Meet the Team

PG Diploma Child and Family health, PG Dip Health Sciences, MNsc (honours) from Auckland University

Gaylene originally hails Eureka in the Waikato and came for a winter of skiing and nursing on the ski field in 1996. She has been with QMC since then. Her areas of specialty/focus include sexual health, acute presentations, women and child health.

Gaylene has been practicing  as a Nurse Practitioner since since 2016.

Outside of work, Gaylene enjoys cycling, skiing, gardening, and raising her three girls.

Patient & Support Services Manager | Kaiwhakahaere Rauemi

MBBS Bsc(Med), DRANZCOg, FRACGP, FRNZCGP

Catherine graduated from the university of New South Wales in Australia, and completed her postgraduate training with a Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2008. She has also obtained a Diploma of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in 2006 and a Certificate in Sexual Health and Family Planning in 2007.

Due to her husband's orthopedic training she has worked in many different areas in NSW and ACT of Australia - from country town Bega, Australia, to Lismore on the Far North Coast. In 2017 she migrated with her husband and three young boys to New Zealand to be on the doorstep of ski fields.

Catherine enjoys assisting her patients through all their challenges, be that family planning, chronic health issues or issues associated with getting older. 

When not working she may be found skiing, doing yoga and pilates, playing piano with her music group or walking her goats with her children.

MBChB, FRNZCGP, PGDip Obstetrics, PGDip Paediatrics, PGDip Com Em Med, PGDip Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, DSAC, Accredited member of MEDSAC

Kathryn started working on the ski field in 1996 and has stayed because she loves it here. Originally from Taranaki, Kathryn grew up in West Auckland and is a graduate of Otago University where she studied medicine. Her experience is focused on general practice, accident and medical, women’s and reproductive health, sexual health, sexual assault care, relationship work and sexual problems, mental health and self-worth, gender diversity care, LGBTIQ and family health.

When Kathryn’s not at work she enjoys skiing, cycling, running, swimming, yoga, hiking, food and wine, and spending time with her two adult children.

MB BS, FRNZCGP, DRCOG (UK), MRCGP, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, DRCOG, MRCGP, Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine-MPHTM, General Practice/Family Medicine – MFM (Clinical), Certificate in Aviation Medicine, MEDSAC trained, EMST, EMSB.

After many years of practising medicine in remote tropical locations as a general practitioner, Simon moved to Queenstown with his wife, Judi, in late 2003. They came to Queenstown to enjoy everything that this wonderful place has to offer. He started work at Queenstown Medical Centre in early 2004.

Simon was raised and educated in the Rhondda Valley, South Wales and graduated with an MB, BS, from King’s College Hospital Medical School, University of London in 1983.

Simon’s professional interests include Undergraduate Education, Palliative Care, Tropical Medicine and Sexual Abuse Care. Outside medicine he has a lifelong love of both rugby and cricket. He also enjoys skiing, tramping, and food and wine.

Abbii is part of our First Impressions & Administration Team

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"Although originally born and raised in Somerset UK, Lottie received her medical degree from the University of Limerick, Ireland and spent several years working in pediatrics and oncology in Cork before venturing out to Wellington with her partner in 2022. Lottie began her GP training in the capital and made the move down to Queenstown to complete her training and fulfill her dreams of finally becoming an average snowboarder (already a very average skier) and to fully embrace life in the mountains. Other interests include Gaelic football and camogie as well as general hiking and cycling. Less active interests include music, languages and anything creative."

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Team Jacks Point/Arrowtown

FRNZCGP, PGDipSports Medicine, PG Dip Appearance Medicine, ACLS, EMST, 

Milne came to Queenstown with his partner Dr Sonja Sparrow in 1991 to spend a ski season working as both a doctor and ski instructor. After a fantastic winter, they left to continue with summer work elsewhere, but kept coming back and in 1996 both were employed full time at the medical centre.

Originally from Scotland, Milne immigrated to New Zealand as a young child, where he spent his childhood growing up in Dunedin and eventually went onto the University of Otago to study medicine. He has post grad diplomas in sports medicine and skin cancer surgery and medicine and will progress to diplomas in musculoskeletal medicine and also skin microscopy (dermatoscopy) in the near future. Milne provides specialist GP (GPSI) services for skin surgery and for orthopaedic assessments and also provides GP services to our fracture clinic. Milne is also an Accredited Skin Cancer Doctor (Skin Cancer College Australasia).

Outside of medicine Milne loves the outdoors, spending as much time as possible skiing, mountain biking, hiking and camping, but also loves travelling, food and wine. In the past he has enjoyed rock climbing and playing ice hockey.

Urgent Practice Nurse

MBChB, FRNZCGP 

Claire immigrated to New Zealand in 2008 from her native Ireland with her partner Dr Niall Curran. They eventually moved to Queenstown in 2015 to be closer to mountain life. Claire studied in Belfast and has been a GP since 2015 with QMC. Claire enjoys all aspects of general practice.

Claire enjoys skiing, biking and hiking when not at work.

Dr. Nika Ferdowsi is a GP with over 15 years of experience in her medical practice, offering a wealth of expertise in adult outpatient internal medicine. Board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, she is renowned for her dedication to optimizing health and wellness and managing chronic diseases.

Driven by a commitment to holistic health, Dr. Ferdowsi has pursued extensive training throughout her career. She completed a fellowship in Integrative Medicine from the University of Arizona, studying under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. Her pursuit of comprehensive healthcare strategies is further emphasized by her training in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine.

With a deep passion for enhancing the quality of life for her patients, Dr. Ferdowsi continues to make a profound impact in her field. Her dedication to empowering individuals in their health journey is exemplified through her compassionate care and innovative approach to modern medicine.

Dr Ferdowsi has recently relocated to the picturesque town of Queenstown, New Zealand. This not only marks a new chapter of adventures and experiences with her husband and three children but also continues her unwavering mission to empower individuals in optimizing their health.

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MB, MRCGP (UK), FRNZCGP, Dip in Child Health, Certificate in Dermoscopy

Born, studying and graduating as a doctor in Scotland, Lindsay has found the home of her dreams in New Zealand. Coming first to work at in Invercargill at Southland Hospital she enjoyed working with children from birth in the neonatal unit through the children’s ward and gained her diploma in paediatrics from Otago University. 

Lindsay relocated to the Wakatipu in 2002 and joined QMC in 2003.  She has worked with the team and patients of all ages in Frankton for over 12 years and enjoys the variety from young to old while still keeping up with all that is new in paediatrics. Lindsay is married to fellow doctor, Richard Macharg, and she has succumbed to the family obsession with skiing and recently developed a great love of cycling – particularly long distances and steep hills!  She continues to support her 3 grown children in all that they do at home and away and especially from the side of the ice rink when ice hockey is being played.

First Impressions - Team Coordinator

'Born and bred in the UK, Anna is now lucky enough to call beautiful Queenstown her home. 

Anna has been coaching innutrition, health, wellbeing and lifestyle change in a number of realms for a number of years now and truly believes that in order to feel our best, we need to look at all aspects of our health - mental, physical, social...and the rest! She is passionate about working with your individual lifestyles, needs, goals, and preferences to help you to feel energized and your happiest and healthiest self, using sustainable habit change-based approaches. 

When she's not at work, you can find her running or hiking on the trails, riding her road bike, swimming in lakes, camping in her van, and drinking great coffee!!'

Dr Sean DavidsonSean graduated in 2016 from Newcastle University in the UK. He spent the early part of his career working in hospital-based medicine in the North East of England. After completing exams to become a Member of the Royal College of Physicians in the UK, Sean moved to New Zealand where he worked as a Medical Registrar in Waikato Hospital. Sean is passionate about education and research, he has a Masters in Research in neuroscience, and is in the final stages of finishing a PhD in Global Health. His clinical and research interests include neurological disease (in particular Parkinson’s and headache), the health of older people and acute care. Outside of work, Sean is a keen mountaineer and has longstanding involvement in search & rescue, as well as expedition & wilderness medicine.

MBChB, FRNZCGP, PRIME, Aero-medical Evacuation and Helicopter Rescue, Wilderness Life Support

Originally from Fairlie, Scotland, Anne has been with QMC since 2008 when she arrived to work one season at the ski fields. Returning the following year she has never left. Anne is a graduate of University of St Andrews, Scotland (BSc Medical science) followed by University of Manchester, England (MbChB). She is passionate about all aspects of family medicine. Anne loves anything that involves a bit of adventure or creativity. Even better if shared with family or friends.

MBChB, FRNZCGP, APLS, Emergency Management of Severe Burns, Emergency Life Support, EMST, PRIMEX

Simone is a graduate from Otago University and came to Queenstown in 2002 for a short-term job as medical personnel on the ski-fields. She’s not surprised that she’s ended up staying for the next 15 years. (Who hasn’t heard THAT story?)

Simone considers herself to fit in the categories of animal lover, wanna-be tennis player, very average skier, die-hard All Blacks fan, and enthusiastic-but-not-very-sophisticated cook.

When not seeing patients, she’s busy with the never-ending landscaping and gardening of her home, being a and struggling to keep up with the demands of being a school mum, housekeeper, cook and taxi-service. 

Simone is passionate about building relationships with individuals so that we can come to a more comfortable arrangement of “health care” together. She is a great believer in modest physical activity for better health and giving back to the community.

Health Improvement Practitioner

MBCHB, FRNZCGP, dip Trav Med

Tracy is originally from the UK and first came out to NZ in 2001 for a 3 month job in Christchurch hospital. After a few years in Christchurch and Dunedin and with a background in emergency  and anaesthetics, Tracy decided to try some ski field medicine in Queenstown in 2009 and has been in Central Otago ever since. 

Tracy has an interest in family medicine and acute care. Tracy also has a special interest in travel medicine completing a diploma in travel medicine in 2012.

Tracy enjoys skiing, hiking and biking. Most of her spare time is spent with her young family and friends.

MBChB, FRNZCGP, MRCGP, BASICS (UK), Diploma in Child Health, Diploma in Family Planning, High Altitude Medicine, Aviation Medicine Course (RAF Henlow), EMST (instructor), APLS, ACLS 

Alex came to Queenstown at the start of 2016 with her family to be in a place where there was skiing and the ground was not shaking have relocated from Christchurch where they had been for 10 years. Alex is a graduate of the University of Aberdeen in her home country of Scotland and has been a GP for most of the last 25 years, though some of the time was training. She also worked in ED for 5+ years in Tauranga and Christchurch. Alex enjoys working with children and their parents and also has a special interest in the accident and emergency aspect of our GP practice. Alex can also speak Italian.

Alex enjoys skiing, being outdoors and keeping fit and looking after her garden. She is mum to 2 active children.

Urgent Care

Euan attended the University of Glasgow before completing an Orthopaedic research fellowship in hip replacement surgery and working on performance improvement in cycling with British Cycling time trial athletes. He has many years of experience as an orthopaedic registrar with a special interest in sports medicine.

He has competed in international sports both individual and team; tennis, basketball and competing at world level in gravity mountain biking.  

Euan is Head Athlete Physician with the Crankworx World Tour for mountain biking and works with some of the world’s best action sports athletes on medical assessment, concussion, injury prevention, rehabilitation and training. He is an active part of the mountain bike community in Queenstown and many other riding communities around the world.

Dr. Danny McGee is a GP with over 20 years of experience in medical practice, offering a wealth of expertise in adult outpatient internal and family medicine.

Board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine,Dr. McGee is renowned for his dedication to health and wellness optimization, management of chronic diseases, and longevity medicine.

Dr. McGee's commitment to holistic health led him to pursue extensive training, including a fellowship in Integrative Medicine from the University of Arizona under the mentorship of Dr. Andrew Weil, M.D. He further honed his skills in Functional Medicine through the Institute for Functional Medicine, complemented by functional medicine training at the University of Miami.

With a passion for enhancing the quality of life for his patients, Dr. McGee has recently relocated to Queenstown, New Zealand. This move marks not only a new chapter of adventures and experiences with his wife and three children but also continues his unwavering mission to empower individuals in optimizing their health.

Dr. McGee remains committed to providing exceptional care and looks forward to making a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of his community in Queenstown and beyond.

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Originally from France, Romain is a graduate from Montpellier University. GP since 2008, he worked in France and then in New Caledonia before moving to NZ 2014. After 7 yrs on the North Island, he decided to move to beautiful Queenstown. His special interests are paediatrics and management of long term disease.

Outside of work, Romain enjoys travelling, outdoors ( tramping, skiing), playing tennis and supports the French rugby team…

He speaks French and a bit of Spanish.

Nurse Clinical LeaderBorn in Queenstown, Judy left and completed her studies at Curtin University in Perth, Western Australia. With a Bachelor of Nursing she returned to live here permanently in 1998 . She has a post graduate certificate in primary health nursing and managing long term conditions.Judy joined QMC in 1999. Her interests lie in diabetes prevention and management, women’s and children’s health and emergency NursingOutside of work she enjoys social touch rugby, walking, playing hockey (masters!) and reading.

MBChB,FRNZCGP,MinstD

Katelyn enjoys seeing patients of all ages, stages, and background.

She is interested in all areas of General Practice and also acute care– although has a special interest in children and women’s health and injuries.

She is rainbow-friendly and willing to learn from her patients while also helping guide them through their health journey.

She leads teaching and training at QMC and is also completing her PhD!

Katelyn grew up on the outskirts of Christchurch but spent a year living in Argentina – so is also fluent in Spanish.

She moved to Queenstown with her husband in 2018 and immediately knew it was the place for them!

Outside of work, Katelyn enjoys spending time with her family,getting outdoors, running, biking , swimming and now learning to ski.

She also enjoys watching sports and cooking up a storm in the kitchen.

MBChB, FRNZCGP, Diploma Mental Health

Niall arrived in Queenstown for a 6 month posting in June 2015 to enjoy a winter season and didn’t want to leave.  Originally from Northern Ireland, Niall is a graduate from Queens University Belfast, Medicine and has been a GP since 2009 and joined QMC permanently in 2015. Niall is passionate about Paediatrics and Undergraduate Teaching. 

Outside of work he enjoys hiking, running, boarding, and biking.

MRCGP, Diploma in Family Planning & Reproductive Health Care, PRIME, ALS, APLS

Jo is from the UK and graduated from the University of Wales College of Medicine in 1995. She completed her GP training and obtained her post graduate qualifications in 2001.  Along the way, Jo taught advanced life support courses and obtained a diploma in family planning.  

In January 2002 Jo and her now husband moved to New Zealand, only intending to be here for 12 months!   Jo started with QMC as a ski-field doctor in 2003.  She enjoy all aspects of general practice, in particular, paediatrics and accident & medical.  

Outside of work, Jo loves spending time with her 3 children and husband.  We enjoy the outdoors in general, especially hiking, mountain biking, sea kayaking and skiing.

Imogen trained at Otago University doing a Bachelors of Science in Physiology then completing her medical training in Dunedin and Wellington. She spent the early part of her career working in Auckland in hospital-based medicine before moving to the UK for 3 years. Here she gained a lot of experience in Palliative Care which is a special interest of hers. On moving back to NZ Imogen moved to Queenstown to start her GP training. Outside of work she enjoys skiing, hiking and swimming.

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Lead Doctor

Dr. Chris Poracchia has been trained in France and practiced as a GP since 2005, and has worked in France, New Caledonia and New Zealand.

She has had multiple experiences, working on remote island, rural areas and urban areas, in both GP practices and at hospitals.

Chris moved to New Zealand in 2014, working on the Kapiti Coast for 7 years, before moving to Queenstown in 2021, with her family. Having 2 children , she is quite familiar with paediatric medicine.

She has a special interest in respiratory diseases which resulted in her working in different hospitals (in France and New Caledonia) as a respiratory consultant over many years, helping patient with COPD, asthma, bronchiectasis and lung cancers.

She also has a special interest in women health.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Ashley joined Queenstown Medical Centre as our CEO in September 2019 after working in the elite performance industry for two decades. His role is to implement QMCs strategic plan in line with the board's direction. Inspiring the awesome team and ensuring QMC is able to remain a sustainable business are keys to success in his role.

An Englishman, Ashley has lived in NZ since 1999. A keen sports fan the Rugby world cup always causes stress on who to support! When he’s not busy with QMC, you’ll find him running around the countryside as a taxi driver for his two children supporting their goals!

Clinical Services Manager Master of Nursing (distinction) from Massey University, PG Certificate in Strategic Leadership, PG Certificate in Supervision. Janette originally came from Dunedin where she began her career in Nursing, 35 years ago. She joined Queenstown Medical Centre in June 2002 after ten years at Canterbury District Health Board. Her role is to provide leadership and direction to the clinical teams ensuring health services are aligned to our mission, vision, and values. Outside of work Janette enjoys skiing, tramping, cycling, and spending time with family and friends.

Administration

Andrew joined Queenstown Medical Centre as Finance Manager in November 2021.

Originally from Mosgiel, Andrew attended Otago University & worked for a Charted Accounting Firm in Dunedin before moving to London for an extended OE working in banking.

Returning to New Zealand in 1999 & settling in Arrowtown Andrew worked in the Construction Industry for 20 years prior to joining QMC.

Andrew spends his time outside work trying to keep up with his two young adult sons.

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Urgent Care

FRNZCGP, Dip Com Em Med

Mark was born in Queenstown and went to St Joseph’s school and then on to secondary school in Wellington. He studied law and political science at Victoria University and worked as a solicitor for  three years before going to medical school at Auckland University.

Mark has worked on the wards at Southland Hospital and Auckland Hospital and in the emergency Departments  at Starship Hospital and in hospitals in Queensland.

He did his GP registrarship in Wanaka and came to work at Queenstown Medical Centre as a general practitioner in 2012. He has been a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General  Practice since 2013. He has a postgraduate diploma in community emergency medicine. He achieved Fellowship of the Royal New Zealand College of urgent care practitioners in 2017.

When he is not at work, Mark enjoys spending time with his wife and daughters.