• Bachelor of Science in Psychology with Clinical and Health
• Post Graduate Certificate in Health Psychology
• Masters in Health Psychology (ongoing)

Kia Ora,

My name is Luisa and I am your Health and Wellness facilitator in the Wellington Region. I am really looking forward to getting to know you all and walking along side you in this journey. I’m a mum of two and have been living in Wellington for 13 years (and absolutely love it). I have a background in psychology with clinical and health, and I’m currently on my second year of Masters in Health Psychology.  I am very passionate about health, wellness, and understanding how biological, psychological, and social factors can influence health. I believe in empowering and supporting people through connection and empathy, and view health as a holistic process that is not only physical but psychological and spiritual. Health is experienced differently by all of us, with every person being their own universe with different individual needs. I am here to listen and support you through your own health journey in whichever way I can.

I am extremely excited to be a part of the CCIS team, learn more about my role, and continue to expand my knowledge further.

Starting February 2025

• Bachelor of Health majoring in  Poutū-manahau Population Health
• Certificate in social sciences

Kia ora, my name is Saya, and I am excited to be joining Complex Chronic Illness Support. I look forward to supporting you on your health journey, helping you navigate the approaches that best support your well-being, and advocating for more equitable health outcomes.

With a background in population, community, and Māori health, I am deeply committed to promoting health, particularly in communities where unmet health needs remain a priority. My passion lies in promoting culturally inclusive, holistic care, as I firmly believe that a “one-size-fits-all” biomedical model is insufficient for those navigating chronic conditions. I am here to support you and your whānau in strengthening all aspects of your well-being.

Waikato is my home, and I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the community that has shaped me. I enjoy spending time with my family, friends, and animals, who are central to my well-being. I look forward to working alongside you to empower your wellness journey.

Phil covers the Mens Mentoring, Mindfulness and Meditation services.

My name is Phil, I am Dad to two boys (32 and 28)  and Poppa to two magical grand kids (4 and 2)

I have been a self employed coach and facilitator since 1992 working with managers, teams and people with heavy workloads and a sense of overwhelm.

I came across CCIS about 4 years ago which was 5 years after I got a flu and there was no end to the damn thing.  I tried so many ways to get better, making some progress then making things worse.  Coming across CCIS was the first time I met anyone who understood. That in itself helped and it helped me sense a way forward. I made many mistakes and progress was slow. But am in a much much better space now.

Hoping I can save others a lot of time, money and frustration as they work out what their path to wellness is. I now take on this role.

So looking forward to getting to know you and hearing from you how we can best support you.

Florence is our local Support Group Coordinator for the Nelson region.

Kia ora, my name is Beverly, and I’ve recently joined CCI as the Grants writer. I’m passionate about supporting Aotearoa’s charity sector by securing essential funding for organisations making a real difference in the community. I look forward to being part of the team at CCI and supporting the important work we do in providing support to those impacted by complex chronic illness.

I have a background in communication and research, I’m focused on securing sustained funding to ensure our programs can continue to grow and make a meaningful impact. Outside of work, I enjoy exploring the outdoors with my family and spending quality time with friends.

BA (Eng Lit)

PgDip (Marketing)

Grad Dip (Psychology)

I live with my husband and our three young-adult children on a tree farm in sunny Tairāwhiti Gisborne. I love reading and learning (I’m currently completing a Graduate Diploma in Psychology), and I enjoy spending time at the beach, in the garden, or with my horses.

Since contracting ME/CFS and Long COVID, along with my children, I’ve become deeply involved in advocacy and supporting others. I’ve been active in online support groups, especially Long COVID Support Aotearoa and Long COVID Kids NZ.

I know what it’s like to be horribly sick and to watch family members suffer. Now that my health has improved, I’m excited to join the CCIS team and contribute to making a practical difference in people’s lives.

I have a background in corporate marketing, senior management, and client relationship management as well as extensive non-profit fundraising experience both in NZ and UK. I have a B.Sc, B.A, P.G.Cert, several diplomas in natural health, and am currently doing Post Graduate studies in Biological Science/Health Science. My interest in alternative medicine and nutrition began as part of my own journey with chronic illness. I became ill in 2008 with Fibromyalgia, then ME/CFS and dysautonomia, and have 3 other diagnoses. Since 2013 I’ve organised the monthly social support group in Te Awamutu, and I was involved with discussions to bring the Waikato services to CCI Support, so joining the Board, just seemed to be a natural next step. I look forward to making a real difference in the role of president. I am grateful to be a part of an excellent organisation that truly understands these complex conditions and makes living with chronic illness more manageable through support, advice, and care.

 Alan is a New Zealand citizen who has lived in the Bay of Plenty most of his adult life. He has been married to Dale for many years and they have three adult children and four grandchildren. Three of those have suffered from complex ongoing disabilities, which is his motivation for seeking  a trustee role with CCIS.

He would “bring to the board table” a desire to support the team in the front-line from his experience on commercial and charitable boards. He has been a member of over 50 such boards; has been chair of many and secretary/treasurer for several.

Alan has honours degrees in public policy and management, with diplomas in dispute resolution, land surveying, and town planning. He is a past or present member of the institutes of directors, mediators, trustees, planning, property and surveying.

He has held various management positions and served on the boards of various organisations with annual turnovers ranging from under $1million to over $100million. He is an active mentor in the Business-in-the-Community Program through the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce, and the Institute of Directors.

Between 1990 and 2003 Alan was the founding director of the Alandale Group of companies involved with consulting, development, investment, management and planning.  For 15 years prior to that he was a director and part owner of a large multi-disciplinary consulting company, operating throughout New Zealand and overseas.

Since 2003 he has focused on advisory, conciliation, governance, mediation and adjudication roles, and has been extensively involved in dispute resolution, particularly in the contractual, employment, environmental, and resource management fields.

Alan believes in the three phases of career – learn – earn – return, and is firmly in the “return” season.

I have worked in and around Tauranga my whole working life in Banking, Business Accounting and Management and at most levels of the Information Technology industry also designing and building Microsoft Access database systems since 1994.  I am currently part of a small team that have setup and operate three business units from our lifestyle block at Ohauiti: Crop Check, MeCount Business Systems Ltd, BlueSkyData Ltd.

I was raised on a local Ohauiti Dairy Farm, as a teenager I worked on a Sheep and Beef Farm weekends and School Holidays.  Married my wife Cathy in 1977 with three adult children, two grand children and another due early December 2020.  Cathy plays a very integral and important role in the three Small Business’ we operate and continues to be caregiver for my CFS.  We have lived in and around Tauranga returning to my Family home in rural Ohauiti in December 2006 and since June 2011 owned a Lifestyle block as a move towards realistic sustainability, providing the opportunity for me to work when I can rather than when I have to according to my energy reserves and CFS symptoms.

I was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome in 2000 and in March 2015 with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP) or low Platelets, another Immune system condition with one of the main effects being extreme fatigue.

Complex Chronic Illness Support Inc (Formerly ME/CFS BOP) provided both Cathy and myself significant help and support during the years after my diagnosis in 2000, after a significant viral episode in 1991.  Before this past year I previously served on the Board of ME/CFS BOP as Treasurer Vice Chairman and Chairman and see that being part of the Governance Board of CCIS is a way I can use my accumulated Business Management experience and Technology skills to “pay it back” and help build a better support organisation and experience for those with Chronic Illness.

The business acumen of Sally Dunbar stands her in good stead with her slogan “together we’ll get things done” rings true; her drive, passion, dedication, and hard work lead to results in all facets of her life.

With a career background in senior general management leadership positions, change management, risk and compliance management, quality management systems (PwC Integrated Management Systems), grant funding/sponsorship, industry training, and business leadership, Mrs. Dunbar has worked with some of New Zealand’s largest finance, utility organisations, and membership bodies.

More recently, through her contracting company, she was Community Director for St Mary’s College, Chair to Friends of St Patrick’s College, General Manager for the NZ Institute of Building Surveyors (NZIBS), and CEO for the Crane Association of New Zealand (CANZ).

Previously she ran NZ HER Business Network (Women in Business three franchises), where she won the New Zealand Her Business Network of the Year Award (2009/2010) twice and was a finalist in 2012 – New Zealand Outstanding Business Leader. As if Mrs. Dunbar is not busy enough, she also supports a myriad of not-for-profit organisations, such as Graduate Women of New Zealand as President and Chair.

In 2021, she graduated with her Master of Advanced Leadership Practice (MALP) with Distinction, from Massey University of New Zealand. With her dissertation topic: ‘Developing and Implementing a Year 13 Leadership for Life foundation programme’.

And now a few words from Sally. I am delighted to be elected to the board role of CCI Support (Complex Chronic Illness Support). I will continue my passion supporting those who have the courage to live life at their fullness despite living daily with chronic health conditions.

I see our focus for CCI Support being centred around a Sense of Community, where four components become entrenched into our organisation, membership, influence, fulfilment of needs, and emotional connection.

I am deeply encouraged that through CCI Support we will build on what is an already established supportive foundation, which offers wonderful resources and funding for those who have a chronic health condition or to those who are supporting someone with a chronic health condition.

‘The Power of Many, The Strength of One’

Mihi ki a Koe mo to wa (thank you for your time)

Sally Dunbar

November 2022