Nurse Maude announces two executive appointments

20 July 2026

Nurse Maude has appointed Kelvin Mason as Chief Financial Officer and welcomed Rowhan Kelly as General Manager, Service Development. 

Nurse Maude has strengthened its executive leadership team with the appointment of Kelvin Mason as Chief Financial Officer and Rowhan Kelly as General Manager, Service Development. 


Kelvin has served as Interim Chief Financial Officer since February 2026 and has now been permanently appointed following an external recruitment process. 

He brings extensive executive, financial and transformation experience from previous roles with Westland Mineral Sands, Selwyn District Council and Meridian Energy. During his time as Interim Chief Financial Officer, Kelvin has already made a valuable contribution to Nurse Maude and its executive team. 


Kelvin said what particularly appeals to him about Nurse Maude is the opportunity to contribute to an organisation that helps people remain independent and well in their own homes. 


"I’m looking forward to helping ensure Nurse Maude continues to thrive and adapt, so it can continue making a meaningful difference in the lives of people and whānau across our community for many years to come." Kelvin Said   


Portrait of a smiling person in a dark blazer and patterned shirt against a light background

Rowhan joined Nurse Maude on 14 July in the newly established role of General Manager, Service Development. 


She brings extensive experience in customer strategy, innovation and service transformation across the health sector in New Zealand and Australia, having held senior leadership roles with Ryman Healthcare, Southern Cross Healthcare and Lumino the Dentists. 

At Nurse Maude, Rowhan will lead the development of customer-centred services, service integration, strategic growth, marketing and philanthropic impact. 


“What excites me most is the opportunity to build on Nurse Maude’s pioneering legacy and continue shaping more integrated services around the lives of people and whānau,” Rowhan said. 


“Innovation has always been part of the organisation’s DNA, and I’m looking forward to helping create a future where accessing support is simpler, services are closely connected, and care is designed around what matters most to the communities we serve.” 

Smiling woman in a beige vest and black top against a plain light background

These appointments strengthen Nurse Maude’s ability to deliver sustainable, responsive and innovative health and community services while remaining grounded in its longstanding commitment to caring for people in their homes and communities. 

Press release announcing new partnership to shape home care for kaumātua, with brochures on a blue gradient background

Shared history, shared purpose: new partnership to shape home care for kaumātua

8 July 2026
Nurse Maude Association and Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust have entered a new partnership to co-design the future of home care for the community in Ōtautahi, bringing together more than a century of community care experience with a kaupapa Māori approach to whānau support. The organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding formalising their shared commitment to design and deliver home care services grounded in whānau, responsive to Māori, and connected to the wider needs of the community. The partnership brings together Nurse Maude's long-standing expertise in home and community health care with Te Puawaitanga ki Ōtautahi Trust’s kaupapa Māori approach and extensive experience supporting whānau from māmā and pēpi through to our kaumatua services such as our Taurite Tū; Wai Ora and Oranga Tonutanga programmes. Together, the organisations will explore new models of care that support whānau and kaumātua to remain well, connected and living independently at home. The signing, held in the lead-up to Matariki, reflected the shared values and whakapapa of both organisations. Matariki is a time to remember those who have gone before us, give thanks for the present, and look ahead with hope. A strong theme throughout the day was the legacy of Dame Aroha Reriti-Crofts and Sibylla Maude, two remarkable wāhine whose vision, compassion and commitment to their communities continue to shape the work of both organisations. This partnership honours that legacy, while creating opportunities for future generations. While the partnership has a strong focus on improving outcomes for Māori, both organisations believe the learning and approaches developed through this mahi have the potential to strengthen home care services for everyone in Ōtautahi.
Bright hospital room with two beds, windows, a table, and a sink in the foreground.

Nurse Maude welcomes investment in paediatric palliative care

14 May 2026
Nurse Maude welcomes the Government’s announcement of 15.5 million in additional funding for paediatric palliative care, recognising the difference this will make for children, young people and their whānau across Aotearoa. Louise Zacest, Chief Executive of Nurse Maude, says the investment acknowledges the complexity and importance of providing compassionate, specialist care at some of life’s most challenging times. “Caring for children with life-limiting conditions, and supporting their families, requires highly skilled, multidisciplinary teams and a strong network of services. This funding is an important step toward strengthening that support for families when they need it most.” In Canterbury, Nurse Maude already provides specialist paediatric palliative care both in the community and within its hospice, supported through a combination of its own investment and the generosity of its community. “We are proud to have specialist paediatric palliative nurses as part of our team, delivering care wherever it is needed — whether that’s in a child’s home or in our hospice,” says Zacest. Nurse Maude’s new hospice, opening on 17 June, has been thoughtfully designed to support children and their families, including dedicated paediatric facilities and an adjoining room so whānau can stay close to their child during inpatient care. This space has been made possible through a generous bequest from Cantabrian Mr Cyril Smith.