Meet Our Team

Our highly experienced practice has provided Bariatric and Upper Gastrointestinal surgery since the early 2000s.

Mr Suheelan Kulasegaran

Surgeon

MBChB(Auckland) Distinction, PGDipSurgAnat, ChM(Edinburgh), FRACS

Mr Suheelan Kulasegaran is an experienced New Zealand and Internationally trained Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric, Laparoscopic Surgeon, General Surgeon and Endoscopist who grew up in Hamilton and graduated with Distinction from the University of Auckland Medical School. He earned his Postgraduate Fellowship in General Surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, followed by subspecialist fellowship training at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney and as Senior Clinical Oesophago-Gastric Fellow at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, United Kingdom. He earned a Master of Surgery from the University of Edinburgh.

He served as Consultant Oesophago-Gastric Surgeon at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, gaining training in minimally invasive upper gastrointestinal surgery. He completed advanced robotic surgery courses and received robotic accreditation. Mr Suheelan Kulasegaran performed New Zealand's first total robotic oesophagectomy and gastrectomy. He regularly performs upper gastrointestinal procedures including hiatal hernia and fundoplications robotically.

He is actively involved in Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric research with extensive publications on benchmarking standards and quality performance indicators. Currently an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. In public practice at North Shore and Waitakere Hospital, he specialises in Primary and Complex revisional Bariatrics, malignant and benign oesophageal and stomach diseases, reflux disease, hiatal hernias, gallbladder disease, and hernias.

He is a high-volume tertiary level surgeon who does primary and complex Upper GI, Bariatric and revisional surgery in both private and public practice. He works at North Shore Hospital. He is a leading revisional Bariatric/Upper GI surgeon who manages difficult cases referred from primary care and other surgeons particularly those that have failed bariatric surgery, complications after gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, reflux after sleeve gastrectomy, anastomotic issues, weight regain after bariatric surgery, hiatal hernia revisional surgery and complex redo fundoplications.

Fluent in three languages. Available for urgent and non-urgent consults.

View his publications on ResearchGate

Professional Memberships: NZAGS, RACS (Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric section), AANZGOSA/ANZMOSS, IFSO

Mr Michael Booth

Surgeon

MBChB MBA FRACS

Michael is highly experienced in open and laparoscopic surgery and has performed more than 5000 laparoscopic operations for gallstones, hernia, reflux and weight loss. He has skills in both open and laparoscopic surgery and is an experienced endoscopist.

He holds an appointment at North Shore Hospital (Te Whatu Ora Waitemata) and has trained many Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Fellows practicing as consultants in New Zealand and overseas. He is a member of several Surgical Societies.

He has led Bariatric clinical research including Randomised Controlled trials for obesity and Type 2 diabetes treatment and Anti-reflux surgery, with particular interest in long-term surgical outcomes.

He is an Affiliated Provider with Southern Cross Health Care.

Maria McDonald

Practice Manager

Maria has worked as an administrator in the private healthcare sector for over 18 years.

She is married with two children and one grandchild.

Maria has a big focus on keeping fit. She enjoys her bush walks with her dog and doing pilates. She also enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Maria has a warm, bubbly personality and loves meeting people and helping them through their medical journey.

Katie Lambert

Dietitian
Registered Dietitian, BSc, MHSc (Nutrition and Dietetics)

Katie is a bariatric dietitian with over 12 years' experience specialising in bariatric and metabolic nutrition, and more than 25 years as a dietitian overall. She trained in Scotland, graduating from The Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen in 1997, and has worked in New Zealand and internationally.

Katie has worked in bariatric and obesity care since 2008, including roles at Counties Manukau DHB, an Auckland bariatric clinic, and Allevia Hospital (formerly MercyAscot) since 2015. She supports people before and after weight loss surgery, as well as those using weight loss medications, providing personalised, evidence-based nutrition advice tailored to each person's needs.

With experience across public health, private practice, and multidisciplinary bariatric teams, Katie brings a warm, compassionate approach, helping people navigate the physical, emotional, and social changes that accompany weight loss.

Katie is a member of Dietitians New Zealand (DNZ), ANZMOSS, and the International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO), and serves on the IFSO IHT Education & Training Committee. She has previously served on the ANZMOSS board and convened the Dietitians NZ Bariatric Special Interest Group.

Amanda Stewart

Psychologist

Mandie began her career in 2001, joining the Royal New Zealand Navy, qualifying as a medic. She served across the South Pacific and was deployed to the Middle East, participating in peacekeeping exercises and supporting individuals in extreme circumstances. During this time, she developed a strong interest in the connection between psychological and physical health, which led her to pursue a career in psychology.

Mandie holds a Master of Health Science in Psychology with Honours (MHSc) from AUT University and a Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling Psychology. With over a decade of experience, she is now a senior Counselling Psychologist.

She remains actively engaged with the military, collaborating with the medical team to provide psychological rehabilitation. She is also involved with Te Kiwi Māia, a charitable trust dedicated to supporting frontline workers, and is contracted to Optimally, where she focuses on psychological well-being in the workplace.

Mandie's areas of expertise include burnout, stress, trauma, identity work, body image and confidence, anxiety-related disorders, and mood disorders. She also helps clients strengthen interpersonal skills, enhance life direction, and navigate challenges such as imposter syndrome.

She is trained in Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), tailoring her approach to each client's unique needs. With deep empathy and a genuine curiosity about people's life stories, Mandie is committed to creating a warm, supportive space where individuals feel safe, understood, and empowered to seek the help they need for their well-being.

In her free time, Mandie loves spending time at the beach with her family—paddleboarding, fishing, and soaking up the sun. When she's at home, you'll often find her playing guitar or getting creative with a paintbrush in hand.

She looks forward to connecting with you and supporting you on your journey to well-being.

Maddison Dennis

Clinical Nurse Specialist
Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing Practice

Maddison Dennis is our Clinical Nurse Specialist and all-around healthcare superstar. Maddison is a highly skilled nurse with extensive experience across both public and private healthcare settings. She completed her nursing training at Auckland University of Technology and holds a Postgraduate Certificate in Advanced Nursing Practice.

Her nursing career spans a diverse range of specialties, including renal medicine, acute stroke care, general medicine, women's health and general surgery. She brings a wealth of clinical knowledge, compassion, and a calm, reassuring presence to every patient interaction.

Maddison has seen the profound, life-changing impact bariatric surgery can have and feels privileged to walk alongside patients on their journey to better health. Her warmth, expertise and sense of humour make her an integral part of our team.

Outside the clinic, Maddison is a creative at soul — often found at her pottery wheel crafting her signature ceramic highland cows (yes, really!). She's also a devoted dog lover with a soft spot for strays — so don't be surprised if your four-legged visitor leaves with a new best friend.