Dedicated to leading Braemar Charitable Trust, the 100% owner of Braemar Hospital, one of New Zealand’s largest private hospitals.

TRUSTEES

The Braemar Charitable Trust is governed by a Trust Board comprising Independent and Medical Trustees, who collectively contribute a wealth of commercial, governance, community and medical sector experience. All the Trustees on the Braemar Charitable Trust call the Waikato home. They provide valuable expertise and input into helping the Trust achieve its goals of a healthier Waikato region.

Aidan O'Donnell

Medical Trustee

Aidan is the most recent addition to the Braemar Charitable Trust Board, joining in late 2023.

The Scots-born medical specialist has been in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2010 and for 10 years was the lead Obstetric Anaesthetist at Waikato Hospital. He has a special interest in anaesthesia for childbirth, and is also involved in teaching and medical writing. He is the author of Anaesthesia: A Very Short Introduction, and is one of the editors of the Oxford Handbook of Anaesthesia.

While living in the UK, Aidan gave his professional services, free, for one week each year to a medical charity. He is a Medical Associate at Braemar Hospital and is looking forward to helping raise the profile of the Trust and the charitable activities it undertakes, including community surgeries, scholarship funding, and supporting professional development.

Aidan joined the Braemar Charitable Trust Board as a way to “give something back” to the community. “Charity work is very rewarding in a personal sense and can make a really positive impact on lives. The Braemar Charitable Trust is doing great work to improve health outcomes.”

Vicky McLennan

Independent Chairperson

Vicky was appointed as Independent Chair of the Braemar Charitable Trust Board in September 2023. An experienced chair, she was recently reappointed for a second term as Chair of Trust Waikato and is currently in her third year as Chair of Alandale Foundation Trust and Alandale Lifecare Limited, an independent retirement village on the riverside in Hamilton’s north. She is also a trustee for Perry’s Outdoor Education Trust and a member of the Institute of Directors.

Between 2008 and 2017 Vicky was Principal at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls, before moving into a strong governance career in the for-purpose sector. She is also a Partner-Provider for the NZ School Trustees Association, providing professional development and governance support to school boards.

Vicky aims to combine her governance skills and experience with her community connections to enhance the work of the Trust. “I am so pleased to be leading this important charitable trust that has the drive and ability to improve health equity and enhance the health outcomes in our region.”

Kelvyn Eglinton

Independent Trustee

Kelvyn has been on the Braemar Charitable Trust board since mid-2021. He was most recently the CEO of Momentum Waikato Community Foundation and is now Waikato Branch Manager with Craig’s Investment Partners in Hamilton.

He sits on boards of New Zealand Surf Lifesaving Foundation and Surf Lifesaving New Zealand. Kelvyn is also a Registered Independent Commissioner for RMA hearings and has a background in mining in New Zealand, Australia and Indonesia relating to social responsibility programmes, communications and development and government relations.

Kelvyn’s six years as CEO of Momentum Waikato Community Foundation, and before that as General Manager for City Growth at Hamilton City Council, provides him with special insight into how to make lasting differences in communities. “I firmly believe in the Trust’s work to improve health outcomes for the Waikato region and encourage anyone who wants to help us to think about how they can contribute to this important mahi.”

Jasen Ly

Medical Trustee

Jasen joined the Braemar Charitable Trust Board in late 2022 as a means to contribute on a larger scale than as an individual clinician treating patients.

He has been at Waikato Hospital since 2016 and is a general and colorectal surgeon with a sub-specialty interest in colorectal surgery, endoscopy and laparoscopy. Jasen is strongly focused on quality patient care, communication and teamwork, sits on the Executive Committee of the NZ Association of General Surgeons and is a Hospital Supervisor for training in General Surgery. He is also a Medical Associate at Braemar Hospital.

“There are many health workers and others who want to make a difference to the lives of those in the Waikato community. One way for specialists to do that is to become a Credentialled Specialist at Braemar Hospital so you can give back through donating your time for community surgeries. We have an array of specialists already helping and would love to have more giving back via the Braemar Charitable Trust.”

Katie Ayers

Medical Trustee

Katie is a Specialist Paediatric Dentist working in private practice at the Anglesea Medical Precinct and has been a Medical Associate at Braemar Hospital since 2004. She has a long association with the Braemar Charitable Trust, returning to the board as a Medical Trustee in 2020. She also serves as a Director on the Braemar Hospital board.

Her governance experience includes serving as a Trustee and Director of Medical Assurance Society and also on the New Zealand Dental Association Board (with the final two years as President). Katie has completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Management (Governance) and is a chartered member of the Institute of Directors.

Katie is a strong advocate for the Braemar Charitable Trust and for many years has modelled a behaviour of giving, providing countless hours of pro-bono community surgery for children in urgent need of dental treatment. Her time and expertise, combined with financial assistance from the Trust to cover other costs, allows these children to become free of pain and infection. This has significant flow on affects for the whole family once children are able to eat, sleep, learn and play without dental pain.

Alan Goodey

Medical Trustee
Alan has been a Credentialled Specialist at Braemar Hospital for nearly two decades, is a Medical Associate at Braemar Hospital and has been on the Braemar Charitable Trust since 2020.

The anaesthetist splits his time between Waikato Hospital and Braemar Hospital. He has been on the Executive Committee of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists and is a member of the NZ Society of Anaesthetists Global health Committee.

Alan has an interest in improving access to surgical care and anaesthesia in the Pacific region, where he works closely with Pacific based anaesthetists. He has been part of a number of NZ government medical responses to sudden onset disasters in the Pacific region and currently is Medical Director of the NZ medical assistance team (NZMAT).

“We all have our skills and connections that can be brought to the table. The combination of excellent medical specialists willing to give their time to help others, with Braemar Hospital facilities and the drive of the Braemar Charitable Trust, allow us to optimise outcomes for patients who need an intervention. That’s how we can best make an impact.”

Jason Donovan

Medical Trustee

Jason joined the Braemar Charitable Trust Board in late 2022 and is a Medical Associate at Braemar Hospital. The orthopaedic surgeon has been a Senior Medical Officer at Waikato Hospital for more than a decade and has sub-specialty interest in paediatric orthopaedics and foot and ankle surgeries.

He feels driven to contribute to the board so it can help treat patients who would otherwise not meet the threshold for public surgical care. “There is an increasing disparity between private and public in terms of access to surgical care. I was pleased to see Braemar Charitable Trust working towards better health outcomes through its activities and through using the amazing facilities at Braemar Hospital and wanted to join the board and also contribute my time to community surgeries.”

Jason completed his house surgeon years at Waikato, after completing his pre-clinical years in Wellington and medical training in Dunedin. Jason’s career includes completing his registrar years at Waikato, Tauranga, Dunedin and Taranaki Hospitals, followed by a fellowship in Toronto at the Hospital for Sick Children and St Michael’s, before returning to Waikato Hospital.

Lu-ana Ngatai

Independent Trustee

Lu-ana is a public health sector specialist who holds a double degree in Public Administration and Policy and Maori Development, a Post-Graduate Diploma in Management and a Diploma in Law, and who joined the Braemar Charitable Trust Board in 2022.

She has held roles at local, regional and national levels in public health and is on national advisory groups for Bowel Screening and Critical Care. Lu-ana is currently the Operations Manager for Screening and Sexual Health Services for Te Whatu Ora Waikato and has developed extensive relationships with community and iwi providers in the Waikato region.

It is these relationships that Lu-ana hopes to bring to the table for the Braemar Charitable Trust. “We know that in our region many iwi, in particular, struggle to access timely and accessible health care. The relationships we are already building between the Trust and the wider community are going to be vital for helping improve health outcomes in our region. I am very happy to be able to bring a public sector lens to this mahi so we can all benefit.”

Read about Paula - our Trust Manager