Margie Apa
{{short description| New Zealand healthcare manager}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Fepulea‘i Margie Apa
| image = Margie Apa (cropped).jpg
| birth_date = {{birth based on age as of date|49|2022|3|12|slash=yes}}
| birth_place = Ōtara, Auckland, New Zealand
| alma_mater = University of Auckland; Victoria University of Wellington
| employer = Counties Manukau District Health Board; Te Whatu Ora
}}
Fepulea‘i Margie Apa (born 1973/1974) is a New Zealand healthcare manager. As chief executive of Counties Manukau District Health Board from 2018 to 2022, Apa was the first Samoan to be head of a district health board in New Zealand.
Early life and education
Apa was born in New Zealand in 1973 or 1974. Her parents Fepulea‘i Filo and Seulu Hana were Samoan emigrants from Savai'i and Apia. She grew up in Ōtara.{{Cite web |last=Thomas |first=Rachel |date=12 March 2022 |title=Resources will follow need under Health NZ, says new boss |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/128000583/resources-will-follow-need-under-health-nz-says-new-boss |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Stuff |language=en |archive-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312234607/https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/128000583/resources-will-follow-need-under-health-nz-says-new-boss |url-status=live }} She attended Papatoetoe High School. At the University of Auckland she gained a Bachelor of Commerce degree, followed by a Master of Public Policy from Victoria University of Wellington.{{Cite web |last=Husband |first=Dale |date=2022-03-13 |title=Margie Apa: Our new health boss |url=https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/margie-apa-our-new-health-boss/ |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=E-Tangata |language=en-NZ |archive-date=12 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312231953/https://e-tangata.co.nz/korero/margie-apa-our-new-health-boss/ |url-status=live }}
Career
While at the University of Auckland, Apa won a scholarship from the State Services Commission that funded her studies and gave her work opportunities.{{cite web |title=WOMEN OF THE ISLANDS: Fepulea'i Margie Apa |url=https://www.thecoconet.tv/coco-talanoa/humans-of-the-islands/women-of-the-islands-fepuleai-margie-apa/ |access-date=17 February 2025 |website=thecoconet.tv}} Early in her career, she worked on the review of the 1995 Cave Creek disaster.{{cite news |title=Fepulea’i Margie Apa, the chief executive with her finger on the pulse of the country |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/300802362/fepuleai-margie-apa-the-chief-executive-with-her-finger-on-the-pulse-of-the-country |access-date=17 February 2025 |website=Stuff}} Later, she worked in the labour market policy group at the Department of Labour.{{cite web |date=5 December 2018 |title=Community Scoop » World Vision announces new board chairperson |url=https://community.scoop.co.nz/2018/12/world-vision-announces-new-board-chairperson/ |access-date=17 February 2025 |website=Community Scoop}} From 2003 to 2007, Apa was general manager of Pacific health at the Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB).{{cite web |last=Johnston |first=Martin |date=31 December 2022 |title=DHB chief takes on the biggest role in reformed health service |url=https://www.nzdoctor.co.nz/article/news/summer-hiatus/south-auckland-stamped-her-heart-dhb-chief-takes-biggest-role-reformed |access-date=17 February 2025 |website=New Zealand Doctor}}
From 2007 to 2012, Apa was deputy director-general for sector capability and implementation at the Ministry of Health. She returned to Counties Manukau DHB in 2012 as director, population health and strategy and was appointed the DHB's chief executive in 2018. She was the first Samoan to lead a DHB in New Zealand.{{Cite web |title=Fepulea'i Margie Apa |url=https://www.hrc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-07/Development%20Group%20bios.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220209003244/https://hrc.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2019-07/Development%20Group%20bios.pdf |archive-date=9 February 2022 |access-date=13 March 2022 |website=Health Research Council}}{{Cite news |last=Ford |first=Emily |date=2018-07-24 |title=Margie Apa appointed as new chief executive for Counties Manukau DHB |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/105718277/margie-apa-appointed-as-new-chief-executive-for-counties-manukau-dhb |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313000617/https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/105718277/margie-apa-appointed-as-new-chief-executive-for-counties-manukau-dhb |archive-date=13 March 2022 |access-date=2022-03-12 |website=Stuff |language=en}}
The New Zealand government announced in 2021 that two new health authorities, Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand) and the Māori health authority Te Aka Whai Ora, would be created in 2022 to replace the district health boards.{{Cite web |last=Quinn |first=Rowan |date=2021-04-21 |title=Major health sector shake-up: DHBs scrapped and new Māori Health Authority announced |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/440903/major-health-sector-shake-up-dhbs-scrapped-and-new-maori-health-authority-announced |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz |archive-date=21 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210421000106/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/political/440903/major-health-sector-shake-up-dhbs-scrapped-and-new-maori-health-authority-announced |url-status=live }} Apa was appointed in December 2021 as chief executive of the interim Health New Zealand, heading the organisation from July 2022.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-20 |title=Chief executives of interim Health New Zealand and interim Māori Health Authority named |url=https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/458308/chief-executives-of-interim-health-new-zealand-and-interim-maori-health-authority-named |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=RNZ |language=en-nz |archive-date=1 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220401075400/https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/458308/chief-executives-of-interim-health-new-zealand-and-interim-maori-health-authority-named |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=7 February 2025 |title=Margie Apa steps down as Health NZ chief executive |url=https://www.stuff.co.nz/nz-news/360573071/margie-apa-steps-down-health-nz-chief-executive |access-date=2025-02-07 |website=www.stuff.co.nz}} She resigned from the role on 7 February 2025 four months ahead of the end of her contract.
She has also been chair of Presbyterian Support, and is on the board of World Vision.{{Cite web |title=Ms Margie Apa. World Vision International |url=https://www.wvi.org/bio/ms-margie-apa |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=www.wvi.org |archive-date=8 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220508071328/https://www.wvi.org/bio/ms-margie-apa |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Ms Margie Apa |url=https://www.psn.org.nz/about-us/our-board/margie-apa |access-date=2022-03-13 |website=Presbyterian Support Northern |language=en-NZ |archive-date=12 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220212192434/https://www.psn.org.nz/about-us/our-board/margie-apa |url-status=live }}
Personal life
References
{{Reflist}}
Further reading
- Manhire, Toby. [https://thespinoff.co.nz/society/11-03-2022/the-women-in-charge-of-rebuilding-new-zealands-health-system "The women in charge of rebuilding the New Zealand's health system".] The Spinoff, 11 March 2022
{{DEFAULTSORT:Apa, Margie}}
Category:Year of birth missing (living people)
Category:University of Auckland alumni
Category:New Zealand women public servants
Category:21st-century New Zealand public servants
Category:New Zealand healthcare chief executives
Category:New Zealand healthcare managers
Category:Victoria University of Wellington alumni