Meet the Team

Angela Cayford – Supports the day-to-day operations of the organisation, works alongside volunteers and stakeholders, and helps strengthen the support and advocacy provided to people living within the ME and LC community throughout New Zealand. Angela is passionate about helping others and is proud to contribute to the important work of ANZMES. She is committed to ensuring that people living with complex and often misunderstood health conditions feel heard, supported, and represented. Being part of ANZMES allows Angela to contribute to meaningful advocacy, education, and support services that help improve outcomes for individuals, whānau, and communities affected by ME and related illnesses.

Fiona Charlton – our Executive Chair and Trustee leads governance and operations.
PG.Cert in Health Science, BSc (Psychology), BA (Education), Clinical Education Cert, science and natural health diplomas.
Fiona’s background includes senior management, marketing/sales, fundraising, business development, HR, and lived experience with multiple long‑term conditions. She volunteers with ANZMES to drive meaningful, tangible change for thousands living with ME and coexisting conditions and to build public awareness to prevent more lives being impacted by such debilitating and life-changing illness.

Wendy Matthews – Vice Chair and Trustee Wendy joined ANZMES in 2011. She has a background in nursing and worked as a registered nurse in New Zealand and Australia before becoming ill with ME. She founded the East Auckland ME Support Group in 2011 and was on the founding board of ME Support (Auckland) Inc. Wendy has had ME since 1994 and is passionate about the need for more support for those with the illness and their families. She sees the need to bring positive changes by raising awareness through educating health providers and the community. She cofounded ME Respite charity to look at providing respite and practical help for those with the illness. Her youngest daughter has had ME since 2002. Wendy and her husband Peter live in Whitford, Auckland. Wendy volunteers for ANZMES because having the lived experience of ME made her aware how vulnerable and very debilitated those with the illness are, the stigma around the illness, how little help is available and what needs to change. ANZMES focus on bringing that change was something Wendy wants to contribute to in any way she can.

Amy Ma – Treasurer and Trustee
Amy joined ANZMES in 2022.
Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Finance from the University of Auckland. Amy works in risk consulting, supporting organisations to strengthen governance, manage risk, and improve organisational performance. Her professional experience spans both public and private sector organisations across Aotearoa New Zealand. Amy brings a combination of analytical, governance, and financial management skills to the Board. Amy is passionate about using her skills to support causes that make a tangible difference in people’s lives. She volunteers with ANZMES to support an organisation that has provided significant care and kindness to the ME community and to contribute her professional skills to support the organisation’s stewardship and long-term sustainability.

Suzanne Duffy – Trustee Suzanne joined ANZMES in 2007 and ran the North Otago support Group for many years. Suzanne has had ME since 1984 but does now manage to work in a small part-time job at the local Waimate Museum as their Collections Officer. Suzanne lives in Waimate and remains the contact person for that area.

Steve Murray – Trustee Born in the UK I emigrated to NZ when I was 22 after meeting my first wife a kiwi on her OE at my local pub. She had returned to NZ 6 months after we met as her father had passed away unexpectedly. Other than a short stint back in the U.K I have been here ever since and officially became a kiwi in 1996. I have been self employed for the last 30 years in a variety of roles ranging from:

• Owning an award-winning art gallery in Cambridge
• Promoting NZ based artists into the UK
• The last 20 years as a business advisor and professional director

I became involved with ANZMES when I married my current wife as she had CFS when I first met her, I had never heard of this (nor M.E) before and quickly became aware of the reality of these conditions, and particularly how hard it was to be taken seriously. Ironically, I have had Long COVID now for nearly 3 years so I am acutely aware of the impact of these conditions on day-to-day living.