"I'm really honoured to be the Patron of the Nelson Women's Centre. They have been part of our community for a long time, and I have always followed their work. They play an incredibly important role."

Annette was raised on a large Southland sheep farm as one of seven children. Her professional training is in secondary teaching and nursing. In 1989 she established her first company: INP Medical Clinic, or as it was known then, Independent Nursing Practice. This is now the family planning clinic/ sexual health clinic for Nelson. She has 26 years of clinical and education experience in sexuality.

Over the years, Annette was a founding owner of Ramazzini, a multi-disciplinary occupational health company, and Health Click  which produces multi-media health education resources, particularly for those with special needs.

Annette is a Director of Network Tasman Ltd, and a Trustee of the Safeguarding Children Initiative Trust which has trained thousands of service providers in recognising and taking effective action in cases of child/adolescent neglect and abuse. She is the Clinical Director Women, Child & Youth Health, Nelson-Marlborough District Health Board.