Assoc.Prof Max Berry
President

Assoc.Prof Max Berry is a Neonatologist at Capital & Coast DHB and a Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics and Director of the Centre for Translational Physiology at the University of Otago, Wellington. Her research interests range from pre-clinical studies exploring the mechanistic basis of preterm-associated health problems through to clinical trials and population-based research. 

Karen Bennington
Secretary 

Karen Bennington has worked in the Wellington NICU since 2002 and has been registered as a Mātanga Tapuhi Piripoho / Neonatal Nurse Practitioner since 2016.  Karen is developing her focus in neonatal neurology and her research interest is in determining how our NICU management effects the neurodevelopmental outcomes of our infants and learning ways in which we can improve this.

Dr Becs Dyson 
Treasurer

Dr Becs Dyson is a Research Fellow with the Perinatal and Developmental Physiology Group, Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Otago Wellington. After completing her PhD at Hunter Medical Research Institute, and a Postdoctoral position at the University of Wollongong, Australia, she moved to New Zealand to work with Dr Berry on translational models of perinatal compromise.

Melissa Schlegel 
Executive Committee Member

Melissa Schlegel is an Associate Charge Nurse Manager in NICU at Capital & Coast DHB and also the Senior Clinical Research Nurse at University of Otago, Wellington. Melissa has worked in New Zealand, The Netherlands and the United Kingdom as both a Clinical staff nurse and a research nurse. Melissa manages all aspects of the research trials on NICU and has a keen interest in pre clinical studies.

Dr. Jay Marlow 

Executive Committee Member

Dr Jay Marlow is the Clinical Leader of Maternal and Fetal Medicine and Women’s Ultrasound at Wellington Regional Hospital. She is currently the Vice-Chair of the Ministry of Health MFM Governance Board. Her interests include accurate antenatal diagnosis for fetal and placental anomalies. She has passion for providing high quality care from the spectrum of primary to tertiary healthcare throughout  the entire pregnancy and postnatally. 

Angela Williams 

Community spokesperson 

Angela Williams has first-hand neonatal experience following the unexpected arrival of her son Jaxon, who born at 24 weeks in 2016. It was not only his experience, but also those of other families around them, which developed a passion for helping to develop and contribute towards the future experience for others. Outside of being mum to a busy and active 4 year old, Angela has a commercial sales background and works in a Government procurement role in Wellington.

Dr Simon Scheck 

Executive Committee Member 

Dr. Simon Scheck is a registrar in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at CCDHB and an honorary research fellow at the University of Otago. Simon completed a PhD using diffusion MRI in children with Cerebral Palsy, and current research interests include surgical site infection at Caesarean section amongst others.