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Speakers
Robert Jacobson, MD
Medical Director of Primary Care Immunization Program, Rochester, Kasson, and Southeast Minnesota, Co-Chair, AskMayoExpert Knowledge Content Board for Immunizations and Vaccinations, Mayo Clinic.
Robert is a Professor of Pediatrics at Mayo Clinic with appointments in Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and did his undergraduate studies at Butler University, got his medical degree at University of Chicago, and completed his pediatric residency at Yale University where he remained to complete the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program in quantitative clinical epidemiology.
Robert practices medicine as a primary care pediatrician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; teaches research methods and evidence-based medicine to the faculty, pediatric residents, and pediatric sub-specialty fellows; and serves the 11-county area as the Medical Director for the Immunization Program for Mayo Clinic’s Primary Care in Southeast Minnesota and co-chair of the AskMayoExpert Immunizations & Vaccinations Knowledge Content Board.
Robert is a National Institutes of Health-funded investigator and conducts research to improve the uptake of vaccines.
Robert has lived in worked in Rochester, Minnesota, for 35 years and, with his wife Renee, raised four well-vaccinated children.
Robert Jacobson, MD
Medical Director of Primary Care Immunization Program, Rochester, Kasson, and Southeast Minnesota, Co-Chair, AskMayoExpert Knowledge Content Board for Immunizations and Vaccinations, Mayo Clinic.
Robert is a Professor of Pediatrics at Mayo Clinic with appointments in Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Pediatric Infectious Diseases, and Epidemiology. He was born in Chicago, Illinois and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana, and did his undergraduate studies at Butler University, got his medical degree at University of Chicago, and completed his pediatric residency at Yale University where he remained to complete the Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program in quantitative clinical epidemiology.
Robert practices medicine as a primary care pediatrician at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota; teaches research methods and evidence-based medicine to the faculty, pediatric residents, and pediatric sub-specialty fellows; and serves the 11-county area as the Medical Director for the Immunization Program for Mayo Clinic’s Primary Care in Southeast Minnesota and co-chair of the AskMayoExpert Immunizations & Vaccinations Knowledge Content Board.
Robert is a National Institutes of Health-funded investigator and conducts research to improve the uptake of vaccines.
Robert has lived in worked in Rochester, Minnesota, for 35 years and, with his wife Renee, raised four well-vaccinated children.
Dame Valerie Adams
DNZM OLY
Dame Valerie Adams is undoubtedly the most dominant track and field star New Zealand has ever produced. From 2006-2014 Dame Valerie was unbeaten in major championships, enjoying an unprecedented winning streak in world athletics of 107 competitions during that period. Her major wins included back-to-back Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, and four world championship titles. In 2016, Dame Valerie added silver to her Olympic medal collection at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and was later appointed as a Dame of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Athletics.
As a mother of two, Dame Valerie continued to compete at the top level and won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (postponed to 2021) whilst also coaching younger sister Lisa to her gold medal win at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the shotput.
Dame Valerie announced she would be hanging up her throwing shoes in March 2022. She continues to be involved in Athletics and is Chair of the World Athletics Athletes Commission, is a World Athletics Council Member and in September 2022 was appointed to the board of High Performance Sport NZ. Dame Valerie also enjoys spending time with her young family, working in the community supporting causes such as Jammies for June with the Middlemore Foundation and Game Plan AKL with Aktiv Auckland and with her valued commercial partners.
Dame Valerie is a leader and role model in the Pacific community, a seven-time Halberg sportswoman of the year and featured in a theatrical documentary film Dame Valerie Adams: More than Gold on her life and sporting career was released in October 2022.
Dame Valerie Adams
DNZM OLY
Dame Valerie Adams is undoubtedly the most dominant track and field star New Zealand has ever produced. From 2006-2014 Dame Valerie was unbeaten in major championships, enjoying an unprecedented winning streak in world athletics of 107 competitions during that period. Her major wins included back-to-back Olympic gold at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic Games, and four world championship titles. In 2016, Dame Valerie added silver to her Olympic medal collection at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and was later appointed as a Dame of the New Zealand Order of Merit for Services to Athletics.
As a mother of two, Dame Valerie continued to compete at the top level and won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (postponed to 2021) whilst also coaching younger sister Lisa to her gold medal win at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games in the shotput.
Dame Valerie announced she would be hanging up her throwing shoes in March 2022. She continues to be involved in Athletics and is Chair of the World Athletics Athletes Commission, is a World Athletics Council Member and in September 2022 was appointed to the board of High Performance Sport NZ. Dame Valerie also enjoys spending time with her young family, working in the community supporting causes such as Jammies for June with the Middlemore Foundation and Game Plan AKL with Aktiv Auckland and with her valued commercial partners.
Dame Valerie is a leader and role model in the Pacific community, a seven-time Halberg sportswoman of the year and featured in a theatrical documentary film Dame Valerie Adams: More than Gold on her life and sporting career was released in October 2022.
Leo Buchanan Memorial Lecture
Professor Matire Harwood
Professor Matire Harwood MBChB (University of Auckland), PhD in Medicine (University of Otago), Ngāpuhi
Matire is the Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland; and continues to practice one day a week as a General Practitioner.
She has served on several national Boards and Advisory Committees in New Zealand including Waitematā District Health Board, Health Research Council, COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group and Primary Care Strategy at the Ministry of Health and the Māori Advisory Committee to New Zealand’s Minister of Health.
Matire has been recognised for her work with numerous awards across research, teaching and leadership. These include the 2017 L’Oréal UNESCO New Zealand ‘For Women In Science Fellowship’ for research in Indigenous health, the Health Research Council’s Te Tohu Rapuora award in 2019 for leadership in research to improve Māori health, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners Community Service Medal in 2022 and the Butland Award in 2023 for Excellence in Research Supervision. She received the King’s Service Medal in June 2024 for her contribution to Māori health. She has 200+ research publications, teaches in the medical programme and supervises postgraduate students.
Leo Buchanan Memorial Lecture
Professor Matire Harwood
Professor Matire Harwood MBChB (University of Auckland), PhD in Medicine (University of Otago), Ngāpuhi
Matire is the Deputy Dean for the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland; and continues to practice one day a week as a General Practitioner.
She has served on several national Boards and Advisory Committees in New Zealand including Waitematā District Health Board, Health Research Council, COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group and Primary Care Strategy at the Ministry of Health and the Māori Advisory Committee to New Zealand’s Minister of Health.
Matire has been recognised for her work with numerous awards across research, teaching and leadership. These include the 2017 L’Oréal UNESCO New Zealand ‘For Women In Science Fellowship’ for research in Indigenous health, the Health Research Council’s Te Tohu Rapuora award in 2019 for leadership in research to improve Māori health, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners Community Service Medal in 2022 and the Butland Award in 2023 for Excellence in Research Supervision. She received the King’s Service Medal in June 2024 for her contribution to Māori health. She has 200+ research publications, teaches in the medical programme and supervises postgraduate students.
The RACP Montgomery Spencer Memorial Lecture
Dame Teuila Percival
Dame Teuila is a New Zealand born Samoan. Her family are from Ofu in Manu’a and Pu’apu’a in Savaii.
Teuila is a Consultant Paediatrician at KidzFirst Childrens Hospital, South Auckland and an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics, at the University of Auckland.
Her particular interests are in Pacific people’s health, Maternal and Child Health, Child Protection and Community Health.
Teuila has been working clinically in Paediatrics for over twenty years in the acute hospital setting and in outpatients.
Teuila is involved in research and community work both in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.Teuila has been involved in Community work in South Auckland for over two decades.
Teuila is the current Co-Chair of Le Afio’aga o Aotearoa and past Chair of South Seas Healthcare Trust (Pacific Primary Care, Otara). Other community roles include past Board members of Ta Pasefika, Alliance Health Plus and past President of Pasifika Medical Association.Teuila is Director of Moana Connect, a Pacific Maternal and Child Health Community based Research, Education and Social Enterprise group in Mangere, South Auckland.
Teuila was made a Dame (DNZM) in the Kings Birthday Honours in 2023 and awarded the Queens Service Order (QSO) in 2010 for service to the Pacific Community and children.
Teuila has three children and one grandchild. She is married to John McEnteer, Ngati Maru, Ngati Tamatera of Hauraki.
The RACP Montgomery Spencer Memorial Lecture
Dame Teuila Percival
Dame Teuila is a New Zealand born Samoan. Her family are from Ofu in Manu’a and Pu’apu’a in Savaii.
Teuila is a Consultant Paediatrician at KidzFirst Childrens Hospital, South Auckland and an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics, at the University of Auckland.
Her particular interests are in Pacific people’s health, Maternal and Child Health, Child Protection and Community Health.
Teuila has been working clinically in Paediatrics for over twenty years in the acute hospital setting and in outpatients.
Teuila is involved in research and community work both in New Zealand and the wider Pacific region.Teuila has been involved in Community work in South Auckland for over two decades.
Teuila is the current Co-Chair of Le Afio’aga o Aotearoa and past Chair of South Seas Healthcare Trust (Pacific Primary Care, Otara). Other community roles include past Board members of Ta Pasefika, Alliance Health Plus and past President of Pasifika Medical Association.Teuila is Director of Moana Connect, a Pacific Maternal and Child Health Community based Research, Education and Social Enterprise group in Mangere, South Auckland.
Teuila was made a Dame (DNZM) in the Kings Birthday Honours in 2023 and awarded the Queens Service Order (QSO) in 2010 for service to the Pacific Community and children.
Teuila has three children and one grandchild. She is married to John McEnteer, Ngati Maru, Ngati Tamatera of Hauraki.
More speakers to be announced shortly.
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