens parents, baby, and whānau lay down the foundation for a healthy society. I’m so grateful to have a small role in laying down that foundation.

Sarah Rose (she/her)

Bookkeeper

Tēnā koutou, I work for Starr Alignment Ltd, and contract to WHA as the Bookkeeper. My background has largely been in the film industry and advertising sectors, in communication and co-ordination roles. Perhaps as a result of being freelance for many years, I’ve become interested in business and financial investment. I made the switch to Accounts roles in 2015 and joined the Starr team in Jan 2018. I have two children, Reid (7) and Reilly (5) who are very cute, and keep me busy when I’m not bookkeeping. I have a special interest in diet and exercise, and their effect on mental health and health in general. I’m also supportive of alternative methods of heath and grateful that NZ publicly funds home birth. I love working at WHA and being part of a feminist and supportive team!

Anna Beard – Chairperson, Board of Trustees

I am a fundraising and communications professional and have worked in the non-profit world for the past thirteen years. I have experience working for big, multi-national charities like Amnesty International, Save the Children, MSF and Unicef, and also for smaller, local charities in Canada and New Zealand. Currently I am the Fundraising Coordinator for YWCA Auckland. My passion is for women’s rights, health, and social justice so I am delighted to join the Board of Women’s Health Action – an amazing organisation that punches above it’s weight, in areas that are vitally important.

Michael Walsh – Board of Trustees

I am a public health professional and since 2014 I have been employed as an Epidemiologist in the Planning, Funding and Health Outcomes unit across both Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards. Previously I have held roles within the public health units of Waikato District Health Board and Canterbury District Health Board. I have a real passion and enthusiasm in the area of children’s health and believe that every child should have the best start to life. I hold a Master’s Degree in Public Health from the University of Otago. I have presented my work in the areas of sexually transmitted infections, female infertility and children’s health at international conferences and also published in peer reviewed academic journals.  I am excited to be provided with an opportunity to contribute to Women’s Health Action.

Lizzie Strickett – Board of Trustees

I hold Arts and Commerce degrees (Media, Marketing, Psychology) with a Master’s degree in Health Psychology from the University of Auckland. I have tribal affiliations to Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa in the Far North of Aotearoa. My research interests include maternal health inequities, racism and health, and examining health disparities between Māori and non- Māori people as a means of monitoring government commitment to indigenous rights. I am passionate about creating a healthcare system in New Zealand that meets the rights and aspirations of Māori. In May of 2020 I became a māmā to my first child, Hiwa-I-Te-Rangi.

Latayvia Tualasea Tautai (she/her) – Board of Trustees  

Latayvia is passionate about equity and intersectionality. Currently working in the women’s empowerment space whilst wrapping up her university studies. She received a New Zealand Youth award for leadership for her work serving wāhine in prison and various volunteer projects. She was recognised as part of the YWCA’s Y25 2021 cohort. From being raised by a single parent on the benefit to being part of the government’s welfare expert advisory group and advocating on the frontline for Pacific families in poverty, Latayvia feels incredibly grateful for the opportunities she’s had, strives to make the spaces more equitable for young Pasifika coming through and to live her life in the service of her community.

Nikki Singh – Board of Trustees

Kia ora, I’m Nikki! I am a Fijian Indian woman, born and raised in Tāmaki Makaurau. I am currently pursuing my PhD in public health at The University of Auckland. My research is focusing on chronic illness and identity for young ethnic people. I have also studied and worked in spaces such as Fiji Indian identity, sex selection and migrant women in Aotearoa, foetal alcohol spectrum disorder and sexual violence prevention. Overall, I am deeply passionate about research and health equity.

A couple of other hats I wear are research assistant, tutor, and am also the co-founder of Access to Change, an initiative that is working to build workout stations in South Auckland for families, to make exercise fun, free and accessible for all.

My faith centres all that I do and I am excited for this opportunity to bring my knowledge to Women’s Health Action whilst learning from an incredible team

Kanewa Stokes – Board of Trustees

Bio to come

Anne Liu – Treasurer, Board of Trustees

I am a senior finance and accounting professional and CPA. I am known for my love of numbers, productivity, and servant-leadership. I am a passionate women’s health advocate. I believe that empowering women and girls is not only key to social transformation but also brings enormous economic value to Aotearoa. I challenge the status quo, and I place women’s wellbeing, gender equality, and social justice close to my heart. They are not only fundamental human rights but are a necessary foundation of a peaceful, prosperous, and sustainable world. At Women’s Health Action, we aim to reduce inequality and to approach health in a holistic framework of physical, mental, spiritual, and family wellbeing.