Anna Mackey: Project Manager – Cerebral Palsy Research

Please help us welcome Anna Mackey to the position of Project Manager – Cerebral Palsy Research. 

Anna reports to Starship Orthopaedics and contracts to the Cerebral Palsy Society. She will be critical to the establishment of a long-term relationship between the NZ Cerebral Palsy Register and the Society. Anna will help ensure that the range of CP within the Society’s membership is represented in future research projects, especially different ages, stages and types of CP.

Anna will develop a working environment between the Register and the Society that will provide data on the CP population in Aotearoa.  

Her work will be focused on understanding the needs of the CP population from an equity, health, health service, and advocacy perspective. Anna will use the strengths of both organisations, and provide a strategic plan for the future growth of CPS and the NZCP registry for the benefit of the CP population. 

About Anna:  

Anna has a background in paediatric physiotherapy and health research in NZ and the UK.  

She has been working at Starship Children’s Health with the New Zealand Cerebral Palsy Register since it started, more than 5 years ago. She has also worked in clinical and project roles within the Paediatric Orthopaedic service and University of Auckland.  

She is a member of the Cerebral Palsy Clinical Network (Paediatric Society of New Zealand), Physiotherapy New Zealand and the Australasian Academy of Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology.  

“I hope to use my networks to help build sustainable connections for people with lived experience of Cerebral Palsy and the wider health sector, to deliver more meaningful and equitable outcomes for people in Aotearoa New Zealand.” 

Outside of work, her and her partner Jeff have a 7-year-old daughter, Izzy. They love spending time at nearby Maungakiekie, One Tree Hill or at the beach. This year she started volunteering with Riding for Disabled and is enjoying learning about this wonderful participation experience.