Our board members bring unique skills that will help us raise awareness and deliver on
Coeliac New Zealand's strategic plan.
Kirsty Vercoe has been on the Board since 2019. She is the Board representative amongst the MAP group, a pharmacist by training and currently the General Manager Commercial and Partnerships at MercyAscot Hospitals in Auckland. Her journey with Coeliac NZ began in 2012 when she was diagnosed with coeliac disease in her late 20s. Despite having family members and friends with the disease, she found that the support and information she received from the organisation during those initial months helped her adjust to the new diet and lifestyle. She lives in Auckland with her food scientist husband and young children and has a passion for health and wellbeing.
Jenny is based in Queenstown. She brings a wealth of experience in grant funding, strategic planning, and governance to the Board alongside her personal experience of living with coeliac disease. Diagnosed in her mid-30s after years of misdiagnoses, Jenny has a deep understanding of the challenges faced by individuals with coeliac disease. This lived experience fuels her passion for advocating for improved awareness, support, and resources for those with coeliac disease.
Sarah Neilson is currently the Chief People Officer of a Crown Entity in Wellington. Her journey with Coeliac disease began in 2017 when she was diagnosed in her early 40s following the birth of her second child. With a chef for husband and a small café business, Sarah as a self-described ‘foodie’ is forever experimenting in the kitchen and exploring new coeliac safe eating establishments. Passionate about food, Sarah is excited to utilise her H&S and Wellbeing experience and Hospitality background to have a direct influence in supporting CNZ members to not only live healthy lives but have plenty of choice in doing so.
Rosie Jerram was co-opted onto the Coeliac New Zealand board in 2019. In the years following her diagnosis, CNZ provided Rosie with guidance and a strong support network to help with the adjustment to living with this lifelong condition. This motivated her to want to contribute to the organistation, particularly in helping other young people adjust to living a full life with coeliac disease. Having recently graduated from Otago University, Rosie understands the curveballs that coeliac disease can throw when transitioning into young adult life. Rosie now lives in Auckland and works as a Corporate Finance Analyst.
Max Smitheram is a policy analyst and has his own consultancy company. He was diagnosed by biopsy in 2007, and is interested in encouraging earlier and improved diagnosis rates for all people with coeliac disease. As a coeliac for life he believes that retaining and extending our membership base and working together is critical to effective advocacy as is having a strong national voice and organisation. Max also likes to drink cold gluten-free beer - preferably at a cabaret or in a sweaty salsa joint, with his cat Dr Roosgrit or onboard a small boat! He is a supporter of the Dining out Programme and is keen to improve food and beverage labelling requirements and compliance, which would provide more selection and help keep coeliac's safe.
Jenny Kuttel has wide-ranging business experience in industries including rail operations in New Zealand and Australia, and sawmilling operations in New Zealand. She has expertise in project management, policy development, implementation, operations management, human resources management and management consulting services.
She has been a member of CNZ since 1986 and still remembers the difference the society made for her when she was first diagnosed. Now retired after a busy career and returned to NZ, she would like to contribute to the ongoing success of the society and the work it is doing for all those with coeliac disease, dermatitis herpetiformis or gluten intolerance. She knows there are still challenges with raising awareness across many sectors, including the medical profession and the hospitality industry. CNZ can take credit for the dramatic changes in awareness over the past decades, and she would like to assist with that continuing journey.
Katie Martin was diagnosed as coeliac along with her son Tom 8 years ago when he was 3 years old. She joined Coeliac New Zealand as soon as she was diagnosed and has found it an invaluable resource and support. She has a strong background in hospitality, catering and events with over 20 years in the industry and is passionate about increasing awareness of coeliac disease. Katie is also an accomplished musician and works as a creative producer in the events sector. She is based in Christchurch and is excited about the opportunity to be on the board of Coeliac New Zealand.
Gary was co-opted on the Coeliac New Zealand board in 2022, motivated to join the organisation from seeing the journey his brother-in-law has had with coeliac disease over the past decade. He is originally from the UK and has lived in New Zealand for almost 20 years. He has a background in high-performance sport and has worked for various national sporting organisations across NZ, including as sports director for Special Olympics New Zealand. He is currently the general manager of a golf club in Auckland.
Alastair was diagnosed with coeliac disease in 2021 after over a decade of subtle symptoms. He brings both lived experience and professional insight to the challenges of living with and managing coeliac disease. As an actively practising GP, he understands firsthand the importance of early recognition, public education, and systemic support.
He holds an MBA from the University of Cambridge and currently serves on the board of General Practitioners Aotearoa, as well as being a member of the Institute of Directors New Zealand. Alastair recently returned from the UK, where he continues to contribute to Coeliac UK as a member of their Research Strategy Board. This combination of governance experience, clinical knowledge, and lived experience puts him in a strong position to support Coeliac NZ’s mission to improve awareness, diagnosis, and quality of life for all New Zealanders affected by coeliac disease.
Mike’s daughter was diagnosed with coeliac disease 4.5 years ago. It took 2 years from when she started having stomach pains until the diagnosis. In hindsight, he wishes that they had either been more aware or that the doctors had been faster to recognise the symptoms and test for coeliac disease. Mike has a Bachelor of Science and an MBA and is a member of the Institute of Directors. He brings his experience as a global leader, governing investment portfolios and transformation efforts for financial institutions in London, Delhi and Auckland. He has led commercial partnership development, product teams, and technology teams and for the past 2 years has been mentoring 3 small businesses through Business Mentors NZ.
About Coeliac New Zealand
Your partner in
healthy living
Coeliac New Zealand is available throughout your journey. As part of our community, you’ll get support, advice, and assistance. We work with health professionals, manufacturers, and researchers to raise awareness of coeliac disease in NZ.
Together, we can reach a day when every person with coeliac disease gets diagnosed quickly, lives a healthy life, and has the prospect of a cure.