When Covid shut down the country in 2020 and Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the Hawke’s Bay earlier this year, Mrs Anderson led the emergency responses as incident controller.
"I absolutely know that if you think that won’t happen ... [look at] the cryptosporidium in Queenstown and then the pockets of flooding that occurred. So I know, I absolutely know, and I have seen deep devastation. I know what it looks like," she said.
It was in the midst of the Cyclone Gabrielle response that the role at Dunstan Hospital became available and Mrs Anderson knew it was then or never to make the move.
She stepped in to the top job with the health service in September, bringing with her a wealth of experience in hospital leadership and management under her belt.
She was chief executive at Hastings Health Centre for 13 years, chairwoman of Cranford Hospice and a member of the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board.
But Dunstan Hospital is not unfamiliar territory.
"I’m a Central Otago girl, born and bred here — born in Clyde Hospital actually — and so that makes coming back super special."
Her father was from Poolburn and the family settled in Alexandra.
Her mother was in charge of the district nursing service, and Mrs Anderson grew up surrounded by nurses and their work.
"They would meet at home ... do their case management, they would sort out their consumables. Dad would tinker under the bonnet of someone’s car because one of the nurses would come in from Omakau or somewhere and the car would need, you know, just "John, I’m not sure that my car’s running right".
"So I was used to the phone going every night, Mum hopping in a car, going out and helping someone with their medication or a piece of equipment that wasn’t working.
"So Dunstan Hospital, its community is very familiar to me."
