Current Board members

Kristine has been a Board member since 2015. While she has held the Deputy Chair role since 2019, she became the Chair in 2022. She is a Dispensing Optician and a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland, School of Optometry and Vision Science (SOVS). Kristine teaches Optical Dispensing to Optometry students in part III, part IV and part V. She also supervises Dispensing at the University of Auckland’s Optometry clinic.  

In 1997, Kristine completed her Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing (with distinction) from TAFE Digital (previously OTEN/TAFE) (Sydney Australia). In 2014, she graduated with the Fellowship Diploma at the Association of British Dispensing Opticians (ABDO). She is one of the first in Aotearoa New Zealand to attain this Bachelor-level qualification. Amongst others, she also holds a Certificate in Train the Trainer at the NZ Institute of Management, a National Certificate at the Retail Industry Training Organisation (ITO), and a National Certificate in Public Sector Services (Level 4). 

Prior to her work at the university, Kristine spent 5 years working for the Ministry of Social Development, primarily as a programme co-ordinator and work broker. From 1993 to 2004, she was employed by OPSM, working as a Dispensing Optician, Store Manager and Area Manager.  

In 2021, Kristine was awarded the prestigious Robert Maher award recognising her contribution to the profession of Dispensing Opticians. She is a current member of the Association of Dispensing Opticians of New Zealand (ADONZ). 

Annette has been a Board member since 2016, and became the Deputy Chair in 2022. She qualified with a Bachelor of Optometry in 1985. Annette was in the first class to complete the The Auckland Programme In Ocular Therapeutics (TAPIOT), at the University of Auckland in 2004. She was employed in Wellington from graduation until she bought her own practice in Paraparaumu in 1990. She now works for Grylls and Matthews in Paraparaumu. Annette was a councillor of the New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO) from 1992 until her appointment to the Board. She has also been a member of the Council of Optometry Regulatory Authorities (CORA), and its successor the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ). She has a keen passion for legislation works to govern patient safety, and enjoys balancing the application of her knowledge as an Optometrist, with the consumer perspective and ensuring the protection of the public. 

Jayesh has been a Board member since 2015. He was Deputy Chair in 2016 and 2017, and Chair from 2018 to 2021. In 2022 he made the decision to step back and allow for new leadership to emerge, as the Board prepares for the transition of longstanding Board members to change. He is a Member of the Optometry Council of Australia and New Zealand (OCANZ), sits on the Board of Studies for the School of Vision Science (SOVS) and a previous Professional Conduct Committee member. Jayesh is an Optometrists, and graduated from the University of Auckland in 1996. He also completed his post-graduate Ocular Therapeutics qualification in 2013. He is currently working at Clear Vision Optometrists in Wellington which is an independent practice that he has owned for the last 17 years. Previous to that, he worked in various roles and organisations across New Zealand, Australia and the UK, as well as voluntary work in the pacific Islands. He is a current member of the New Zealand Association of Optometrists (NZAO), Cornea and Contact Lens Society (CCLSNZ), the Australasian College of Behavioural Optometrists (ACBO) and EyePro, as well as a Paralympics NZ VI Classifier. 

Sophie has been a Board member since August 2022 and is a therapeutically qualified optometrist who graduated from University of Auckland in 2017. Living in Queenstown, Sophie works for Specsavers Queenstown, a franchise she has co-owned since 2021. With a passion for tackling inequities in healthcare, Sophie is currently undergoing a Masters of Public Health at the University of Auckland. She has also completed a Certificate in a Public Health and Leadership in Eye Care from Australian College of Optometry (ACO), and is a current member of Australian College of Behavioural Optometry (ACBO). Through all avenues of her work, Sophie hopes to see Optometry become accessible, affordable and safe for all members of the public. Outside of work, Sophie is an avid reader, traveller and hiker.

Ravi has been a Board member since 2020. He is an Optometrist, specialising in children’s vision. He graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Optometry in 2005. He is also the co-founder of Mr Foureyes Opticians and Mr Foureyes Foundation. He is passionate about solving undetected eyesight problems in youth and has over 15 years’ experience working across Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas. This includes work in the Pacific with volunteer organisations such as the Fred Hollows Foundation, and others.

Zoe has been a Board member since May 2020. Since her appointment, she has held several Convenor for several Board Committees, currently being the Professional Standards Committee Convenor. She is a Dispensing Optician. Zoe graduated from the University of Auckland with a Bachelor of Science in 2010. While working in Wellington, she completed her Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing through TAFE Digital (previously OTEN/TAFE) in 2011. Now based in Auckland, she works for Mortimer Hirst Eyecare and Eyewear. She is also involved in training students completing the Certificate IV in Optical Dispensing through Australasian College of Optical Dispensing (ACOD). Zoe is a current member of the Association of Dispensing Opticians of New Zealand (ADONZ).  

Farib has been a Board member since August 2022. He has substantial educational and business experience in both the private and public sectors as well as numerous community and international appointments spanning education, energy, environment, health, and resources. He has served as a member of several government and non-government committees and other groups with an interest in South-East Asia. He currently holds several roles including Deputy Chair of the Board of the NZ Amateur Sport Association, Member of the Expert Advisory Panel of Open Government Partnership NZ, Executive Chair of Asia Forum Wellington, and Trustee of the Asia Pacific Research Institute of New Zealand. Farib was Chair of Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA), former Council Member of Victoria University of Wellington, former Trustee of Victoria University of Wellington Foundation, former Board Member of New Zealand Business-ASEAN Council, New Zealand Honorary Adviser to The Asia New Zealand Foundation, and Executive Member of the New Zealand-Indonesian Council plus former Director of Gunson Property Group and Gunson Investment Ltd and Human Resources International Ltd. Farib holds a PhD in from Australian National University.

Julia is of Samoan/Pākehā descent. She works in an Executive advisory role at South Seas Healthcare Trust, Ōtara’s largest Pacific health provider which delivers a range of primary care, community and social services throughout South Auckland.

In previous roles in New Zealand and overseas, Julia has dealt extensively with consumers of health care services and a variety of health care professionals. Julia has worked as a legal advisor to New Zealand’s Health and Disability Commissioner. She was a research assistant at the Harvard School of Public Health and also worked in Boston over the same period for a health care consumer advocacy group. In London she worked as a policy advisor in the Registration Directorate at the General Medical Council.

Julia enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage children, tennis, yoga and learning Te Reo Māori.

Julia is passionate about communities having access to good quality health care, of which the responsive and accountable regulation of health care professionals is a key component.