Dr Jocelyne Benatar is a clinician with a strong interest in cardiovascular medicine and patient-centred care. She is known for her clear, pragmatic approach to complex clinical problems and her focus on translating evidence into everyday practice. Alongside her clinical work, she is involved in education and professional engagement, with a particular interest in improving how risk factors such as dyslipidaemia are understood and managed

Simone Cree is a part‑time Research Fellow with the Omics and Pasifika Team at the Christchurch Heart Institute, University of Otago, Christchurch. Her research investigates inherited susceptibility to cardiovascular disease among Pacific Peoples in Canterbury. Her work focuses on identifying genetic risk factors for cardiovascular disease in Pacific populations and exploring how blood biomarkers used to predict cardiovascular risk and disease progression may differ between Pacific and European peoples. Simone’s research utilises state‑of‑the‑art technologies, including long‑read nanopore sequencing, to advance understanding of genetic and biomarker variation and support more equitable cardiovascular care.

Dr Kerryanne Johnson is a non‑invasive imaging cardiologist based at Waikato Hospital. Her medical training began at the University of Dundee in the United Kingdom, before her career journey brought her to New Zealand. After completing a Multi‑modality Imaging Fellowship at Leeds General Infirmary, she developed specialised expertise in Cardiac MRI, Cardiac CT, and advanced echocardiography. Dr Johnson is deeply engaged in the cardiology community, serving on several Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) committees and contributing to both Waikato regional and national cardiac networks. Outside of clinical practice, she enjoys singing a cappella with the Waikato Rivertones and spending time with her family.

Kate Neas is a clinical geneticist and National Clinical Director of Genetic Health Service NZ. Kate is lucky to work with an expert team of geneticists and genetic counsellors across NZ, and to have a broad range of clinical interests. Kate has been one of the clinical geneticists active in CIDG since the mid 2000s, and provides input in the central region cardiovascular genetic clinics together with Tom Donoghue, Alice Christian and Andrew Aitken.

Associate Professor Manar Khashram is a consultant vascular surgeon and head of department in Waikato Hospital, New Zealand. He has several leadership positions and representative roles nationally and internationally. He has authored more than 150 peer reviewed publications. His research and practice is focusses on the management of patients with aortic aneurysms and aortic dissections