Dr Jaimie Veale (she/her) — President

I am a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the University of Waikato where I conduct research specialising in health inequities and social determinants of health for transgender people. I am the Principal Investigator of Counting Ourselves: The Aotearoa New Zealand Trans and Non-Binary Health Survey and I have received many competitive research funding grants in New Zealand and Canada. I am an Associate Editor of International Journal of Transgenderism, a member of the Global Board of Directors of the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH), and I am one of the authors of the latest revision of the WPATH Standards of Care. I’m passionate about working to move us towards an Aotearoa where trans and takatāpui people have equitable access to gender-affirming healthcare and thrive in our communities free from prejudice, stigma, and discrimination.

Jesse Porter (he/him)

As a general board member of PATHA I bring lived-in experience, community engagement and an advocacy focus to the team. I co-established and co-manage the National Binder Program run by Gender Minorities Aotearoa, and was a founding member of the Proud@MSD network. I have also worked with and supported a number of Rainbow community organisations in the past, as well as other organisations relating to gender and disability advocacy. I whakapapa to Ngāti Porou and Ngāti Kauwhata and have some further experience working and volunteering in the Deaf community, and I'm fluent in New Zealand Sign Language and conversational in Te Reo Māori.

Effective, consistent and accessible healthcare is vital to the well-being of transgender and non-binary people and communities, and must be based on best practices developed through research, experience, and community engagement. 

Cassie Withey-Rila (they/them)

I have recently submitted my thesis for a Master’s of Public Health in the Department of Preventive and Social Medicine at the University of Otago. My research explored the positive experiences of transgender and gender diverse adults with their GPs in Aotearoa New Zealand. After I discovered my passion for public health teaching queer-inclusive sex education in Texas, I immigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2016. I am of European ancestry, and work to build community within transgender, queer, and disability justice spaces, striving to do so with an anti-racist and anti-colonist lens.

I am currently working as an Assistant Research Fellow on a project exploring medical crowdfunding, with my focus on crowdfunding for medical transition, and have a background volunteer work within trans and queer communities. In addition to working to improve transgender health outcomes, I have a particular interest in exploring gender euphoria, strengths-based community work, and undermining the negative narratives around our communities.

Dr Rona Carroll (she/her) - Vice President

I am a youth health GP who works within a primary care based gender affirming healthcare team. I am a senior lecturer at the University of Otago, Wellington and have research and teaching interests in transgender healthcare. I provide education to GPs to give them more confidence in providing gender affirming healthcare and have started a national GP transgender health peer support group, as well as a peer group for health professionals in Wellington who provide gender affirming care. I am also a member of PATHA’s Education Committee and a founding member of Pride in Health.

Dion Reid (he/him) - Secretary

I am a RN and trans man working in Te Matau a Māui (Hawke's Bay). Over a period of more than 15 years I have been involved in assisting trans people and their whānau in a variety of capacities. In the past few years I have also been involved with educating professionals from a range of disciplines about transgender matters relevant to their work.

The provision of trans healthcare that is timely, culturally safe, evidence-based, and equitable is important to me. I also believe that trans people's social and physical milieu should enable them to live according to their own unique gender identities in a way that is comfortable for them.

Dr Rachel Johnson (she/her)

Originating from the UK, I am a general paediatrician and Adolescent Health physician now working at CMDHB Centre For Youth Health. We are a multidisciplinary team who provide gender affirming healthcare to young people and families across the whole of the Auckland region.

I have been involved in trans health care for over 10 years and in that time have been a member of ANZPATH, WPATH, and attended international training and conferences on trans health care.

I have played an active role on the Auckland regional clinical trans health peer network, the Northern Region Transgender Clinical and Consumer Advisory Group (NRTCCAG) and supported the development of both local and Aotearoa trans health guidelines. I am passionate about sharing this knowledge with other health professionals and the wider community with the goal of continuing to improve gender affirming health care throughout NZ.

Further details to be added:

Angelo Libeau
Dr Beth McElrea