Founder
Dr Neil Graham
Dr Neil Graham 1950 - 2021
Neil Graham was diagnosed with CLL at the age of fifty. In the ensuing years, as both a patient and a physician, Neil saw the need for better information and stronger advocacy for New Zealanders living with CLL. With support from others in the CLL sector, in 2019 he established CLL Advocates NZ, gaining membership of the global resource-sharing network CLL Advocates Network and formally launching the New Zealand group at a patient seminar in 2020.
Trustees
Dr Ruth Spearing - Chair
Dr Ruth Spearing CNZM, MBChB, FRACP, FRCPA has been involved with haematology since 1980 and has been a leader nationally in haematology trials. She was the NZ Principal Investigator for many of the UK Medical Research Council/National Cancer Research Institute trials which New Zealand took part in from the late 1980s until two years ago. These included the first ever trial to show that treatment of CLL could lead to prolongation of life and not just control of the disease.
Ruth’s many leadership roles included being the Canterbury Clinical Lead for the Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Service, a Board Member of the New Zealand Medical Association, and an elected member of the Canterbury DHB Clinical Board. She retired from direct patient care for family reasons but remains active in the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group of which she is a Life Member and has recently joined its CLL Working Party.
A patient with CLL set up a Trust in Ruth’s name: https://www.ruthspearingtrust.com/about_us for research in the South Island which helped fund the setting up of the Haematology Trials Unit in Dunedin and some specific CLL research done by the Christchurch Haematology Research Group, amongst other projects.
Dr Amy Holmes - Medical Director
Amy graduated with a Bachelor of Advanced Science at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) with a major in physiology and pharmacology prior to studying medicine at the Australian National University (ANU).
She graduated in 2007 and completed the majority of her training through the Canberra Hospital prior to travelling to Christchurch for her final year of specialist training in clinal haematology and hematopathology (FRACP, FRCPA).
Amy has been a staff specialist at the Christchurch hospital ever since and also greatly enjoys being able to support haematology patients on the West Coast and through the St Georges Cancer Care Centre.
She is a member of various medical organisations including the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group (ALLG) for which she sits on the New Zealand Medicines Access committee. She is a principal investigator for a range of clinical trials and provides a consultative service to the Christchurch branch of New Zealand Clinical Research (NZCR).
She has strong interests in malignant haematology, including CLL, and is committed to improving patient outcomes.
Rebecca Graham - Trustee
Rebecca Graham is one of the original trustees of the Trust and is the daughter of Neil Graham, Founder. She is a solicitor and partner at Cooney Lees Morgan in Tauranga where her legal practice focuses on private client and trust matters. Rebecca has held other charitable trust positions, and values supporting the cause of CLL patients and other activities of CLLANZ.
Bronwyn Colquhoun (Bronny) – Trustee
Bronny is a former RNZAF Logistics Specialist Flight Sergeant and has been living in Kerikeri for the past five years. She continues to work with the Air Force as a civilian, overseeing and analysing inventory and aeronautical compliance. Her career in Defence and logistics spans 35 years and is still ongoing.
Diagnosed with CLL in 2019 at the age of 47, Bronny chose to self‑fund ibrutinib treatment from 2019–2023. After a year in remission, her CLL returned aggressively in 2024 with a new NOTCH1 mutation. She was treated with publicly funded Venetoclax and Rituximab and is now under active monitoring.
Bronny is committed to supporting other CLL patients by sharing information and her lived experience. She is passionate about lobbying for equitable access to targeted treatments and values the opportunity to strengthen this advocacy as part of CLL Advocates NZ.
Craig Marshall - Trustee
Lisa Ryan - Trustee
Lisa Ryan is the Chief People & Culture Officer at Tāmaki Health in Auckland. She has extensive international experience, having held senior HR roles in the United States and Australia across healthcare and investment management sectors.
She holds a Master of Commerce with First Class Honours and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Auckland.
Diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) in 2019, she began treatment in 2022 and is now under active monitoring. She is passionate about using her personal experience and professional skills to support and advocate for others living with CLL and is committed to contributing to the work of CLL Advocates NZ as a trustee.
Marc Pearce - Trustee
Marc lives in Nelson and has worked for over 30 years as a consultant in data and analytics.
He strongly believes that governments should increase funding for pharmaceuticals to keep New Zealand in a comparable position to countries like Australia, the UK and Canada when it comes to access to new treatments. Marc was involved in the drive to get Herceptin funded in 2006 and the judicial review of Pharmac at that time, so has some first-hand experience of the friction in funding drugs in New Zealand.
When not working or involved with CLLANZ, Marc loves to travel, both at home and overseas.
He also is a keen windsurfer, enjoys tramping in the mountains and photographing wildlife and landscapes.
Rob Crozier - Trustee
Rob Crozier. Rob is a former union general secretary who has also had board roles at PSIS and Consumer NZ. A significant feature of his union role involved political lobbying on behalf of university staff and universities in general. He is also a Cancer Connect volunteer for the Cancer Society. He has been living with CLL since 2001 and is currently on an extended clinical trial of Venetoclax monotherapy.
Sue Osbourne - Trustee
Sue Osborne is the Head of Learning at Foodstuffs North Island, with a career spanning multiple large organisations and industries. Her experiences include working with the Ministry of Health and District Health Boards, being part of government stakeholder consultation, and is currently in an ESG governance role. She holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Psychology and a Bachelor of Health Science in Applied Psychology.
Diagnosed with CLL in late 2019 and breast cancer in 2023, Sue has become well-informed about CLL risk factors -including the increased likelihood of developing a second primary cancer - about CLL treatment options, and the lack of equity in New Zealand for funded treatments compared to other OECD countries. There is work to be done in this space.
Outside of her professional and advocacy work, Sue is passionate about lifestyle balance and the role of physical activity and movement in improving overall life outcomes - at any age and with any health challenge. She enjoys mountain biking and spending time in nature to ground.
Ingrid Ovenstone - Patient Support Officer
Ingrid joins CLL Advocates NZ with a strong background in leadership, operations, and people support. With more than 20 years’ experience in business management, coaching, and guiding individuals through complex situations, she brings a calm, practical approach to helping others find their feet during uncertain times.
Ingrid’s involvement in the CLL community began when her husband was recently diagnosed. Experiencing firsthand how confusing and overwhelming the process can be strengthened her commitment to ensuring others receive the clarity, guidance, and support they need early on.
She is skilled at simplifying information, supporting decision-making, and helping people feel confident and informed. Warm, approachable, and solution-focused, Ingrid is passionate about making sure every person affected by CLL feels supported, understood, and never left to navigate the journey alone.