Meet the Team
Our Doctors
Dr Jill McIlraith
Dr Jill McIlraith has been in general practice for 20 years, having studied medicine after a career in journalism in South Africa. She was a founding partner of Aurora Health Centre and she is a director in the new Aurora Health Centre. Jill continues to enjoy the variety of general practice and working alongside a group of dedicated colleagues. She also works at Dunedin Sexual Health Clinic and likes the vibrancy and challenges of working with adolescents. Outside of medicine, she enjoys her animals – including horses, goats, sheep and dogs – gardening, reading, writing, travelling and spending time with her husband and daughter.
Dr Janice Jensen
Dr Janice Jensen worked at Dunedin Hospital for three years before beginning her training as a GP. She has been happily working at Aurora Health Centre since 2005. Janice has two adult children. She attained her final qualifications as a GP in 2009 when she became a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs. In the small amount of leisure time she has, Janice enjoys movies, reading and travelling. Janice is a director of the Aurora Health Centre and looks forward to many future years of involvement with the practice.
Dr Sandy (A J F) Ross
Born and bred in Dunedin
Attended Otago University and Medical School
Post graduate spent 4 years in Christchurch Hospital specialising in medicine passing the part one FRACP. Then spent one year at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary in Scotland in a general medicine and lymphoma unit before deciding that general practice was where I wanted to spend my life.
Returned to Dunedin to do a Diploma in Obstetrics before entering General Practice in South Dunedin at the end of 1980.
Since then I have been in General practice in South Dunedin around the Cargill’s Corner area initially with an interest in Obstetric but lately have become part of the Salvation Army's Bridge Programme for addictions.
South City Medical Centre amalgamated with The Aurora Health Centre and moved to its present site on Macandrew Road in February 2013. I am one of the 5 directors of the new Aurora Health Centre.
Sandy is married with 5 grown children.
Dr Susan Johns
Dr Susan Johns has been working in General Practice since 2006, where she enjoys the ability to work part-time and spend time with her three young children. In between caring for patients and her children, she also has a husband, a big dog, a vege garden and spends any free time hanging out with university students and young adults at Dunedin City Baptist Church. Susan is also a director of Aurora Health Centre.
Dr Aimee Rondel
Dr Aimee Rondel grew up in Dunedin and graduated from Otago Medical School in 2006. She spent several years at Dunedin hospital before joining the Aurora team in 2011. She loves the challenge and variety of general practice as well as the flexibility it gives her to further her interests in teaching and allowing time with her children. She is currently training to become a fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of GPs.
In her spare time she enjoys swimming, reading, knitting and chasing the chickens out of her garden.
Dr Ingrid Crawford
Dr Ingrid Crawford is a Dunedin local, graduating from the University of Otago School of Medicine in 2009 after completing her clinical years in Christchurch Hospital. She worked in both Christchurch and Dunedin Hospitals, and spent time travelling and volunteering in medical clinics in Guatemala and Panama before embarking on a career in General Practice, and is excited to be part of the fantastic team at Aurora.
Outside of work, she keeps busy dancing salsa competitively, reading, travelling, and rescuing her adventurous kitten from tall trees.
Dr Liz Williams
Dr Liz Williams grew up in Wanganui and moved to Dunedin in 2003 to train at the Otago Medical School. She graduated in 2009 and spent some time in Dunedin Hospital before joining the Aurora Health Centre. Liz also works at the Sexual Health Clinic and has an interest in Women’s and Child Health.
Outside of medicine, Liz enjoys spending time with her husband and dog as well as playing music and spending time outdoors.
Dr Lisa Kaan
A true-blue Dunedinite, Lisa was born and educated in the city and has retained her close links with her network of family and friends here. She graduated from the University of Otago School of Medicine in 2011. An elective in Germany and the UK, did not entice her away and she returned to Dunedin to work at the emergency department at the hospital for several years before seeing the light and training to be a GP. Outside of medicine, gardening, reading and travel are keen interests.
Our Nurses
RN Karyn Grellett
Born and raised in Dunedin, Karyn continues to enjoy all Dunedin has to offer. Trained initially as a pharmacy technician, it was the contact with the medical profession both in this role and in her personal life that led to a career in nursing. She obtained her Bachelor of Nursing from Otago Polytech and has been at Aurora Health Centre since 2011. She enjoys wound care management and infection control along with the other varied nursing duties, including a focus on health promotion and being a staunch advocate for immunisation.
Outside of work she keeps busy with her partner and their 5 children. She enjoys gardening and caring for her numerous animals on their life-style block.
RN Sue Hewitt
Born in Southland and trained in Invercargill, Sue retains her southern roots. She has been a practice nurse for several years, having working with Drs Sandy Ross and John Mills at South City Medical Centre before their amalgamation with Aurora Health Centre. Health education is a particular focus for Sue, who says she loves the variety of practice nursing and the large diversity of patients in South Dunedin.
She is a self-confessed foodie, mother of 2 with 7 grandchildren who all like to cook.
RN Mary McLean
Mary is a UK transplant who has been at Aurora for five years. She has 47 years of nursing and midwifery to her credit. Since coming to NZ in 1977, she has worked in Christchurch, the West Coast and Dunedin with stints in Australia and back in the UK. She has a long standing interest in diabetes and diabetic education and has been alongside many patients as they start insulin. She enjoys the variety of practice nursing.
Outside of work she likes travelling (both her children are in the UK), folk music, weaving and gardening.
RN Dianje Strang.
Dianje graduated as a nurse in 2004 from CPIT and commenced her career on the West Coast at Greymouth hospital covering areas including surgical, medical and A & E. She took time out to have a family but continued to work part time in both the hospital and in district nursing. This grew an interest in wound care and she went on to complete post graduate papers in wound assessment and wound management. She also has a strong passion for real food nutrition with a holistic focus towards lifestyle change to improved health outcomes.
Her other passions include gardening, home DIY, Saturday morning Parkrun and interior design.
Reception and Administration Staff
Left to Right: Bev, Karen, Gill, Wendy R and Wendy S Front: Sharon
