Leadership: Hautūtanga
The Dementia Mate Wareware Leadership and Advisory Group: Te Whakaruruhau mō te Mate Wareware
Our Purpose
The Dementia Mate Wareware Leadership and Advisory Group / Te Whakaruruhau mō te Mate Wareware are the kaiarataki – the leaders and guides – of the Dementia Mate Wareware Governance Ecosystem. They are a passionate and skilled group with diverse experiences and backgrounds.
Our Mahi
Network Meetings
The first meeting of the year was on 23rd April, 2026. The date for the second hui is yet to be determined. Please check back later for further information.
Submitted Reports
These reports are produced by the Leadership Group following Network engagement and collaboration on areas of the Action Plan that the government has signalled as priorities.
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Our People
Teresa Wall – Chair
Teresa is of Te Rarawa and Te Aupouri descent. Teresa is a Māori health consultant working with primary healthcare services and facilities in the Māori NGO sector and on equity issues for Māori, and is a board member of Alzheimers New Zealand. Teresa began her career as a nurse before joining the Ministry of Health. She has served as Deputy Director-General of Māori Health and Deputy Director-General of Policy and Strategy. Teresa has also chaired the Māori Partnership Board of the Capital and Coast District Health Board (now Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley) and Ora Toa Primary Health Organisation.
Matthew Croucher – Deputy Chair
Matthew is a senior psychiatrist of old age and academic working for Te Whata Ora in Waitaha Canterbury. Matthew is the deputy chair of the New Zealand Dementia Foundation. Over the last two decades, he has held leadership roles concerning dementia mate wareware service development within Canterbury, the South Island, and nationally. He is a medical advisor for Parkinson’s New Zealand, Alzheimers New Zealand, and Dementia Canterbury. Matthew continues participating in the RANZCP and other training organisations, including workforce development in psychiatry, the Walking in Another’s Shoes person-centred dementia mate wareware care programme, BPAC, and the University of Otago.
Dr Etuini Ma’u
Etu holds dual appointments as a consultant old age psychiatrist with Te Whatu Ora Waikato and as a senior lecturer in the Department of Psychological Medicine at the University of Auckland. Etu’s research interests are in the areas of how to prevent dementia mate wareware, how to help people living with dementia mate wareware, and how to allocate resources more equitably for non-European people living with dementia mate wareware in Aotearoa New Zealand. He was awarded an HRC Pacific Clinical Research Training Fellowship in 2019 and the Alzheimers New Zealand Fellowship in 2022. Etu was raised in Tonga, where he completed most of his schooling.
Alister Robertson
Alister Robertson was diagnosed in 2014 with young-onset Alzheimers at the age of 60. Alister worked in the banking and finance industry. He is a Board member of Alzheimers New Zealand and a member of the Alzheimers New Zealand Advisory Group. Alister is also Chair of Dementia Alliance International. Alister has been awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award for Community/NGO services in the Minister of Health Volunteer Awards and founded the free “My Life’s Journey” app. Alister was also awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to people with dementia in the 2024 New Year Honours list.
Treasure Thomas-Egglestone
Te Atiawa / Rongomaiwahine / Rongowhakaata / Te Arawa
Alister Robertson was diagnosed in 2014 with young-onset Alzheimers at the age of 60. Alister worked in the banking and finance industry. He is a Board member of Alzheimers New Zealand and a member of the Alzheimers New Zealand Advisory Group. Alister is also Chair of Dementia Alliance International. Alister has been awarded an Outstanding Achievement Award for Community/NGO services in the Minister of Health Volunteer Awards and founded the free “My Life’s Journey” app. Alister was also awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for services to people with dementia in the 2024 New Year Honours list.
Kera Baker
Rapuwai / Waitaha / Kāti Mamoe / Kāti Huirapa / Kāi Tahu / Ngāi Tuhoe
Kera is a passionate advocate for Māori health equity. Kera has served as Associate Director Māori Health and Senior Advisor for Whānau Voice at Te Aka Whai Ora, and now works in a national capacity at Te Whatu Ora Health NZ. She believes deeply in maintaining balance through hauora, hinengaro, tinana, and wairua, recognising that environmental and health outcomes are interconnected and must be managed holistically.
Paula Kimble
Paula is an experienced mental health professional with significant leadership experience in New Zealand’s public health sector. In her current role as Group Manager at Health New Zealand (Te Whatu Ora), Paula leads a team working on population mental health promotion initiatives.