CEPNZ BOARD

The foundation Board of CEPNZ was established in November 2012. Four members were nominated and voted onto the CEPNZ Board. Members undertook to grow this Board and ratified the society rules (lodged with the Companies Office) establishing an incorporated society. In accordance with the rules of the society, elections of officers will be carried out annually.

The current CEPNZ Board Members are:

Lynette Hodges (Massey University)

Chair

Lynette is a Lecturer in Sport and Exercise at Massey University (Since 2009). She teaches in the Exercise Prescription and Training Major. Lynette is a Clinical Exercise Physiologist and has experience in research with primary patients with Peripheral Vascular Disease and Multiple Sclerosis. She is an active researcher in the area of cardiovascular exercise and health and has recently finished a study examining upper and lower body exercise in patients with Multiple Sclerosis. She plans to further her research pathways, by undertaking future research investigating cardiovascular exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.

Stacey Reading (University of Auckland)

Secretary

Examiner

Stacey is Program Director for the Health & Performance Clinic and a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Exercise Sciences at the University of Auckland. He is a clinical exercise physiologist with research interests in both vascular physiology and the use of prescriptive exercise to treat exercise intolerance in health and disease. He earned a PhD in human physiology from the Department of Human Biology and Nutritional Sciences, University of Guelph, Canada. He also completed post-doctoral training in cerebrovascular physiology in the Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine University of Vermont, USA. Prior to coming to the University of Auckland, he was the Director of the Chronic Illness Research Institute and an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada. He has been a Certified Exercise Physiologist with the Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology since 1996 serving as a Master Examiner for the certification program as well as serving on the national CPT certification committee. He is a member of Exercise is Medicine Canada.

Hannah Lowe (The Centre for Health)

Treasurer

Hannah is the manager of The Centre for Health, an integrative health and research centre in Tauranga. Hannah completed her Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology as part of the inaugural Masters class at the University of Auckland in 2013. She then moved to Tauranga and works alongside Dr Anna Rolleston as part of an integrative team delivering clinical exercise physiology services and programmes both within the Tauranga community and throughout New Zealand. Hannah helps the delivery and undertakes the assessments and supervision of several research projects undertaken both at the clinic and in the wider community.

Eleanor Nattrass (Ascend Health)

Eleanor completed a Masters in Clinical Exercise Physiology at the University of Auckland with her research focusing on Exercise Rehabilitation for Pacific Island Adolescents with Metabolic Syndrome. After working for a couple of years in corporate health screening Eleanor began researching and developing The ExerScience Clinic (renamed to Medifit in 2022) in Grafton, Auckland. As part of the legislative subcommittee, Eleanor hopes to contribute toward gaining better access for the NZ public to receive Clinical Exercise Physiology services.

Matt Wood (Auckland University of Technology)

Matt is a lecturer for the School of Sport and Recreation AUT and manager of the AUT Millennium Human Potential Clinic, providing clinical exercise physiology services for the Auckland community. Matt has been involved in numerous occupational, environmental, clinical, and sports physiology research projects. He has a special interest in improving exercise-related processes for managing clinical clients in the New Zealand medical and fitness industries, working with large organisations to improve patient care. Matt’s current focus is on the delivery of innovative models of cardiac and cancer rehabilitation

Megan Reyden (Optimize Health)

Megan is the director and co-founder of Optimize Health; a community-based specialised exercise service for disease prevention and rehabilitation. Megan completed her Masters of Science at the University of Auckland. Her research focused on the effects of healthy aging and cardiovascular disease on skin blood flow during exercise. Following her Masters, Megan worked at the University of Auckland Health and Rehabilitation Clinic and was in charge of teaching an undergraduate exercise prescription course. Alongside her work at the university, she and her business partner Catherine Moss worked on developing Optimize Health in Mission Bay and Henderson, Auckland. Megan is very excited to help develop CEP in New Zealand, and looks forward to seeing it grow!

Ellie Rickman (Ascend Health)

Ellie Rickman is the co-owner of Ascend Health in Mount Eden and a prominent advocate for clinical
exercise physiology in New Zealand. Her academic and professional journey underscores her
dedication to advancing the field and supporting the community.
Ellie completed her postgraduate and Master’s degree in Clinical Exercise Physiology at The
University of Auckland in 2016. Ellie holds dual certifications from both the American College of
Sports Medicine (ACSM) and Clinical Exercise Physiology New Zealand (CEPNZ). In 2021, Ellie
achieved her PhD, focusing on microvascular function and aerobic capacity in patients with ischemic heart disease.
Since completing her PhD, Ellie has been a dedicated practitioner in private practice and a vocal
proponent of clinical exercise physiology. Ellie has been an active CEPNZ member over the years
presenting webinars, contributing to conference presentations, and assisting in organizing annual
conferences.
Ellie has forged strong relationships with the medical community, advocating for the integration of
clinical exercise physiology within the allied health sector. Her contributions extend to speaking
engagements with the Heart Foundation and speaking in community events such as the 2024 Aortic
Dissection Day, where she has highlighted the critical role of clinical exercise physiology in enhancing
public health.
With her academic background and clinical expertise, Ellie is committed to providing valuable skills
and insights to the CEPNZ Board. Ellie aims to enhance continuing education for members and
vigorously advocating to the public, health professionals and policy makes for the expanding role of
clinical exercise physiology in New Zealand’s healthcare landscape.

Tyler Elliott (University of Auckland)

Tyler is a Professional Teaching Fellow at the University of Auckland Exercise Sciences department.
He has an MSc in Clinical Exercise Physiology (2013) and is currently completing his PhD on the
health and fitness of young adults with Type 1 diabetes. He has worked in the Health and
Rehabilitation Clinic at the University of Auckland, teaches in the postgraduate CEP programme, and now focuses on teaching undergraduate exercise prescription while he completes his PhD.