ABOUT US
Meet the team
Bill Hartree
Pilot and Base Manager
Bill Hartree is one of our dedicated Rescue Helicopter pilots, bringing years of flying experience to the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter team.
After gaining valuable operational experience flying in Canterbury, he returned home to Hawke’s Bay, where he is proud to serve the community he grew up in. Bill has a unique appreciation for the importance of rescue helicopter services, having once been rescued himself after breaking his leg while tramping near Christchurch.
Outside of flying, he enjoys spending time with family and making the most of the outdoors through hunting, fishing, and tramping.
Charlie Beetham
Chief Pilot
Charlie is the Chief Pilot for Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter Service and its operator Search and Rescue Services Limited.
Charlie’s passion for aviation began on the family farm near Weber in Southern Hawke’s Bay and it’s let to a varied career throughout Hawke’s Bay and the world.
As a youngster, Charlie’s father had a Cessna aircraft that was used as the family car/farm truck. This experience helped define his career path, starting in 1998 when he joined the Royal New Zealand Airforce, and spent the following 14 years flying various different helicopters and fixed wing aircraft.
From 2013-2018 Charlie was the Chief pilot for our service and now holds the role of Chief pilot for Search & Rescue Services Limited who crew the majority of the Rescue Helicopters in the North Island.
When Charlie is on the ground he lives in Haumoana with his wife Sarah and boys Archie and Hunter.
Hamish Ramsay
Pilot and Base Manager
Hamish is one of our highly experienced Rescue Helicopter pilots, bringing more than 9,000 hours of flying experience to the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter team.
His career has taken him across New Zealand and overseas, where he has specialised in high-altitude lifting operations as well as agricultural aviation, firefighting, lifting operations, and venison recovery. Passionate about helping people in their greatest times of need, Hamish values being part of the rescue team.
Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his partner Sally and daughters Lilah and Florence, and making the most of the outdoors through fishing, hunting, and jet boating.
Nat Every
Pilot
Nat and his wife both grew up in the Hawkes Bay, and have recently moved back to the region after more than 20 years away.
Having flown the rescue helicopter out of Taupo for the last 12 years, Nat, his wife, and two girls moved back to take advantage of the incredible educational opportunities this region offers, and they are loving being back in the bay.
In his spare time Nat loves to ski as often as possible with his girls, mountain bike, and to produce a variation of “music” on his guitar.
Matt Wilson
Pilot
Matt has recently joined the team as a pilot, following in his father Lyn footsteps who flew for the trust.
Flying since he was 18 it was always Matt’s goal to end up as a pilot for our service.
Matt is married to wife Elly and has two boys Hugh and Ted. Having two kids under 4 doesn’t leave a lot of time for hobbies but Matt is pretty keen on a quiet beer at home on the deck in the Hawkes Bay sun when he isn’t flying our rescue helicopter.
Wayne Steed
Air Crew Officer
Wayne is one of our Rescue Helicopter Crewman/EMT. He served for many years in the Police, keeping our region safe. During his time at the Police he worked alongside our crew during searches and police training.
Julian Burn
Air Crew Officer
Julian grew up in Hawkes Bay and has recently returned home after 15 years working as a crewman for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in Wellington.
Julian is also one of our crewman instructors and has years of experience training new and existing crew both here and overseas.
Michaela Horsefield
Air Crew Officer
Michaela was born and bred in Hawke’s Bay. After a year at Otago University she trained as a medic in the New Zealand Air Force from 2019 to 2024.
You can take the girl out of the bay but you can never take the bay out of the girl, she returned to her home town to commence work at the Lowe Corporation Rescue Helicopter as a Crewman/EMT in April 2024.
Georgia Boden
Air Crew Officer
Georgia Boden is one of our highly trained Air Crew Officers. She grew up in the small rural town of Pirongia, at the base of Pirongia Mountain in the Waikato. She was a medic in the Navy for 8 years, based mainly out of Devonport Auckland.
She recently made the move to Hawke’s Bay to chase the sunshine and aren’t we lucky?!
Cornelius Venter
Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Cornelius grew up in South Africa where he became a skilled paramedic before spending some time in the Middle East and finally coming to the beautiful Hawke’s Bay to settle.
He has a wonderful wife and daughter and they are enjoying exploring Hawke’s Bay and all it has to offer.
Heath Gillot
Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Heath moved to New Zealand at the end of 2018 and joined the team in Hawkes Bay in 2022 after postings with the Taupo and Taranaki Rescue Helicopters.
His career began in 2008 where he started studying and working for Emergency Ambulance Services in South Africa. In 2014 he became the senior flight paramedic on an Augusta A119ke helicopter and was also trained to fill the additional role as the hoist operator and aircrewman for the South African Red Cross Air Mercy Services.
Out side of work his main priorities are his wife and two children who are the centre of his universe. “We love getting out into nature and exploring as much as we can of what’s around us”.
Tim Cox
Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Jack Faxon Jr
Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Critical Care Flight Paramedic, Jack Faxon Jr. moved to New Zealand from the United States with his wife and young family, initially joining Hato Hone St John in 2008 in Auckland. After completing their internal training programme, Jack began practicing at paramedic level before relocating to Hawke’s Bay to take up a single-crewed role.
We asked Jack what made him want to become an air-based medic.
“My first experience in a helicopter was in 2001 aboard a Bell UH-1 Iroquois. At first, I wasn’t keen – between the noise, the machine shaking, and the overall look of the thing, it didn’t seem that safe. But once we were in the air, I thought, ‘this is such a cool job – maybe I’ll pursue this someday.’
“Being an isolated practitioner requires reliance on your team, and the camaraderie in air-based teams is unparalleled. Honestly, that camaraderie is one of the biggest draws for me.”
Always smiling, it’s a pleasure to have Jack on the team – welcome aboard!
Jack Faxon Jr
Critical Care Flight Paramedic
Critical Care Flight Paramedic, Jack Faxon Jr. moved to New Zealand from the United States with his wife and young family, initially joining Hato Hone St John in 2008 in Auckland. After completing their internal training programme, Jack began practicing at paramedic level before relocating to Hawke’s Bay to take up a single-crewed role.
We asked Jack what made him want to become an air-based medic.
“My first experience in a helicopter was in 2001 aboard a Bell UH-1 Iroquois. At first, I wasn’t keen – between the noise, the machine shaking, and the overall look of the thing, it didn’t seem that safe. But once we were in the air, I thought, ‘this is such a cool job – maybe I’ll pursue this someday.’
“Being an isolated practitioner requires reliance on your team, and the camaraderie in air-based teams is unparalleled. Honestly, that camaraderie is one of the biggest draws for me.”
Always smiling, it’s a pleasure to have Jack on the team – welcome aboard!
Muir Wallace
Executive Team
Blair O'Keeffe
Co-Chair
Blair O’Keeffe is a professional Non Executive Director and Board Chair, experienced in governance and senior executive leadership across multiple sectors in New Zealand, Australia, Europe and North America.
Blair is currently involved in a variety of governance and executive roles, including working for Z Energy and Hawkes Bay Regional Investment Company.
He has a commercial background, working in high risk industry and is passionate about safety.
Denise Primrose
Co-Chair
Denise is the latest addition to our Board of Trustees and we are incredibly lucky to have her on board.
Denise is the General Manager of Royston Hospital and has been in that position since 2009. Previously she held a number of theatre management positions in the public sector prior to joining the Royston theatre team in 2001. She later became Director of Nursing in 2003, a role she held for 6 years.
Joe Faram
Trustee
Joe is the Board’s ‘expert on aviation’, having held his helicopter pilots license since 1985, and with over 14,000 personal flight hours.
In 1987 Joe founded his own helicopter company that operates nationally and internationally. He also brings commercial investment experience & has served as a Trustee on the Eastland Helicopter Rescue Trust.
Joe is a keen sportsman with a career highlight being a Motorsport 2012 NZ Champion.
Michael Jackson
Trustee
Michael is the Managing Director of the progressive Hastings based Chartered Accounting firm, PKF Carr & Stanton Ltd, where he works with many of Hawke’s Bay organisations, helping clients to unlock the potential in their business and achieve their strategic goals.
Michael is a Chartered Accountant, and is also a Director at PKF New Zealand Ltd, and Treasurer of the Hawke’s Bay Medical Research Foundation Inc.
Michelle Thompson
Trustee
Michelle is the 2019 appointee to the Board and has held chief executive and senior management roles within the health sector, including emergency medical services and first responder services.
Michelle is passionate about equitable access to health services for rural people and has a personal interest in mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Michelle and her husband live on a farm in Waipukurau running cattle, some sheep and a few alpacas (not for eating). When not working in the office or on the farm, Michelle enjoys gardening, cooking and trying to keep up with her giant Black Russian Terrier.
Alex Walker
Trustee
Alex Walker brings strong regional and national relationships across councils, Post‑Settlement Governance Entities, and economic and social agencies, developed over nine years as Mayor of Central Hawke’s Bay and related leadership roles.
Living and working rurally, Alex understands the importance of reliable rescue helicopter services. Her experience governing emergency management, risk and assurance functions, and supporting strategy and complex decision‑making enables her to make a meaningful contribution to the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust’s work.
Trust Team
Andy Quayle
CEO
Andy joined HBRHT as CEO in November 2023 and brings extensive commercial, marketing and senior management expertise, having previously held executive management roles within the financial services and rural sectors, and senior positions at New Zealand Post and New Zealand Lotteries Commission.
Andy is a passionate Hawkes Bay local, being raised in Central Hawkes Bay before spending a long period away working in Wellington. He returned to Hawkes bay in 2014 with his wife and two children.
When not supporting the Rescue Helicopter team, Andy embraces the lifestyle offered in Hawkes Bay. This includes keeping active up Te Mata Peak, spending time at the local beaches, or enjoying the amazing range of hospitality offered across the region.
“It’s a privilege to support the team in providing a 24/7 free service to the wider Hawkes Bay Community. We rely on and are extremely grateful for the generosity of local business and individuals who donate time and money to ensure the continuation of this lifesaving service”.
Contact Andy on andy@hbhrt.org.nz
Beth Adair
Fundraising Manager
Beth has been working for the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust (excluding a few years off for maternity leave) since 2017. Beth has over 10 years experience working within charities on both a national and regional level.
She loves the Rescue Helicopter Service and all of the incredible work it does in our Hawke’s Bay Community.
In her spare time she is busy with her beautiful young family.
Contact Beth at beth@hbhrt.org.nz
Alisha Neilson
Marketing, PR and Communications Manager
Alisha joined the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust in June of 2024 in the role of Marketing, PR and Communications Manager. Her career spans over 25 years working in some of the country’s busiest newsrooms, several years as a national newsreader, radio announcer, television presenter and magazine contributor. A pivot to marketing and public relations has seen Alisha raise the profile of many brands and events including: Land Rover Horse of the Year Show, Hawke’s Bay Foundation, The Evergreen Foundation and Hawke’s Bay Racing to name a few.
Storytelling is an art form Alisha takes extreme pride and care in, coupled with her extensive journalism skills and media connections her stories continue to generate strong local, national and international coverage. When the opportunity arose to give back to her community promoting Hawke’s Bay’s lifesaving air rescue service, Alisha jumped at the chance, admitting it was a career ‘no brainer’.
“Meeting and telling the tales of survival from some of our remarkable patients is such a privilege, they all credit Hawke’s Bay’s Rescue Helicopter with their second chance at life. To be part of what keeps our lifesaving crew in the air, feels incredibly rewarding.”
Hawke’s Bay born and bred, Alisha shares a love of the region with her husband George and their three young children. Spare time is a novelty but when it happens you’ll find her on the farm, on horseback or at the beach.
Contact Alisha on alisha@hbhrt.org.nz
Angela Rumble
Fiona Bussell
Help keep the Hawke's Bay Rescue Helicopter flying.
Together, we can ensure this essential service is here when our community needs it most