Community relationships and stakeholder awareness important for Steph Dyhrberg

Steph Dyhrberg is the new chairwoman of Mary Potter Hospice. Photo / Lance Lawson Photography

Long-time Kāpiti resident Steph Dyhrberg is the incoming chairwoman of Mary Potter Hospice.

Dyhrberg, who has served seven years on the hospice board, said she has taken on the role at a time when all hospices around New Zealand are facing unpredictable, challenging times as soaring service delivery costs and underfunding by the Government push hospices, including Mary Potter, to rethink their future.

“Last year Mary Potter Hospice supported nearly 850 patients, plus their whānau, across Wellington, Porirua and Kāpiti, free of charge.

“Our services help families through such a difficult time in their lives.

“My priorities over the next couple of years are to further build relationships with the community so we know what they need, and people know what we can provide.

“I also want to build greater awareness with stakeholders about the benefits of palliative care and what it costs to provide it, to try to achieve more secure funding for the work of our amazing staff.”

Dyhrberg, an employment lawyer and now barrister, was a finalist in the 2018 Women of Influence Awards and named Wellingtonian of the Year for her work in addressing sexual harassment in the legal profession.

Professor Gregor Coster is the hospice’s deputy chairman. Coster was a GP for 15 years and until recently a professor and founding dean of the Faculty of Health at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington.

He is a past chairman of District Health Boards NZ and chairman of Counties Manukau and West Coast DHBs. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2007 for services to public health.

Outgoing chairman Malcolm Bruce is a partner at KPMG. He has had a wide range of community involvement, from local sports clubs to regional associations (Squash Wellington). In 2011-12 Bruce and his wife set up a charity to support Christchurch businesses affected by the earthquakes.

KPMG has a long history of supporting governance at Mary Potter Hospice, and Bruce is replaced on the board by Peter Chew, KPMG partner. The other incoming board member is Dr Tim Jefferies, a general practitioner at Onslow Medical Centre.