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

• 
  Dr Scott Duncan

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

• 
  Robin Taylor

  Robin Taylor is the lead teacher at BestStart’s ABC Centre in Mt Eden and has been leading Children's Centres, lecturing, training, presenting, publishing and researching both here and in 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 a midwife specialising in home births and traditional Maori birthing practices.

• 
  Ngaranoa Kimura

  Ngaranoa is a lactation consultant and the Clinical Leader at B4Baby.

• 
  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

  As Shine’s Services Director, Jill works with victims of domestic violence helping them to live safely in their own homes.

• 
  Kodi Hapi

  Kodi is Kaihautu, General Manager of National SIDS Prevention for Maori.

• 
  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 is an Associate Professor in mental health promotion at the School of Population Health.

• 
  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.

• 
  Professor Sir Peter Gluckman

  Professor Gluckman is the Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister and the Founding Director of the Liggins Institute.

• 
  Dr Teuila Percival

  A consultant paediatrician, 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

  A paediatric ear, nose and throat specialist, Colin works at Starship and privately.

• 
  Jo Richards

  Jo is a family counsellor.

• 
  Lauren Porter

  Lauren is co-director of The Centre for Attachment.

• 
  Nathan Mikaere-Wallis

  Nathan is a presenter with the Brainwave Trust and a lecturer at the Christchurch College of Education.

• 
  Vicky Ellison

  Vicky is a senior advisor for SKIP.