Meet the Ngā Kōrero l Speakers
Associate Professor Roger Booth (keynote)
MBChB Phase 1 Director, School of Medical Sciences, University of Auckland
Associate Professor Roger Booth was born in Gisborne and moved with his family to South Auckland when he was eight years old. In 1976, he completed a PhD in immunology and virology in the Department of Cell Biology at The University of Auckland. He was subsequently was employed as a Scientific Officer at Auckland Hospital associated with the Immunology Section of the Department of Medicine.
In 1990, Roger became interested in the relationship among immune system, nervous system and psychological processes, Since then, his research has centred on the field of psychoneuroimmunology, particularly how the health and wellbeing of our bodies are effected by our emotions and the meanings we ascribe to events and experiences in our lives.
Dr George Laking, Medical Oncologist, Auckland and Northland District Health Boards
RACP Aotearoa New Zealand President
Medical Oncologist, Auckland and Northland District Health Boards
RACP Aotearoa New Zealand President
Dr George Laking grew up in Wellington, and his whakapapa (geneaology) is to Lincolnshire Pākehā (Non – Māori usually of European descent) from on his father's side, and Te Whakatohea on his mother's side.
He studied medicine in Dunedin and Wellington, before going to the United Kingdom to complete his postgraduate studies. While in the UK, he wrote his PhD on the economics of diagnosis, and his MD on tumour perfusion.
Dr Laking has been back in Aotearoa New Zealand since 2007, and has been a member of the RACP Māori Health Committee since 2010 and stepped up to the RACP Aotearoa New Zealand Presidency in 2020.
Dr Susannah Ward
Physician of Rehabilitation Medicine
Dr Susannah Ward is a Physician of Rehabilitation Medicine currently working in brain injury and lifestyle and wellness rehabilitation in Newcastle NSW. She served as an RACP Board Director from 2016-2018 and was a member of the Faculty and College Trainees’ Committees from 2014-2018.
Dr Ward has always been a strong advocate for trainee health and wellbeing, with a special interest in wellness, mindfulness and yoga. She teaches these skills to her patients and other health professionals during intern orientations, weekly staff workshops and conferences. She has been involved in research looking into intern wellness and wellbeing including a project awarded an advancement in medicine grant.
Dr Fiona Moir
Senior Lecturer in Communications Skills and Mental Health, University of Auckland & Director of Connect Communications
Dr Fiona Moir is a senior lecturer in communication skills and mental health. She divides her time between the medical school in Auckland, and as a Director of Connect Communications, an education business specialising in communication and wellbeing.
Dr Moir’s background is in General Practice, and her PhD is in staff wellbeing. In 2018, she was awarded the University of Auckland Vice-Chancellors Excellence Award for Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
Dr Owen Sinclair
General Paediatrician, Waitakere Hospital in Auckland
Tena Koutou Katoa
Ko Owen Tōku ingoa
Dr Owen Sinclair is a general Paediatrician who is also fully trained in Paediatric Emergency Medicine and the clinical lead in Paediatric Acute Medicine at Waitemata District Health Board (WDHB). He has a Master’s in Public Health and lectures at the University of Auckland on ethnic inequalities in health.
He is of Te Rarawa descent and entered medical school in 2003 under the Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme (MAPAS). Giving back to the community is an important element of his work, so Dr Sinclair enjoys travelling yearly to the impoverished Pacific nation of Kiribati to deliver medical aid.
Dr Sinclair is married to Jo, an anaesthetist and has two children. He coaches his children's sports teams - rugby, hockey and cricket.