Our people

EHINZ project team

Photo credit: Jeroen Burmanje 

Professor Barry Borman

Director

Barry has over 30 years of experience in applied epidemiology, perinatal epidemiology, and environmental epidemiology. He has published papers in these areas, developed, operated, and evaluated numerous health surveillance systems, conducted investigations of disease clusters, and teaches postgraduate courses in epidemiology. A major focus of his research is providing robust epidemiological evidence for the development of policy and decision-making in the health-related sectors. From 2000 to 2008, Barry managed Public Health Intelligence (PHI), the epidemiology group of the Ministry of Health, New Zealand, and previously was the senior epidemiologist in several government agencies. Since 1987, he has been the Director of the New Zealand Congenital Anomalies Registry (NZCAR), representing New Zealand at the International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research (ICBDSR).

Barry is currently a member of 'The Ministry of Health Coronavirus Statistical Advisory Group'.


Associate Professor Deborah Read

Public Health Physician

Deborah has a specialist interest in environmental health.  She joined the team part- time as an Associate Professor in 2011. Her experience includes positions in the Ministry of Health and other central government agencies and as a Medical Officer of Health in several district health boards. Other previous roles include Deputy Chair of the Medical Council of New Zealand;  member of the Environmental Risk Management Authority, and member of the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms decision-making committee of the Environmental Protection Authority. She is currently Deputy Chair of the Advertising Standards Complaints Board, a member of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal and the Veterans’ Entitlements Appeal Board.

Deborah is currently a member of 'The Ministry of Health Coronavirus Statistical Advisory Group'.


Kylie Mason

Principal Intelligence Analyst

Kylie has a Master’s degree in Applied Statistics, and a postgraduate certificate in environmental health. She joined the team in 2013, previously working at the Ministry of Health in data analysis and national surveys. As part of the EHI team, she has been involved in a variety of projects, including environmental burden of disease studies and developing social vulnerability indicators. She currently leads the population vulnerability domain.

Domain lead: Population vulnerability 

Domain second: Air quality, Climate change, Indoor environment, Transport, UV radiation


Helene Marsters

Senior Intelligence Analyst

Helene has a background in Geography and Environmental Studies. She has a Master of Science degree in Physical Geography from Victoria University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Health from Massey University. She is responsible for coordinating the EHI team’s indicators and factsheets.

Domain lead: Indoor environment

Domain second:  Hazardous substances, Children's environmental health


Kirsty Craig

Principal Intelligence Analyst

Kirsty joined the team in 2022, having previously worked in data analysis and monitoring roles at the Ministry of Health and Canterbury District Health Board. She has a Master's degree in Public Health and an Honours degree in Psychology.

Domain lead: Transport, UV radiation, Māori environmental health

Domain second:  Children's environmental health


Agnieszka Kowalik-Tait

GIS Analyst

Agnieszka (ag-nee-esh-ka) joined the EHI team in 2018. She has a degree in biological sciences from Poland and work experience in Environmental Conservation and GIS in New Zealand.


Patrick Hipgrave

Senior Intelligence Analyst

Patrick joined the team as an analyst in 2020. He has a background in physical and human geography and graduated from Victoria University with an MSc in Geographic Information Science in 2020.

Domain lead: Air Quality, Climate Change

Domain second: Drinking & Recreational Water, Alcohol


Jack Turnbull

Intelligence Analyst

Jack joined the team as an analyst in 2022. Jack's background is in microbiology and genetics, having recently graduated with his MSc in Microbiology and Immunology from the University of Otago.

Domain lead: Recreational & drinking water, Children's environmental health, Border health


EHI Technical Advisors

Our Technical Advisors are highly experienced professionals who provide the team with their expertise and interest in Environmental Health Indicators.

Professor David Briggs

David is a Emeritus Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at Imperial College London.  

A geographer and environmental scientist by background, he has researched extensively in the areas of environmental modelling, exposure assessment, risk analysis and indicator development for policy support, especially in relation to air pollution. Over recent years, he has been principal investigator on more than 30 research council, government, industry  and EU-funded research projects, including studies on air pollution, mobile phone masts, powerlines, multiple deprivation and pesticides.  

Prior to retiring, he co-ordinated a 33-partner integrated project (INTARESE) which developed methods for integrated assessment of health impacts from environmental stressors.  For seven years (until 2007) he was a member of the Scientific Committee of the European Environment Agency, and has been a long-time consultant to the European Commission.  He has also been a regular consultant to the World Health Organisation, for whom he has been responsible for developing concepts, methods and specifications for environmental health indicators.  During the 1990s he likewise was responsible for compiling a number state of environment reports (at local, national and EU level), and for developing environmental indicators to support policy.  He has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, and ca. 20 books and research monographs/reports.  

He retired in July 2009, and emigrated 4 days later to North Island, New Zealand.


Dr Donald Hannah

Having worked in environmental health science and regulation for over 30 years, Donald brings a wide range of experience to the EHI programme.  He was a research leader at ESR (and DSIR prior to that) and joined the new Environmental Risk Management Authority in 1997 as Science and Research Manager. He retired from the Environmental Protection Authority in 2013 after building a career in bringing sound science to environmental decision-making. He has represented New Zealand in a range of international fora including the OECD Environmental Health and Safety programme and several United Nations treaties and negotiations.