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About Us/

Meet the team

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Meet the team

We're a group of individuals committed to making a positive impact to the lives of people living with migraine.

Our co-founders and regular volunteer team members are involved in the day-to-day running of the organisation. Together with other casual volunteers and supported by our Clinical Advisory Group, our work focuses on our pillars of service – support, information, research and advocacy and awareness. People with migraine are at the core of everything we work towards.

Each member of our team brings their unique expertise and experiences to the table, from healthcare professionals with in-depth knowledge of migraine management to individuals who have personally navigated the challenges of migraine. Together, we work tirelessly to drive positive change, creating a more compassionate and informed community that empowers those living with migraine disease.

migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Sarah Cahill

Sarah Cahill

Chief Executive
Co-founder

Meet Sarah
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Dr Fiona Imlach

Dr Fiona Imlach

Researcher & Policy Advisor
Co-founder

Meet Fiona
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Suzanne Vale

Suzanne Vale

Co-founder

Meet Suzanne
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Sue Garret

Sue Garrett

Researcher

Meet Sue
CaitlinMFANZmediaadvisor

Caitlin Veale

Media & Communications

Meet Caitlin
RachelEastonMFANZ

Rachel Easton

Accountant

Meet Rachel
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Jane Bollard

Jane Bollard

Charity Sector Advisor

Meet Jane
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team Dr Rosamund Hill

Dr Rosamund Hill

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Rosamund
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team dr desiree fermamdez

Dr Desiree Fernandez

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Desiree
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team dr Ray Bose

Dr Ray Bose

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Ray
migraine foundation aotearoa new zealand meet the team dr paul vroegop

Dr Paul Vroegop

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Paul
BelindaRobinsonMFANZCAG

Belinda Robinson

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Belinda
KiriBrickellMFANZCAG

Dr Kiri Brickell

Clinical Advisory Group

Meet Kiri
Ella J our teamwebsite

Ella Jensen-Graham

Regular volunteer contributor

Meet Ella
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About us

Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Incorporated is a registered charitable organisation under the Charities Act 2005. Our charity registration number is CC60312.

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Sarah Cahill

Sarah is a freelance medical writer, registered nurse and until recently the co-lead of the Migraine World Summit copywriting team. She has experience working in the public health system and understands many of the challenges and limitations of the New Zealand healthcare system, both for patients and clinicians.

Sarah has worked within the not-for-profit sector and has experience advocating for improved access to care and treatment for New Zealanders. Prior to co-founding Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand, Sarah spent time developing relationships with international migraine organisations and agencies, using her migraine blog as a platform to connect with migraine advocates and better understand the global migraine landscape.

Sarah has lived with migraine for most of her adult life. Her episodic migraine attacks transitioned to chronic migraine following the birth of her two children, but through self-advocacy, a greater understanding of migraine disease, an effective preventive medication and many lifestyle changes, is enjoying the rewards of a life less impacted by migraine – a life she hopes can be experienced by more people living with migraine.

Sarah lives in Auckland with her husband Nick and 2 high school-aged boys.

Dr Fiona Imlach

Fiona Imlach is a public health physician with a PhD in epidemiology. She completed her medical degree at Auckland University and worked for several years as a hospital doctor and general practitioner before training in public health. She has worked as a researcher in various settings and on a range of topics, including primary health care, inequalities, child poverty, mental well-being, alcohol and cancer.

Fiona has had migraine attacks since a child but these became frequent and severe in her mid-late twenties. Having tried many different therapies, she currently manages her migraine disease through a strong commitment to sleep, healthy eating, exercise and connecting to loved ones and nature; migraine attacks remain frequent but less severe. In 2020/21, she tested out the impact of walking Te Araroa (New Zealand’s ‘long pathway’ from Cape Reinga to Bluff) on migraine, discovering it was possible to walk 3,000km with migraine disease, but walking wasn’t a cure.

Fiona lives in Wellington with her partner Tony and can often be found on weekends in the Remutaka Forest Park, doing pest control and monitoring wildlife.

Suzanne Vale

Suzanne is a finance lawyer who moved to New Zealand from Melbourne, Australia in 2020. She has worked as an Australian legal practitioner and also founded her own business, writing tender submissions and other documents for architectural and other design disciplines. She also owns and runs a co-working space in Collingwood, Melbourne. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Suzanne held various positions in the Victorian Department of Education and Training.

Suzanne was diagnosed with migraine in 2011. Her diagnosis provided the impetus to leave full-time employment and begin working for herself. She has volunteered for Migraine and Headache Australia since 2020, and when she’s not working or volunteering, you’ll usually find her out on the water sailing with her partner Cam.

Sue Garrett

Sue worked as an occupational therapist before completing a Masters of Public Health. Since then, she has worked as a researcher on a variety of projects in the Department of Primary Health Care and General Practice at the University of Otago Wellington. Her research interests include youth health and health consumer access to appropriate services and treatment. She recently took up a position as senior lecturer and commenced teaching in undergraduate medicine.

Sue is analysing and writing up results from the Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand survey to help disseminate information about the experiences of people with migraine in NZ. Sue also lives with migraine disease.

Caitlin Veale

Caitlin studied communications at The University of Auckland and has since worked in public relations and as a freelance writer. She has always been an avid media consumer and is passionate about the role it plays in shaping society.

Caitlin has lived with migraine since the age of nine, with attacks more frequent in her teenage years and turning chronic in her early twenties. They’ve disrupted much of her schooling and social life, and she was only able to bring them under control with a mix of preventatives, including Emgality, to enable her to work.

Having experienced the stigma familiar to people with migraine disease, her goal is to raise awareness about the reality of living with this condition and contribute to furthering the education of health professionals. She lived in the UK for a year and has spent some time travelling, and would like to see Aotearoa New Zealand with better access to migraine prevention medications and a more inclusive approach to invisible illnesses. Caitlin joined the Migraine Foundation team during 2024.

Rachel Easton

Rachel studied accounting and psychology at The University of Auckland and worked as a chartered accountant in public practice for more than 25 years.

Rachel has lived with migraine since the age of 18, which has impacted on her work and private life. She started taking Emgality in 2024 and is hopeful this will reduce the incidence of her migraine attacks.

She’s very familiar with the stigma attached to people living with migraine disease, particularly scepticism faced in the workplace regarding its severity and the need for sick leave.

Rachel joined the Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand team in 2024, to support its goals of educating people with migraine, educating clinicians and engaging with the Government to provide the best possible care to people with migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Jane Bollard

Jane has operated as a consultant for over 15 years in the charity sector. She brings extensive experience in chief executive, general manager and board roles across a range of health and community development organisations.

Jane’s passion is for developing sustainable organisations who are best able to meet the needs of their community base. Jane is delighted to offer support to Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand

Dr Rosamund Hill

Neurologist Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Advisory Group member

Dr Hill is a neurologist graduated from the University of Auckland. She commenced neurology training at Auckland City Hospital and then undertook two consecutive fellowships at Massachusetts General Hospital affiliated with Harvard Medical School in Boston. On her return to Auckland she undertook an MD, a post-graduate research degree, under Professor Sir Richard Faull. She has subsequently worked at Auckland City Hospital, in private neurology practice, in concussion clinic and is the independent concussion expert for NZ Rugby.

In addition to general neurology and concussion/brain injury, Dr Hill has specialty interests in migraine and headache, epilepsy and neurodevelopmental disorders, with a particular interest in autism as she has a son with autism and intellectual impairment. As a founding and active member of Minds for Minds, an autism and neurodevelopmental research network, she brings non-for-profit experience in addition to her neurological expertise.

Dr Desiree Fernandez

Neurologist Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Advisory Group member

Dr Fernandez is a neurologist with a special interest in headache disorders. Dr Fernandez graduated from University College Cork (National University of Ireland) in 1996, and moved to the UK to undertake her basic medical training before moving back to Ireland to complete her advanced training in Neurology. She completed her MD research on the genetics of Familial Hemiplegic Migraine and was awarded a prize for presentation of her work at the Irish Neurological Association meeting.

Dr Fernandez moved to New Zealand in 2013. She practises as a headache specialist at Wellington Hospital and a neurologist at Top of the South Neurology, Nelson and at the former Nelson Marlborough DHB (now in the Te Waipounamu regional division of Te Whatu Ora).

Dr Fernandez lives in Nelson with her family.

Dr Ray Bose

Neurologist Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Advisory Group member

Dr Bose is a neurologist practising in Auckland. Dr Bose completed his general medical and neurology training in the UK. He became a member of the Royal College of Physicians in 2007, and acquired his Speciality Certificate in Neurology in 2011 and completion certificate (CCT) in 2012. He subsequently did an MD at King’s College London where he undertook research into the postdrome phase of migraine using functional neuroimaging.

Dr Bose moved to Auckland in 2019. In addition to general neurology, Dr Bose has a special interest in headache disorders including migraine, cluster headache and complex headaches.

For his contributions to the field of medicine, he was awarded Fellowship FRCP (London) by The Royal College of Physicians, UK. He is also a Fellow of The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP).

Dr Paul Vroegop

Specialist pain medicine physician and child, adolescent and adult consultation-liaison psychiatrist Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Advisory Group member

Paul is a specialist pain medicine physician and child, adolescent and adult consultation-liaison psychiatrist, who grew up in West Auckland and Northland and graduated from the University of Auckland. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatry (RANZCP), and Fellow of the Faculty of Pain Medicine, Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthesia (FFPMANZCA).

Paul is Clinical Lead for the Chronic Pain Service in Counties Manukau District and CAMHS in Te Tai Tokerau District, Te Whatu Ora. He has had extensive clinical experience in pain medicine, consultation-liaison psychiatry, community psychiatry, and has worked in different health settings as a clinician and in leadership roles in New Zealand, including public hospitals, a kaupapa Māori NGO organisation, and private practice including ACC. Paul has particular clinical and research interests in persistent pain in children and adolescents, has previously worked at the Starship Complex Paediatric Pain Service and is part of an Adolescent Pain Clinic. He has lived experience of migraine.

Belinda Robinson

Community Pharmacist & Owner, St Heliers Bay, Auckland

Belinda has worked in pharmacy for over 30 years. She works closely with the Pharmacy Council of New Zealand, the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand and the University of Auckland Pharmacy School

Belinda has worked with West Auckland Hospice and is passionate about helping patients and getting to know both them and their families.

Belinda joined the Migraine Foundation Clinical Advisory Group in 2024. She brings a community pharmacist perspective to the group and is enjoying being surrounded by the amazing team who work in this pace and be able to apply current practice to her own clinical setting.

Dr Kiri Brickell

Neurologist Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand Clinical Advisory Group member

Dr Kiri Brickell graduated from Auckland University Medical school. She trained as an Internal Medicine Physician at Strong Memorial Hospital, New York, America, before returning to New Zealand to complete her neurology training.  Dr Brickell returned to America to complete her Fellowship training with Professor Tomas Bird, neurogeneticist in Seattle.  

Dr Brickell works as a general neurologist at Auckland Medical Specialists, with an interest in head injury, cognitive neurology and headache. Kiri is the neurologist for the Dementia Prevention Research Clinic in the Center for Brain Research as well as a clinical advisor for the Neurological Foundation of New Zealand Brain Bank and Alzheimer’s New Zealand. 

Ella Jensen-Graham

Ella holds a master’s degree in political science, philosophy and economics, graduating in 2021. She began her career in the New Zealand civil service, managing a housing refurbishment programme for the Crown Estate at Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand. After spending time travelling across Europe, she has now settled in Edinburgh, where she works as a Project Manager on infrastructure projects for WSP.

Ella has lived with migraine since age nine, which progressed to chronic migraine at 23 – coinciding with the start of her professional career. Navigating the workplace while managing a chronic illness has been challenging, often impacting her ability to participate in the social aspects of her twenties. Her journey through trialling various treatments has been long and difficult, but ultimately rewarding: Botox has become an effective preventative, enabling her to travel and relocate abroad.

Ella is passionate about raising awareness of what it truly means to live with migraine – the stigma, inequality and emotional toll. Ella has been a valued supporter of the Migraine Foundation since it launched in 2022, as the resources and community have been invaluable throughout her own experience. 

Ella officially joined the volunteer team in 2024 and supports the charity with designing social media content and other contributions as needed.