Supporting Families & Whānau

Our People

Arohanui Hospice is governed by a group of experienced and community-minded people.

All serve on the board as volunteers and offer significant knowledge and skills; contributing a lot to the organisation, over-and-above attending board meetings.

Lorraine Vincent – Board Chair

Chief Refresher of her consultancy and accommodation businesses, Refreshbiz and Refreshstay, Lorraine has been part of the Arohanui Hospice team for a decade, the last 7 years as Chair. Born and raised in the Manawatū, she has worked in media/communication, sports administration, and local government sectors. The very average mountainbiker is delighted to continue a long history of giving back to her community in volunteer governance roles

Dr Curtis Walker

(Te Whakatōhea rāua ko Ngāti Porou)

Formerly a veterinarian, Dr Curtis Walker retrained in human medicine and practices as a kidney specialist and general physician in Palmerston North Hospital. Curtis’s career has involved secondary and tertiary clinical care as well as roles across governance and public policy. He serves on the Kidney Health NZ Board and chaired the Medical Council for 5 years, as well as serving as Deputy Chair on the Māori Doctors Association (Te ORA), and completing a term on the Te Whatu Ora board.

Having spent time at Arohanui during his training, Curtis is proud to be part of a dedicated team, helping to deliver our important care to the people and whānau of our community.

John Freebairn

A partner at Freebairn & Hehir, Lawyers, John Freebairn has been a board member since 2004 and was Chairman from 2011 to 2019. He is involved in several other community and charitable groups including the Anglican Church, and provides legal advice and committee support. John has been a lawyer for over 40 years, is a past President of the Rotary Club of Palmerston North and has honoured by the Rotary Club with the Paul Harris Fellowship and Sapphire pin. John lives on the outskirts of Palmerston North with his wife Vicki, and they have four adult children. John says he is pleased to be able to combine his enjoyment of the Manawatū lifestyle and people with his legal and personal skills to assist the work of Arohanui Hospice.

Tomina Apiti

(Ngati Te Wehi, Tainui)

Tomina has experienced Arohanui’s care firsthand, walking alongside whānau during a loved one’s hospice journey. She witnessed the aroha and manaakitanga that underpins the hospice team’s mahi. Grounded in Te Ao Māori values, Tomina brings governance experience across several not-for-profit boards focused on social impact and wellbeing. A military veteran, Tomina is proud to now serve in a new way with Arohanui, supporting whānau and patients’ individual needs through governance with compassion and care.

Bryan Guy

Bryan has extensive governance experience with agricultural and community-based organisations. He spent 45 years dairy farming in the Manawatu and has served as director on several dairy industry and agricultural research boards. His community involvement includes philanthropic, heritage and rural support organisations, schools, and his local Anglican church. Bryan and his wife Joanne live near Feilding and place a great importance on family, relationships and mental and physical well-being.

Bryan joined the Board in 2021. He has immense respect and appreciation of what has been achieved by the dedicated volunteers and staff of Arohanui and he values the opportunity to build on their legacy.

Daniel Goymer

Daniel has passion for technology and business, having worked with businesses across New Zealand for the past twenty years in the technology sector. Daniel is currently CEO of Yorb, living close to Palmerston North with his family.

Murray Georgel

Murray is, or has been, a governor of a number of local organisations, both “for profit” and “not for profit”, covering diverse sectors including health, infrastructure, agri-tech and performing arts. Murray became a Trustee of Arohanui Hospice in 2016.

David Andrews

David brings executive and governance experience across private and government sectors, with a background in disability, immigration, energy, and tourism.
Together with his wife, he owns and operates House of Travel The Square. Passionate about giving back, David has proudly served on the Arohanui Hospice Board since 2020, supporting its vital and enduring work.

Sharon Wards

Sharon Wards brings with her a diverse background in science, health, and governance. She resides in Dannevirke and until recently she had the privilege of leading Tararua Health Group, a role she held for over 21 years. During that time she worked closely with Arohanui Hospice so appreciates the value of delivery of our services into rural communities. She serves as a District Councillor, is a keen farmer, and advocates for many health and social services within Tararua through her membership on many committees.

Andy Thompson

Andy Thompson is a new Trustee with the Arohanui Hospice and comes from Ballance not far from Pahiatua. He and his wife Marianne live on a small holder block. Andy is currently the GM Human Resources for Trust House Ltd in Masterton and has been a previous Tararua District Councillor prior to working in the Pacific for the last few years. He enjoys the country life and sees service as a Trustee with the Hospice, a privilege within the greater community.

Julie Knighton

Julie Knighton is a people leader, strategy implementer and business improver. Having worked at Fonterra and MyFarm, Julie enjoys helping people thrive in businesses where systems, processes and strategies work. Julie currently works for NZTA.

Christina Gomes

Christina brings a diverse background in innovation, strategy and marketing with leadership experience spanning the private sector, government and co-founding a startup. She lives with her husband Stephen and two daughters on a lifestyle block in Aokautere, where they are actively involved in their children’s sporting and community activities. Her husband runs a local structural engineering consultancy, while Christina is the Strategy, Impact & Engagement Manager at the Ag Emissions Centre. She is thrilled to be joining the Arohanui Hospice team and looks forward to contributing to its meaningful and impactful work.

Senior Management Team

Frances Hey

Director of Clinical Services

Frances Hey leads Arohanui Hospice’s clinical services, ensuring patients and their whānau receive high-quality, person-centred palliative care. Her role includes clinical leadership, staff development, and strategic planning, with a strong focus on quality improvement and innovation across the region.

Known for her collaborative and supportive leadership style, Frances is valued for building strong relationships, maintaining a clear strategic perspective, and keeping patient care at the centre of everything she does. She is deeply inspired by the commitment, skill, and teamwork of the Arohanui Hospice clinical team.

Outside of work, Frances enjoys gardening, exploring New Zealand by caravan, and spending time outdoors with her family. She finds joy in nature — from forest walks to ocean swims — and the simple moments that help her recharge.

Jenny Fernando

Palliative Care Specialist and Medical Director

Jenny Fernando leads Arohanui Hospice’s medical team as Medical Director and Palliative Care Specialist, ensuring expert care and clinical advice is available to patients and whānau 24 hours a day. She works closely with doctors, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists to deliver palliative care in hospice settings, in patients’ homes, and across the wider community.
Jenny values the deep connections formed with patients and families and is inspired by the difference palliative care can make. Known for her calm, fair, and collaborative leadership style, she places strong trust in her team and is guided by the vision of everyone living and dying well.

Outside of work, Jenny enjoys time outdoors with her family, gardening, walking, biking, and board games. She finds particular joy in planting trees and getting lost in a good book.

Clare Randall

Chief Executive

Clare Randall leads Arohanui Hospice as Chief Executive while also practicing part-time as a Pharmacist Prescriber. She combines decades of palliative care experience with a people-focused, detail-oriented leadership style, guiding the organisation and influencing care locally, regionally, and nationally. Clare values staying connected to patients and whānau through her clinical work and is inspired by the difference hospice care makes every day.

Outside of work, Clare enjoys spending time with her three adult children and her livestock — Valais Blacknose sheep, Arapawa goats, and Pygmy goats. She also enjoys knitting, baking (her signature dish is Jo Seagar’s Russian Fudge), and the simple joys of family and nature. Her colleagues affectionately call her the “mad goat lady.”

Michelle Connor

Director Foundation and People & Operations

Michelle leads Arohanui Hospice’s Foundation team, which raises vital funds to support hospice services, alongside the organisation’s non-clinical functions, including HR, finance, IT, and facilities. She values being closely connected to the impact of her work on patient care, even while operating behind the scenes.

Known for her people-focused and coaching leadership style — sometimes tough, always fair — Michelle helps others see the bigger picture while balancing heart and strategy. Her decisions are guided by deeply held values and a commitment to the team and community.

Outside of work, Michelle enjoys being in the kitchen creating something delicious (or occasionally disastrous!) and walking the windswept west coast beaches with her dog, Mr Barkley. Her team describes her as wise, generous, and strategic, and she admits a good episode of Gilmore Girls never fails to brighten her mood.