Abel William Smith

Experienced with organizational leadership, fostering culture of excellence and accountability. Utilizes strategic planning to align operations with business goals, ensuring sustainable growth. Track record of empowering teams and enhancing operational efficiencies to meet and exceed objectives.

• President, Fiji Nurses Association New Zealand
• Trustee, PMA Mental Health Commissioning Group
• Trustee, Auckland Nurses Education and Research Trust (ANERT)
• Treasurer, Pacific Nurses Section NZNO
• Chairperson, Pacific Nursing Advisory Committee MIT
• Member, Aniva Future Leaders Advisory Group
• Member, Strategic Partners Group MIT
• Member, Nursing Advisory Group AUT
• Member, Nursing Advisory Group Unitec
• Member, BNURS Board of Studies UoA
• Member, Postgraduate Nursing Board of Studies
• Member, New Zealand Nurses Organisation
• Member, Fiji Nurses Association (Fiji)
• Member, New Zealand College of Mental Health Nurses
• Alumni, Aniva Pacific Health Leadership

• New Zealand Registered Nurse (Comprehensive)
• Australian Registered Nurse (Comprehensive)
• Fiji Registered General and Obstetrics Nurse

• New Zealand Registered Nurse (Comprehensive)
• Australian Registered Nurse (Comprehensive)
• Fiji Registered General and Obstetrics Nurse

• 2025, Award of Honor, NZNO
• 2022, Pacific Medical Association Life Member Award
• 2020, Auckland University of Technology Doctoral Scholarship
• 2019, Auckland University of Technology Doctoral Scholarship
• 2017, Pacific Medical Association Service Award for service to Pacific health and Pacific communities.
• 2015, New Zealand Nurses Organisation Service Award for services to Nursing and Midwifery in New Zealand
• 1994, AusAID scholarship to study Community Mental Health Nursing, Sydney, Australia.
• 1991, ICN scholarship to undertake the Leadership in Health Programme, Woodonga, Australia
• 1986, AusAID Scholarship to study Psychiatric Nursing- Adelaide Australia

• Master of Professional Practice (Whitireia 2016). Research Thesis: Nursing Leadership and Pacific Nurses in New Zealand., This qualitative research explored the opportunities and challenges Pacific Nurses experienced in their nursing leadership journey in the New Zealand health care sector.
• Smith, A., Fereti, S. (To’a), Adams, S., 2021, Inequities and perspectives from the COVID-Delta outbreak: The imperative for strengthening the Pacific nursing workforce in Aotearoa New Zealand., He Korenga e Ōrite Me Ngā Kitenga Mai i Te Horapatanga
• Te Mate Urutā
• COVID-Delta: Te Whakahau Kia Whakapakaritia Te Ohu Kaimahi Tapuhi Moana-Nui-a-Kiwa i Aotearoa., 37, 3, 94–103

• Growing and Sustaining the Pacific Nursing Workforce- An Aotearoa Perspective, Fiji Nurses Association Regional Conference, Shangri La, Coral Coast, Fiji, 2023
• Nursing Leadership and Management Horizons in Aotearoa. An IQN (Fijian) Nurses Perspective, Fiji Nurses Annual Symposium, Pacific Harbour, Fiji, 2019
• Pacific Nursing Associations in Aotearoa, Tongan Nursing Association Annual Conference, Nuku’alofa, Tonga, 2019
• Let’s Drive our Bus: Nursing Resilience, Fiji Nurses Association Annual Conference, Suva, Fiji, 2018
• Engaging Pacific Woman and Whanau, Australasian Society of Gynaecologic Oncologists Conference, Taupo, NZ, 2018
• Speciality Practice Mental Health, Fiji National Nurses Symposium, Suva, Fiji, 2015
• Pacific Health Professional Organisations in NZ, Pasifika Medical Association Regional Conference, Auckland, NZ, 2012
• Proposed Smoking Cessation Programme for Pacific Nurses, 16th South Pacific Nurses Forum, Melbourne, Australia, 2012
• Mental Health Nursing Services in Fiji, South Pacific Nurses Forum, Suva, Fiji, 1996
• Alcohol and Substance Abuse in Fiji, South Pacific Regional Workshop, Apia, Samoa, 1995
• Mental Health Services in Fiji, South Pacific Regional Workshop, Apia, Samoa, 1995
• Nursing Services in Fiji, ICN Nursing Leadership Forum, Wodonga, Australia, 1991

• Date of Birth: 1965-08-24
• Nationality: New Zealand Citizen (Fijian Ethnicity)
• Driving License: New Zealand Driver’s License (Full) No. CC299180