She is also director of the Centre for Applied Research in Economics. She has conducted research on predictive risk modeling and hospital readmission. She is currently implementing predicting risk modeling projects in hospitals across New Zealand and Singapore. She has also undertake research on leadership in health care; safety; health care financing and development economics. She received her PhD in Economics from The University of Auckland in 2000. Prior to entering academia she worked as a policy analyst at the Treasury and health economist at the Health Funding Agency and the Regional Health Authority.