Meet the Team
Surgical Weight Solutions believes wholeheartedly in a team-based philosophy lead by Mr Michael Booth.
Our vision has always been to create class-leading comprehensive support from the initial consultation through two years post-op.
We have a team of leading professionals willing to offer the support on your journey.
Mr Michael Booth
Our Surgeon - MBChB MBA FRACS
Michael is highly experienced in open and laparoscopic surgery and has over the years performed more than 5000 laparoscopic operations for gallstones, hernia, reflux and weight loss. He has been lucky to straddle the era when major abdominal surgery transitioned into major laparoscopic surgery giving him skills in both open and laparoscopic surgery. He is also an experienced endoscopist.
He also has an appointment at North Shore Hospital (Te Whatu Ora Waitemata) and over the years has trained many upper GI and Bariatric Fellows who are now practicing consultants in New Zealand and overseas. He is a member of a number of Surgical Societies.
He has lead Bariatric clinical research at North Shore including Randomised Controlled trials for the treatment of obesity and Type 2 diabetes as well as antireflux surgery. He is particularly interested in the long term outcomes of surgery and has published on this.
We need to look at our outcomes to look forwards in our practice.
He is an Affiliated Provider with Southern Cross Health Care
Mr Suheelan Kulasegaran
Our Surgeon - MBChB, PGDipSurgAnat, ChM(Edinburgh), FRACS
Mr. Suheelan Kulasegaran is a New Zealand trained Upper Gastrointestinal, Bariatric, Laparoscopic Surgeon, General Surgeon and Endoscopist. He grew up in Hamilton and graduated with Distinction from the University of Auckland Medical School. After earning his Postgraduate Fellowship in General Surgery from the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, he completed a year of sub-specialist fellowship training at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney, Australia. He then continued further subspecialist training as a Senior Clinical Oesophago-Gastric Fellow at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital, United Kingdom where he further developed skills in thoracoscopic and laparoscopic upper gastrointestinal surgery.
Following this, he served as a Consultant Oesophago-Gastric Surgeon at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital for a year. Mr. Kulasegaran gained invaluable training and experience working alongside international leaders within the field of Minimally Invasive Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery. The Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital is a busy and internationally acclaimed hospital that performs high volume Minimally Invasive Upper Gastrointestinal Surgery.
During his tenure, Mr. Kulasegaran completed advanced robotic surgery courses, received robotic accreditation, and spent time at various leading institutes in the Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. He completed a Master of Surgery from the University of Edinburgh. He is actively involved in Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric research and has published extensively on benchmarking standards and quality performance indicators in the field of Oesophago-Gastric cancers.
He currently holds the position of an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Auckland. In his public practice at the North Shore and Waitakere Hospital, Auckland, he specialises in Bariatrics, Malignant and Benign diseases of the Oesophagus and Stomach, Reflux disease, Hiatal hernias, Gallbladder disease, and hernias. Outside of work, he enjoys family time, running, road biking, and practising martial arts. He is fluent in three languages. English, Malay and Tamal.
Available for both urgent and non-urgent consults. Mr. Kulasegaran is dedicated to providing excellent care for patients and their families and can accommodate short-notice appointments.
Amanda Stewart
Our Psychologist - Psychologist (Regd), MA (Hons) Psychology, Cert Counselling
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—paddle-boarding, 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.
Katie Lambert
Our Dietitian - Registered Dietitian, BSc, MHSc (Nutrition and Dietetics)
Katie Lambert 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.
Maddison Dennis
Clinical Nurse Specialist
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.
Sue Booth
Office Manager
Sue was born and raised in Napier. A daughter of 2 doctors but chose a path of hospitality.
After running her own businesses for over 30 years, Sue joined us in 2023.
Sue's happy places are in the kitchen and the garden. She loves entertaining and spending time in Central Otago. She has one daughter, Dominique, a veterinary surgeon in the USA.
With all of her experience in hospitality, she is client focused.
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.