Our Experts

Raising Children is very much a team effort so a big shout-out to our fantastic crew of experts who generously shared their knowledge and expertise. All of them are highly-respected within the fields of child development, medicine and education and all are dedicated to giving Kiwi kids the best possible start in life.

• ALL
• PARENTING
• MEDICAL
• HEALTH & WELLBEING
• GET MOVING
• EARLY LEARNING MATTERS
• CHILDBIRTH & AFTER
• CHILD DEVELOPMENT & EDUCATION

• 
  Joanne Rama-Maunga

  Joanne is an educator with Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Aoteraoa (PADA)r

• 
  Dr Sara Weeks

  Sara is a psychiatrist and the lead clinician at Lotofale Pacific Mental Health Service.

• 
  Christina Aholelei

  Christina is a Cultural Community Support Worker at Lotofale Pacific Mental Health Service.

• 
  Fa’aninimo Lagofaatasi

  Fa’aninimo is a Cultural Community Support Worker at Lotofale Pacific Mental Health Service.

• 
  Dr Scott Duncan

  Dr Scott Duncan is Head of Research of the School of Sport and Recreation and Associate Director of the Human Potential Centre at AUT.

• 
  Robin Taylor

  Robin Taylor has been leading Children's Centres, lecturing, training, presenting, publishing, and researching both in NZ and the UK for the past 15 years.

• 
  Pam Perger

  Pam Perger is a Lecturer in Mathematics Education at the Faculty of Education at Auckland University.

• 
  Nola Harvey

  Nola Harvey is an Early Literacies and Language Researcher at the University of Auckland.

• 
  Keryn O’Neill

  Keryn O’Neill is a Senior Researcher and Educator at Brainwave Trust Aotearoa.

• 
  Karen Laurie

  Karen Laurie is Sport NZ’s Early Years and Primary School Consultant, and has been a teacher and a Brainwave presenter.

• 
  Jackie Sanders

  Associate Professor Jackie Sanders is the Director of the Children, Youth and Families Research Project at Massey University.

• 
  Heather Muriwai

  Heather is an experienced midwife specialising in home births and traditional Māori birthing practices.

• 
  Ngaranoa Kimura

  Ngaranoa is a lactation consultant and Clinical Leader at B4Baby, Turuki Health Care.

• 
  Megan Hurst

  Megan is a Plunket nurse and childbirth educator with over 20 years’ experience.

• 
  Susan Goldstiver

  Susan is a psychotherapist with the Postnatal Distress Centre.

• 
  Linda Burke

  Linda is an experienced midwife and lactation consultant based in South Auckland.

• 
  Jill Proudfoot

  Jill is Shine’s Services Director, working in the field of domestic and family violence.

• 
  Kodi Hapi

  Kodi is General Manager at the Māori SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Prevention Programme.

• 
  Paul Flanagan


  Having worked for many years in family and child counselling, Paul now teaches counselling at the University of Waikato.

• 
  Dr Janet Fanslow


  Janet Fanslow is an Associate Professor at the School of Population Health, University of Auckland, and Chief Advisor of the New Zealand Family Violence Clearinghouse.

• 
  Stephanie Cowan

  Stephanie is the founding director of Change for our Children which educates caregivers about Sudden Infant Death.

• 
  Frances Bird

  As the Director of Health Promotion for Family Planning, Frances works to promote a positive attitude to sexuality.

• 
  Dr Simon Rowley


  Simon is a neonatal paediatrician at National Women’s Hospital and a trustee and spokesperson of the Brainwave Trust.

• 
  Maureen Perry

  A family consultant, Maureen is a strong advocate of Magda Gerber’s early childhood educaring approach.

• 
  Prof Sir Peter Gluckman

  Peter is the Founding Director of the Liggins Institute and was Chief Science Advisor to Prime Minister John Key.

• 
  Dame Teuila Percival

  A consultant paediatrician, and co-founder of South Seas Healthcare in South Auckland, Teuila is highly regarded in the Pacific health sector and academia.

• 
  Dr Nathan Joseph

  Nathan is a GP and Clinical Director at Turuki Healthcare in South Auckland.

• 
  Dr Colin Barber

  Colin is a paediatric ear, nose and throat specialist.

• 
  Jo Richards

  Jo is an experienced family counsellor.

• 
  Lauren Porter

  Lauren is co-director of The Centre for Attachment.

• 
  Nathan Wallis

  Nathan is a neuroscience educator with a background in child counselling, teaching and social service management.

• 
  Vicky Ellison

  Vicki is a senior advisor with SKIP(Strategies with Kids, Information for Parents), now Tākai.