PIAG Members

Name: Shannan Miller

Job title: Wound Nurse

Employer: Te Whatu Ora - Southern

Professional qualifications:   BN, PG Dip

Bio:  Shannan joined the PIAG in 2024 and is also the NZWCS Area Coordinator for Southland. Shannan has experience in collaborating across Aged Residential Care facilities, community, and hospital settings to promote pressure injury prevention and management while using evidence-based practice to improve patient outcomes. Shannan is continuing her studies, currently working toward her Masters in Nursing Science. 

Name: Emil Schmidt

Job title: Wound Care Specialist

Employer: Southern DHB

Professional qualifications: WCNS, MNZCA, BN Hon, PG cert. wound care

Bio:  Emil Schmidt has been working as the Wound Care Specialist for the Southern DHB for the last ten years. He is running nurse-led clinics in the city and rural hospitals throughout the Otago region. He loves teaching either at the bedside, in clinics or in more formal settings. He was the lead investigator for several national and international research projects in wound care. He has published several articles in nursing and medical journals and has presented at national and international conferences. Emil is a longstanding committee member of the NZWCS where he held the Treasurer portfolio from 2008 – 2013 and was elected as president of the Society in 2013.

Name:  Sharryn Cook

Job title: Clinical Nurse Specialist for Wound and Stomal therapy

Employer: Te Whara Ora Nelson Marlborough

Professional qualifications: RN. PGCert. in Health Science. PGDip in Health Science, Masters in Health Science

Bio:  I am the Area Coordinator and National Committee member for the Nelson Marlborough region and have been a member of the Pressure Injury Advisory Group since August 2018. I'm passionate about education to prevent and manage pressure injuries. I feel privileged to be part of the PIAG team with the experience and knowledge that is shared as part of the New Zealand wound care society.

Name:  Jan Johnstone

Job title:  Community District Nurse 

Employer:  Southern DHB

Professional qualifications: RN Grad cert Wound Management

Bio: I am an active member of the New Zealand Wound Care Society, I am on the NZWCS National Committee, joined the Pressure Injury Advisory Group in 2019 and was the Area Coordinator for the Otago region (2017-2022).
Pressure injuries are of strong interest to me, especially in the community setting, and in imparting knowledge to colleagues and clinicians in patient care. Implementing appropriate evidence-based interventions is essential to reduce the incidence of pressure injuries to improve patient and whanau outcomes. I have 30 years of community experience,

Name:  Paula McKinnel

Job title: Nurse Practitioner Tissue Viability

Employer: Health NZ Capital Coast Hutt Valley

Professional qualifications: Diploma in Nursing,  BSc Hons Tissue Viability,  Masters in Nursing

Bio:  Paula started as a Nurse Practitioner Tissue Viability in January 2025 at Health NZ Capital Coast Hutt Valley. She has worked as a Clinical Nurse Specialist Wound Care for nearly 20 years in London and here in NZ. In her new role as NP, she will provide care for people in hospital and clinic settings with complex wounds or skin integrity issues. Paula is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through evidence-based practice, patient centred care and implementing practice changes involving multi-disciplinary teams and relevant non-clinical services. She is passionate about sharing her knowledge with healthcare professionals on best practices in tissue viability, delivering in-house education, at the bedside and symposium/conferences. She is committed to promoting high standards of wound care and skin integrity prevention across healthcare settings, ensuring patients receive optimal treatment to enhance healing and quality of life.

Name: Dr Althea Page-Carruth

Job title: Podiatrist

Professional qualifications: PhD, MBA, BSc (Hons), DPod M

Bio: I am currently working in Central Otago and have a podiatry practice in Cromwell and Alexandra.

I have a background in education and ran the podiatry course in Wellington many years ago when I first arrived from London, where I was teaching. My time in Wellington was focused on developing the podiatry degree course and the end of degree course for those podiatrists who had previously gained a diploma in Podiatry and needed to upgrade.

My specialised interests were in diabetic foot care and therefore pressure injuries – their treatment and prevention. I also ran the biomechanics and orthotics lab at the University of Westminster where my interests lay in the treatment and prevention of foot pathologies in those with neurological conditions, autoimmune disorders and also children.

My area of research more recently was in Diabetes and the experiences of people with diabetes, particularly in rural areas. This combined a passion of mine which is the delivery of equitable health care across all environments and the reduction of barriers to that care either from institutional biases or from personal barriers to care.

I have been a member of the New Zealand Wound Care Society (NZWCS) since 2019. I am currently a member of the Education Advisory Group, the Pressure Injury Advisory Group and the Pan Pacific Pressure Injury Alliance. I shall be representing the NZWCS on the Guideline Development Group for the 4th Edition of the International Guidelines following the footsteps of Pam Mitchel.

Name: Anj Dickson

Job Title: Wound care Clinical Nurse Specialist for Pressure injury prevention and management

Employer: Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand – Counties Manukau

Professional qualifications: BN; PGCert, PG Dip, Masters in Nursing

Contact details: Counties Manukau, | Private Bag 93311, Auckland 1640

Bio: Anj has been working at Counties for 17 years and has been part of the wound care team for seven, specialising in pressure injury prevention and management. This role sees her providing wound care support and recommendations within the inpatient setting, as well as providing virtual support to patients in ARRC facilities with pressure injuries. She completed her Master’s on the impact of skin tone on the development of pressure injuries and is focused on reducing the inequities that exist within this pressure injury space in New Zealand. Anj is passionate about sharing her knowledge and contributes to webinars, education sessions New Zealand wide and she is also part of the International Learning Collaborative focused on improving the fundamentals of care within nursing. 
Anj has been a member of the PIAG since 2019. Bio updated Jan 2025