About us
Meet our boardTe poari kaitiaki
The MHT Diabetes Trust is a registered charitable trust (CC38060), governed by a volunteer board. Trustees are appointed to named seats under our Trust Deed so that the people the Trust serves are represented in the decisions it makes. Our longest-serving trustee joined in 2006.
Martyn Dawson
Chair
- Trust Deed seat
- Independent Representative
As the chair, Martyn comes with a wealth of experience at both business and community level. This experience provides the Trust with the independent leadership specified and required under the Trust Deed.
Helen Snell
Trustee
- Trust Deed seat
- Secondary Health Care Representative
- Appointed
- 2006
Appointed a Trustee in 2006, Helen is a Nurse Practitioner-Diabetes at MidCentral Health in Palmerston North. Her professional leadership locally and nationally in the area of diabetes management provides considerable clinical experience to the Trust.
Karen Lowe
Trustee
- Trust Deed seat
- Primary Health Care Representative
- Appointed
- 2017
Appointed a Trustee in 2017, Karen is employed by the Cook Street Health Centre as a nurse practitioner and provides the Trust with close liaison with primary health providers.
Bob Wright
Trustee
- Trust Deed seat
- Consumer Representative
- Appointed
- 2010
Bob was appointed as the Diabetes Consumer representative trustee in June 2010. Now retired, and with a work background in Health and Safety training, Bob is actively involved in community work within the Horowhenua district.
Jason Tahi
Trustee
- Trust Deed seat
- Māori Representative
- Appointed
- 2025
Appointed as a Trustee in 2025, Jason is the Systems Monitoring and Commissioning Lead for Te Pae Oranga o Ruahine o Tararua. He previously served as Pītau Whakarei (Interim General Manager Māori Services) for Pae Ora at Palmerston North Hospital during 2025.
Jason brings extensive experience in kaupapa Māori health, commissioning, system monitoring, and community wellbeing to the Trust, with a strong focus on equitable and culturally responsive approaches to hauora.
Getting in touch with the board
Anything you would like the board to consider — a concern about a service, an idea for the rohe, or an interest in becoming a trustee — can go through the office and it will be passed on. Phone 06 357 5992 or send us a message.
As a registered charity we file annual accounts and an annual report with Charities Services; both are public. Ask us and we will send you the most recent set.
Interested in governance?
We are always glad to hear from people in the rohe who would like to contribute — particularly those living with diabetes themselves.