Waikato Branch
The Waikato Branch meets six times per year, generally at 5.30pm on the second Thursday of every other month. For the location of each meeting, please email . All NZPsS members and student subscribers are most welcome to attend.
Waikato Branch Committee
Dr Carrie Barber (Retiring Chair, Committee Member)
Carrie Barber has served as Chair of the NZPsS Waikato Branch for more than 15 years, providing dedicated leadership to her professional community. Her long-standing commitment has been central to the continuity of the branch. As she steps down from the role, her contribution is warmly acknowledged and greatly appreciated by us all.
Dr Simone Mohi (Chair, Committee Member)
Simone Mohi (Ngāti Kahungunu ki Heretaunga, Ngāti Whakaiti) is a clinical psychologist who trained in Australia. She has 14+ years’ experience in applied practice across the lifespan in public community mental health, hospital settings, and private practice. She is a Senior Lecturer in the clinical psychology training programme at the University of Waikato and is undertaking further training in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. Her current research focuses on the wellbeing and sustainability of psychologists within the profession, including personal therapy engagement and professional issues in psychology training. More recently, she has also been researching how psychologists navigate the application of bicultural principles in everyday psychological practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Emma Harper (Co-Chair, Committee Member)
Emma Harper is an educational psychologist based in Cambridge, Waikato. She works within the Child Development Centre at Waikato Hospital and is the director of Cambridge Educational Psychology Services. Emma has more than 20 years’ experience across health and education, supporting tamariki, rangatahi, and their whaanau. Her practice focuses on understanding each child’s unique learning profile through comprehensive assessment and translating this into practical, evidence-based strategies for home and school. She takes a neuro-affirming and culturally responsive approach, working closely with families and educators to build on strengths, remove barriers to learning, and support meaningful participation in education.
Dawn Willix-Payne (Treasurer, Committee Member)
Dawn is a clinical psychologist at the University of Waikato training clinic for clinical students, known as The Psychology Centre. She is involved in clinical work with children and adults, runs weekly skills workshops for first year clinical students, and provides supervision to second year clinical students. DBT is her therapy passion.
Mutian Tait (Student Representative, Committee Member)
Mutian Tait is a part-time honours student at University of Waikato and a part-time registered nurse at the Henry Rongomau Bennett Centre. She absolutely loves research (which is a shock to herself!). In her spare time she enjoys exercising, getting lost in fantasy books, hanging out with her whānau, and travelling (with very careful budgeting).
Riya Thomas (Student Representative, Committee Member)
Riya Gigi Thomas is a second-year Master of Applied Psychology student at the University of Waikato, specialising in behaviour analysis. She previously completed a Master’s degree in Psychology in India and has more than three years of experience supporting children with developmental and behavioural needs as a child psychologist. Her current research focuses on Functional Communication Training (FCT), particularly improving communication outcomes and reducing challenging behaviours in individuals with developmental disabilities. Guided by the values of kotahitanga and whanaungatanga, Riya is passionate about inclusive, culturally responsive, and relationship-centred care, and values opportunities for collaboration and professional growth.
Shadiya Shareef (Student Representative, Committee Member)
Shadiya Shareef is a Master’s student in Applied Psychology (Behaviour Analysis) at the University of Waikato. She holds a Master’s degree in Psychology and has additional training in counselling approaches, including Solution-Focused Brief Therapy and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy. Her interest in psychology emerged after working across different professional roles, leading her to pursue a career focused on understanding human behaviour. Her current research examines Functional Communication Training (FCT) for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, with a focus on communication modalities and meaningful behaviour change. Shadiya is passionate about developing practical, evidence-based skills and contributing to improved mental health awareness and services in the community.
Application for financial assistance
Financial assistance is available to students presenting a paper at the New Zealand Psychological Society annual conference. Please email for the relevant forms and information.
