Our people
EHINZ project team
Photo credit: Jeroen Burmanje
Professor Barry Borman
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
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'.
Kirstin Lindberg
Kirstin has a background in public health medicine, psychology and computer science. She has an MSc in Public Health from the University of Edinburgh, as well as a BSc from Auckland University. She has recently completed a Graduate Diploma in Applied Statistics. Before joining the team in 2015, she worked in many different parts of the health sector in New Zealand in a variety of roles.
Domain lead: Alcohol-related harm
Domain second: Population vulnerability, Transport, Border health, Animals and human health
Kylie Mason
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
Mathangi (Mathu) Shanthakumar
Mathu has a Master’s degree in Medical Statistics from the University of Auckland. She joined the team in 2010, previously working as a consultant biostatistician for health professionals and organizations, including the Auckland District Health Board. She leads the methodological analysis of the team’s output.
Helene Marsters
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
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
Agnieszka (ag-nee-esh-ka) joined the EHI team in 2018 to maintain the Healthspace website. She has a degree in biological sciences from Poland and work experience in Environmental Conservation and GIS in New Zealand.
Patrick Hipgrave
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
Liam Kelly
Liam joined the team as an analyst in 2021. He has a MSc from Massey University and a BBiomedSc from the University of New England, Australia. He leads the hazardous substances and border health domains.
Domain lead: Border Health, Hazardous Substances
Domain second: UV
Jack Turnbull
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, Animals & human health, Children's environmental health
Domain second: Alcohol-related harm, Border health
Professor Stephen Haslett
Steve is an Emeritus Professor of Statistics in the School of Fundamental Sciences at Massey University. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at the Research School of Finance, Actuarial Studies and Statistics and formerly Professor/Director of the Statistical Consulting Unit at the Australian National University, and a National Institute for Applied Statistics Research Australia (NIASRA) Professorial Fellow at the University of Wollongong. He provides regular statistical support to the EHINZ team. His research interests are in sample survey design and analysis, small area estimation especially of poverty, linear and generalized linear mixed models, and statistical consulting. He has been involved in small area estimation projects for the UN World Food Programme and the World Bank in Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, Bhutan, Cambodia, Pakistan and Timor-Leste, and in more wide ranging projects linked to government statistics offices in over 20 countries including Thailand, Uganda, Kiribati, Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga and Azerbaijan.
Steve is currently a member of 'The Ministry of Health Coronavirus Statistical Advisory Group'.
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.