Catherine Hall resigns as Alzheimers NZ Chief Executive
It is with deep regret that the Board of Alzheimers NZ acknowledges the resignation of Chief Executive Catherine Hall (pictured left) after 14 years of dedicated leadership and service to the organisation and the dementia mate wareware community across Aotearoa New Zealand.
Catherine’s contribution to Alzheimers NZ has been significant and transformative. During her tenure, she played a critical role in strengthening and stabilising the organisation, building enduring relationships across the health and community sectors, and ensuring Alzheimers NZ became a respected and influential voice for people living with dementia mate wareware and their whānau.
Under Catherine’s leadership, the organisation strengthened its advocacy, amplified lived experience voices, and worked closely with member organisations and sector partners to advance awareness, support and system change. Her contribution, alongside colleagues across the sector, to the development of the Dementia Mate Wareware Action Plan has been particularly significant and will remain an important part of her legacy.
Board Chair, Teresa Wall, said Catherine had led the organisation with integrity, compassion and a deep commitment to ensuring people living with dementia mate wareware remained at the centre of every decision.
“Catherine has made an outstanding contribution to Alzheimers NZ and to the wider dementia mate wareware sector. Her leadership has helped strengthen the organisation through periods of significant challenge and change, while always maintaining a clear focus on the voices and experiences of people living with dementia mate wareware and their whānau.
“We are deeply grateful for her leadership, her advocacy, her support of our member organisations, and her ability to bring people together around a shared vision for better outcomes for our communities.”
Catherine said the decision to step down had been an extremely difficult one.
“Alzheimers NZ has meant a great deal to me over many years, and deciding to leave has not been easy. I feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved together alongside our members, staff, Board, partners and the wider dementia mate wareware community.”
She said people living with dementia mate wareware had always guided her leadership and decision-making.
“Throughout my time as Chief Executive, I have always believed that people living with dementia mate wareware must remain at the heart of every conversation and every decision. While I leave with sadness, I also believe the organisation is well placed for its next chapter and that this is the right time for new leadership to build on the strong foundations that are in place.”
The Board acknowledged both the sadness of Catherine’s departure and the lasting contribution she has made to the organisation and the wider sector.
“Catherine leaves an important legacy of leadership, advocacy and commitment. On behalf of the Board, our members and the wider Alzheimers NZ community, we thank her sincerely for her years of service and wish her every success for the future,” Teresa said.