Meet our facilitators and speakers
Dr George Parker and Associate Professor Suzanne Miller have developed this workshop in association with RANZCOG and Dr George Parker will lead the facilitation on the day.
Dr George Parker
Dr George Parker (they/them) is a lecturer in
health service delivery in the School of Health at Te Herenga Waka | Victoria
University of Wellington and lead investigator on the HRC funded Trans
Pregnancy Care Project. George is a Pākehā queer and non-binary trans person
and parent of two young children. George has a clinical background in midwifery
and is passionate about supporting inclusive and equitable perinatal care for
rainbow and other minority communities.
George is a Pākehā queer and non-binary trans person and parent of two young children. George has a clinical background in midwifery and is passionate about supporting inclusive and equitable perinatal care for rainbow and other minority communities.
Our other facilitators and presenters for the day include:
Dr Ed Hyde
Dr Ed Hyde (he/him/ia) is a trauma informed O&G specialist at Hutt Hospital | Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai. He has a passion for health equity and justice, especially neurodiversity, rainbow & trans healthcare, as well as incorporating Te Tiriti o Waitangi into clinical care. Ed is British by birth and a Kiwi by choice, and has worked across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Dr Ed Hyde (he/him/ia) is a trauma informed O&G specialist at Hutt Hospital | Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai. He has a passion for health equity and justice, especially neurodiversity, rainbow & trans healthcare, as well as incorporating Te Tiriti o Waitangi into clinical care. Ed is British by birth and a Kiwi by choice, and has worked across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Prof Elizabeth Kerekere
Whānau a Kai, Ngāti Oneone, Te Āitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Co Clare, Co. Tipperary
Prof Elizabeth Kerekere (she/her/ia) is a LGBTQ activist and scholar of national and international renown. She has been active within Rainbow and youth development sectors for over 30 years and mentored over 50 youth leaders.
She is Founder/Chair of Tīwhanawhana Trust which advocates for takatāpui to “tell our stories, build our communities and leave a legacy.” Elizabeth’s PhD on takatāpui identity and well-being is required reading in universities here and overseas. Her takatāpui suicide prevention resources are used in health and school settings across the country and Elizabeth has brought Te Tiriti o Waitangi/takatāpui-based advice to research projects addressing assisted reproductive health and family formation; LGBTIQ youth health and well-being; trans and non-binary health and well-being; and intersex human rights.
As a Member of Parliament in the last term, Elizabeth broke records with the petition that led to banning conversion practices, contributed to new gender markers on birth certificates for trans, intersex and non-binary people and she introduced the term ‘takatāpui’ into legislation for the first time in the reform of the health system.
Elizabeth’s framework for takatāpui health and well-being Te Whare Takatāpui is currently being applied to the health system and she was appointed Adjunct Professor in Public Health at Victoria University of Wellington this year.
Whānau a Kai, Ngāti Oneone, Te Āitanga a Māhaki, Rongowhakaata, Ngāi Tāmanuhiri, Co Clare, Co. Tipperary
Prof Elizabeth Kerekere (she/her/ia) is a LGBTQ activist and scholar of national and international renown. She has been active within Rainbow and youth development sectors for over 30 years and mentored over 50 youth leaders.
She is Founder/Chair of Tīwhanawhana Trust which advocates for takatāpui to “tell our stories, build our communities and leave a legacy.” Elizabeth’s PhD on takatāpui identity and well-being is required reading in universities here and overseas. Her takatāpui suicide prevention resources are used in health and school settings across the country and Elizabeth has brought Te Tiriti o Waitangi/takatāpui-based advice to research projects addressing assisted reproductive health and family formation; LGBTIQ youth health and well-being; trans and non-binary health and well-being; and intersex human rights.
As a Member of Parliament in the last term, Elizabeth broke records with the petition that led to banning conversion practices, contributed to new gender markers on birth certificates for trans, intersex and non-binary people and she introduced the term ‘takatāpui’ into legislation for the first time in the reform of the health system.
Elizabeth’s framework for takatāpui health and well-being Te Whare Takatāpui is currently being applied to the health system and she was appointed Adjunct Professor in Public Health at Victoria University of Wellington this year.
Fleur Kelsey
Fleur Kelsey (they/them) is a Pākehā, queer, non-binary trans midwife working as a Senior Lecturer and Kaihāpai Kahukura/Rainbow Liaison in the School of Midwifery at Otago Polytechnic. They are passionate about LGBTIQ+ Takatāpui equity in perinatal care, the education of health professionals, reproductive justice, and the transformative potential of research.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Fleur will focus on infant feeding support for trans whānau and midwifery assessment
Fleur Kelsey (they/them) is a Pākehā, queer, non-binary trans midwife working as a Senior Lecturer and Kaihāpai Kahukura/Rainbow Liaison in the School of Midwifery at Otago Polytechnic. They are passionate about LGBTIQ+ Takatāpui equity in perinatal care, the education of health professionals, reproductive justice, and the transformative potential of research.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Fleur will focus on infant feeding support for trans whānau and midwifery assessment
Fleur Kelsey (they/them) is a Pākehā, queer, non-binary trans midwife working as a Senior Lecturer and Kaihāpai Kahukura/Rainbow Liaison in the School of Midwifery at Otago Polytechnic. They are passionate about LGBTIQ+ Takatāpui equity in perinatal care, the education of health professionals, reproductive justice, and the transformative potential of research.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Fleur will focus on infant feeding support for trans whānau and midwifery assessment
Dr AJ Loomis Eckert
Dr Eckert (he/they) is from Los Angeles in the United States, and has over 19 years’ experience in health care, including 11 years as a primary care doctor specialising in LGBTQIA+ healthcare, sexual health, and gender-affirming healthcare services. He previously created and ran the Gender & Life-Affirming Medicine (GLAM) program in Connecticut.
Dr. Eckert is bilingual in English and Czech and is a classically trained pianist. He enjoys hiking, photography, and all things horror. He is also accompanied in clinic by his trained therapy dog Lupík, who has accompanied him in clinic since he was a puppy!
As part of our clinical considerations panel AJ will talk about fertility preservation and conception, coming off (and back on) gender affirming hormone therapy before and after pregnancy, and other relevant clinical considerations that obstetricians and midwives might need to be aware of.
Dr Eckert (he/they) is from Los Angeles in the United States, and has over 19 years’ experience in health care, including 11 years as a primary care doctor specialising in LGBTQIA+ healthcare, sexual health, and gender-affirming healthcare services. He previously created and ran the Gender & Life-Affirming Medicine (GLAM) program in Connecticut.
Dr. Eckert is bilingual in English and Czech and is a classically trained pianist. He enjoys hiking, photography, and all things horror. He is also accompanied in clinic by his trained therapy dog Lupík, who has accompanied him in clinic since he was a puppy!
As part of our clinical considerations panel AJ will talk about fertility preservation and conception, coming off (and back on) gender affirming hormone therapy before and after pregnancy, and other relevant clinical considerations that obstetricians and midwives might need to be aware of.
Dr Eckert (he/they) is from Los Angeles in the United States, and has over 19 years’ experience in health care, including 11 years as a primary care doctor specialising in LGBTQIA+ healthcare, sexual health, and gender-affirming healthcare services. He previously created and ran the Gender & Life-Affirming Medicine (GLAM) program in Connecticut.
Dr. Eckert is bilingual in English and Czech and is a classically trained pianist. He enjoys hiking, photography, and all things horror. He is also accompanied in clinic by his trained therapy dog Lupík, who has accompanied him in clinic since he was a puppy!
As part of our clinical considerations panel AJ will talk about fertility preservation and conception, coming off (and back on) gender affirming hormone therapy before and after pregnancy, and other relevant clinical considerations that obstetricians and midwives might need to be aware of.
Kim Myhill
Kim Myhill (she/her) is an Australian born, NZ European cis lesbian and proud mother to two awesome wāhine, and shares life with her partner in a loving lesbian whānau.
Kim is the Clinical Coordinator of Wellington Maternal Mental Health Service and an experienced registered social worker with more than 16 years experience supporting parents, babies, and whānau through the challenges of the perinatal period. Kim has worked extensively in formal maternal mental health services in both the Wellington Region and Counties Manukau, South Auckland combining clinical expertise with a deep commitment to compassionate, whānau-centred care. She was also a founding force behind Well Women Franklin, a community charity established in 2009 that continues to offer peer support for pregnancy and the post natal period for families experiencing postnatal distress and related mental health challenges.
Alongside professional experience, Kim brings invaluable lived experience of severe postnatal depression, giving her a unique perspective on the realities faced by many parents navigating pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Kim is a passionate advocate for reducing stigma, removing barriers, strengthening community support, and ensuring that birthing people, new parents and whānau feel seen, heard, and connected. Her work is grounded in the belief that every parent deserves understanding, hope, and support during one of life’s most transformative journeys. Kim is particularly passionate about equity and access to healthcare, believing that all new parents and whānau deserve timely, culturally responsive, and accessible support, regardless of their circumstances or where they live. She is committed to championing services that are inclusive, responsive, and available when families need them most. Kim is proud to be part of Warming The Whare as a project to challenge system barriers, health care providers, colleagues and herself.
Kim brings a blend of professional knowledge, lived experience, advocacy, and heart to the conversation about maternal and parent wellbeing, and whānau flourishing.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Kim will talk about
perinatal mental health considerations for trans whaiora.
Kim Myhill (she/her) is an Australian born, NZ European cis lesbian and proud mother to two awesome wāhine, and shares life with her partner in a loving lesbian whānau.
Kim is the Clinical Coordinator of Wellington Maternal Mental Health Service and an experienced registered social worker with more than 16 years experience supporting parents, babies, and whānau through the challenges of the perinatal period. Kim has worked extensively in formal maternal mental health services in both the Wellington Region and Counties Manukau, South Auckland combining clinical expertise with a deep commitment to compassionate, whānau-centred care. She was also a founding force behind Well Women Franklin, a community charity established in 2009 that continues to offer peer support for pregnancy and the post natal period for families experiencing postnatal distress and related mental health challenges.
Alongside professional experience, Kim brings invaluable lived experience of severe postnatal depression, giving her a unique perspective on the realities faced by many parents navigating pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Kim is a passionate advocate for reducing stigma, removing barriers, strengthening community support, and ensuring that birthing people, new parents and whānau feel seen, heard, and connected. Her work is grounded in the belief that every parent deserves understanding, hope, and support during one of life’s most transformative journeys. Kim is particularly passionate about equity and access to healthcare, believing that all new parents and whānau deserve timely, culturally responsive, and accessible support, regardless of their circumstances or where they live. She is committed to championing services that are inclusive, responsive, and available when families need them most. Kim is proud to be part of Warming The Whare as a project to challenge system barriers, health care providers, colleagues and herself.
Kim brings a blend of professional knowledge, lived experience, advocacy, and heart to the conversation about maternal and parent wellbeing, and whānau flourishing.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Kim will talk about
perinatal mental health considerations for trans whaiora.
Kim Myhill (she/her) is an Australian born, NZ European cis lesbian and proud mother to two awesome wāhine, and shares life with her partner in a loving lesbian whānau.
Kim is the Clinical Coordinator of Wellington Maternal Mental Health Service and an experienced registered social worker with more than 16 years experience supporting parents, babies, and whānau through the challenges of the perinatal period. Kim has worked extensively in formal maternal mental health services in both the Wellington Region and Counties Manukau, South Auckland combining clinical expertise with a deep commitment to compassionate, whānau-centred care. She was also a founding force behind Well Women Franklin, a community charity established in 2009 that continues to offer peer support for pregnancy and the post natal period for families experiencing postnatal distress and related mental health challenges.
Alongside professional experience, Kim brings invaluable lived experience of severe postnatal depression, giving her a unique perspective on the realities faced by many parents navigating pregnancy, birth, and early parenthood. Kim is a passionate advocate for reducing stigma, removing barriers, strengthening community support, and ensuring that birthing people, new parents and whānau feel seen, heard, and connected. Her work is grounded in the belief that every parent deserves understanding, hope, and support during one of life’s most transformative journeys. Kim is particularly passionate about equity and access to healthcare, believing that all new parents and whānau deserve timely, culturally responsive, and accessible support, regardless of their circumstances or where they live. She is committed to championing services that are inclusive, responsive, and available when families need them most. Kim is proud to be part of Warming The Whare as a project to challenge system barriers, health care providers, colleagues and herself.
Kim brings a blend of professional knowledge, lived experience, advocacy, and heart to the conversation about maternal and parent wellbeing, and whānau flourishing.
As part of our clinical considerations panel Kim will talk about perinatal mental health considerations for trans whaiora.