Board Chair
Dr Sonya Bennett is a New Zealand trained ophthalmologist and completed fellowship training in Melbourne at the Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital, and in London at Moorfields Eye Hospital gaining expertise in glaucoma care.
Sonya is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at the Greenlane Clinical Centre Eye Clinic, a Senior Clinical Lecturer in ophthalmology at the University of Auckland and a founding director of City Eye Specialists. Her particular areas of clinical interest are angle closure disease, uveitis glaucoma, glaucoma drainage surgery, and she is an experienced cataract surgeon. She previously served as a basic sciences examiner for the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists, has been involved in teaching glaucoma techniques in south-east Asia.
Sonya has served on the board of ONZ since 2020 as Treasurer, then Vice Chair and is currently Chair. She is interested in health governance and completed the NZ Institute of Directors Company Board of Directors’ course in 2023.
Her personal interests are broad and varied - she learns the cello and has a passion for string quartet music, and she is the guardian of an urban food forest. Sonya took up karate with her son a couple of years ago and surprised herself that she enjoys punching and kicking so much!
Treasurer
Dr Elizabeth Conner is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Te Whatu Ora and Southern Eye Specialists, Christchurch. Fellowship-trained in Cataract and Corneal Surgery (Christchurch) and Paediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus (Pittsburgh), she brings high-level clinical expertise and a commitment to advancing ophthalmic standards and equitable eye care for all New Zealanders.
Board Directors
Dr Malcolm Carey is based in the Bay of Plenty and has a subspecialty interest in Cornea, Cataract and Refractive surgery and a Director at Rotorua and Taupo Eye Clinics providing comprehensive eye care to the district. He leads the keratoconus, crosslinking as well as corneal transplant service and is also part of the refractive surgical team at Laser Eye Centre in Tauranga. He is on the board of ONZ with focus on support of IMG in New Zealand Ophthalmology.
Dr Michael Merriman specialises in glaucoma, cataract and refractive surgery and general ophthalmology. He is also a refractive surgeon at the Laser Eye Centre and a consultant ophthalmologist at Waikato Hospital.
Dr Merriman graduated from Auckland Medical School in 1990 and completed his Ophthalmic Specialist training at Auckland and Waikato Hospitals in 2001. Additional experience was gained by Dr Merriman in Fellowship training in the UK at the West of England Eye Unit followed by Fellowships at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London gaining further expertise in glaucoma, cataract and refractive surgery. Dr Merriman has also completed research projects which have been published in international journals and he presents his research findings at both local and international meetings.
Dr Narme Deva is a Consultant Ophthalmologist at Eye Institute and Te Toka Tumai Auckland, and a Director at Eye Institute, New Zealand. She has a strong interest in operational efficiency, service design, and patient outcomes. She is also an Honorary Senior Lecturer and RACE Examiner, contributing to workforce development.
Dr Kenneth Chan is a RANZCO Fellow with oculoplastic fellowship training in Newcastle, UK. Practicing in Wellington's public and private sectors since 2013, he has held RANZCO roles, including Treasurer and Education Committee Chair for the NZ Branch. He is a Director at Thorndon Eye Clinic, overseeing financial control and external relations.
Chief Executive Officer
Kim Down is an accomplished health sector executive with leadership experience spanning specialist healthcare, commercial management, and occupational health services. Most recently the General Manager of Tauranga Eye Specialists, Kim has also held senior roles at MoleMap and The Drug Detection Agency (TDDA). She holds a degree in Business Psychology and an MBA from Massey University. Outside of work, Kim enjoys playing golf with friends and family.
