Margaret Perley
Head of Student Health Services
Margaret worked at SDHB as a Nurse and Manager for 19 years before moving to Student Health in 2006.
Lakin Wilton
Lead Administrator
Lakin started at Student Health in January 2017. Lakin is an avid reader who loves sitting down with a cup of tea and a good crime novel in her spare time.
Katherine Martin
Clinical Group Leader – Nursing
Katherine is a Registered Nurse who enjoys working with young adults (and older). She has worked in the UK and Germany and appreciates the many different cultures represented at University of Otago. Outside of work she enjoys working in her home orchard – caring for fruit trees and eating the produce!
Bret Dougherty
Clinical Group Leader – Doctors
Bret is a General Practitioner at Student Health, he joined our team in 2010.
Brylee Saunders
Practice Co-ordinator
Brylee is the Practice Co-ordinator at Student Health. She joined our team in 2011.
Richard Mooney
Clinical Group Leader – Mental Health and Well-being
Richard is a Registered Mental Health Nurse. Originally from and trained in England, he has worked extensively within the mental health field in New Zealand and overseas. He has worked for Student Health since 2017 and is involved in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention and identifying and referring students to appropriate support. He is also an ardent Manchester City fan.
Alveera Hynes
Doctor
Alveera is a General Practitioner at Student Health, she joined our team in 2012.
Ami Nukada
Doctor
Ami is a General Practitioner who studied at the University of Otago Medical School and graduated in 2001. He spent his junior doctor years in Dunedin and Ireland, specialising in emergency medicine. He changed to general practice in 2008 and has been at Student Health Services since 2009, with special interests in minor surgery and skin issues. When he’s not at work, Ami is trying to get out on his mountain bike, but spends most of his time as a dad.
Andrea Robinson
Doctor
Andrea is a General Practitioner who trained in the UK and moved to NZ in 2009. Her special interests include travel medicine, diabetes, contraception (including IUDs) and mental health. Outside work she enjoys travelling and tramping, occasionally venturing above the snow line. As a ‘Welsh Kiwi’ her loyalties may change depending on which rugby team wins.
Cat Shaw
Doctor
Cat is a General Practitioner at Student Health, she joined our team in 2015. Cat is currently on leave and will be returning in early 2021.
Daniela Erdmann
Doctor
Daniela is a General Practitioner who trained in Germany and NZ. She has worked in New Zealand since 2009, her special interests include sexual health, contraception, breastfeeding and minor surgery. She has a young son and can comprehend challenges balancing work and family life. She loves swimming, reading and gardening.
Emma Pasco
Doctor
Emma is a General Practitioner, who grew up and completed her undergraduate degree in New Zealand, and then moved to Australia to complete postgraduate medicine and General Practice training. She enjoys all aspects of general practice. She spends her spare time walking, skiing, and cooking.
Fiona Pickering
Doctor
Fiona is a General Practitioner, trained in Oxford, England and has worked at Student Health since 1998. She is a Fellow of the NZ College of GPs, and has special interests in Women’s health and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME. She has two children, and is also a flautist with the Dunedin Symphony Orchestra and a keen figure skater.
George Varsanyi
Doctor
George is a General Practitioner who trained in Australia before returning to Dunedin in 2006. His medical interests include diabetes, dermatology and minor surgery (removing skin lesions, cysts and toenail surgery). He spends his spare time surfing the local breaks when not busy being a dad.
Graeme Whittaker
Doctor
Graeme is a General Practitioner, he joined our team in 2017
Jenny Ogilvy
Doctor
Jenny is a General Practitioner who trained in the UK and has worked in New Zealand since 2003. Her special interests include mental health, contraception (including IUDs), minor surgery and promotion of Student Health across the wider university. She loves horse riding and is an avid fan of Liverpool Football Club.
Kirstie Douglas
Doctor
Kirstie is a General Practitioner at Student Health. She joined our team in 2020.
Margaret Charles
Doctor
Margaret is delighted to return to Student Health Services after two years away. Her special interests include sexual health, and she is passionate about whole person well-being.
Prue Orchiston
Doctor
Prue is a General Practitioner at Student Health, she joined our team in 2004
Raj Kandath
Doctor
Raj is a General Practitioner at Student Health, he joined our team in 2009
Sam Whittaker
Doctor
Sam is a General Practitioner at Student Health, he joined our team in 2018. He has an interest in minor surgery and sports injuries.
Angella Alexander
Registered Nurse
Angella is a Registered Nurse and trained in Dunedin as an adult student. Prior to this she worked at the dental school for 20 years as a Dental Assistant in oral surgery. Angella has worked at Student Health since 2008 & deals with all aspects of general practice, and also specialises as the diabetes nurse for the practice. Angella also works within the travel medicine team and provides Immunotherapy at Student Health. Angella has been a Dunedin girl all her life, and among other things enjoys socialising with her family and friends.
Ashleigh Affleck
Registered Nurse
Ashleigh is a Registered Nurse who trained in Otago. She joined our team in 2017.
Birgitte McLean
Registered Nurse
Birgitte is a Registered Nurse at Student Health. She joined our team in 2019.
Gwen Cuthbertson
Registered Nurse
Gwen is a Registered Nurse at Student Health, she joined our team in 2008. Gwen completed her nurse training in Auckland and has worked overseas, and also combined a love for skiing and nursing working as a ski Nurse in Queenstown. She has a special interest in travel medicine, vaccinations and female sexual health.
Outside of work she loves travelling, sailing, fishing, skiing and gardening.
Johanna Kraemer
Registered Nurse
Jo is a Registered Nurse at Student Health. She joined our team in 2014.
Julie Williams
Registered Nurse
Julie is a registered nurse who trained at Otago. She has a special interest in sexual health and acute trauma. Outside of work Julie enjoys running, horse riding and fostering cats and kittens for charities in Dunedin.
Libby Reid
Registered Nurse
Libby is an experienced Registered Nurse who has a special interest in sexual health, and behaviour change.
Melanie Philip
Registered Nurse
Melanie is a Registered Nurse and trained in Dunedin. She has worked both in Dunedin and in London, and has a special interest in travel medicine, vaccinations and sexual health.
Dianne Stewart
Registered Nurse
joined student health in 2019. I come from sunny Central Otago. At age 17 I joined the Navy as a Medic. I obtained my Nursing degree as an adult at Massey University in Wellington and worked at Hutt Hospital in a medical ward, then as a Practice Nurse in the Wellington Regional Public Health School based Immunisation team. I have also worked in aged care and dementia which I really enjoy.
Nicky Taylor
Registered Nurse
Nicky is a registered nurse, who trained in Dunedin. She has special interests in sexual health and wound care. Nicky has worked at student health since 2008, prior to this she worked in mental health for eight years, Intensive care for two years and on a general surgical ward for two years. Nicky grew up in South Canterbury and has three children, two of whom are teenagers. Nicky is currently on leave and will return in 2021.
Alan Watters
Well-being Counsellor
Alan is a Registered Nurse in Mental Health, and is one of our Well-being Counsellors along with Grant, Amber, and Lauren. Alan has experience in working in mental health in the UK and New Zealand, and has worked in various areas of mental health. Most recently his work has focused on skills building and coping strategies that enable independent recovery and resilience in everyday living. He has a specialist interest in arts therapies, and is registered as an Art Therapist with ANZATA (Australia & New Zealand Arts Therapy Association).
Amber Kalinowski
Well-being Counsellor
He aha te mea nui te Ao? He Tanagata, He tangata, he tangata!
What is the most important thing on earth?
It is people, people, people.
Amber is Counsellor and joined the student health team in 2018. She identifies as Māori / New Zealand European and is interested in cultural contexts people live in. She has come from working with young people and their families struggling with Mental Health and Addiction issues.
Andrea Chin
Clinical Psychologist
Andrea is a Clinical Psychologist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2020.
Anna Seiuli
Counsellor
Anna is a counsellor and joined Student Health in 2019. Anna trained in Otago and is of Samoan descent. Prior to Student Health Anna worked at Otago Polytechnic for ten years in various roles including counselling.
Ben Jaquiery
Clinical Psychologist
Ben is a Clinical Psychologist who joined the team in 2020. He spends his time outside of work either in the water off the Otago coast, or in the hills jogging with his pup.
Carolyn Walker
Mental Health Clinician
Caro is a registered Mental Health Occupational Therapist, who has come to Student Health in 2017 after 17 years working in Mental Health in Dunedin. Caro is a Dunedin girl and studied both at Otago Uni and Otago Polytechnic. Alongside Phil, Tricia, Janine, Jaime and Richard, Caro is a part of the Mental Health support team where her main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.
Danielle O'Brien
Clinical Psychologist
Danielle is a registered Clinical Psychologist who joined the team in 2018. Having studied at the University of Otago, she is well-equipped to support students through the many challenges they may face throughout their University journey, and is passionate about using evidence-based interventions to improve well-being.
Grant Ritchie
Well-being Counsellor
Grant is a Registered Mental Health Nurse, who is new to Student Health in 2018, with 29 years of experience working in Mental Health field in Dunedin. Grant is born and bred in Dunedin, having attended Otago Polytechnic and the University of Otago. In partnership with the MHS team, and alongside Amber, Alan and Lauren, Grant is one of the Well-Being Counsellors, where his main role is to provide brief intervention counselling, promotion of mental health well-being within the University community, provision of group work and assisting with the MHS role as required.
Jaime Barltrop
Mental Health Clinician
Jaime is a Registered Nurse, who has come to Student Health in 2018 after working in Mental Health in Dunedin for the past five years. Jaime originated from Christchurch where she completed her Bachelor of Nursing and discovered her passion to support others facing challenging situations in their lives. Alongside Phil, Tricia, Caro, Janine and Richard, Jaime is a part of the Mental Health support team where her main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.
Janine Dixon
Registered Nurse
Janine is a Registered Nurse, who joined Student Health in 2019, with many years of experience working in Mental Health areas in Dunedin. Janine is born and bred in Dunedin, having attended Otago Polytechnic and studied at Otago University. Alongside Phil, Tricia, Caro, Jaime and Richard, Janine is a part of the Mental Health support team where her main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.
Jubilee Rajiah
Psychiatrist
Jubilee is the Psychiatrist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2002.
Laura McLachlan
Mental Health Support Clinician
Laura is one of our Mental Health Clinicians. She joined our team in 2020.
Lauren Redshaw
Wellbeing Counsellor
Lauren is a registered Mental Health Occupational Therapist (OT), who came to Student Health in January 2018, after four years working in the SDHB mental health sector. Lauren has studied at Otago Polytechnic, Auckland University of Technology and Otago University, and will utilize her knowledge and skills in OT and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to provide counselling services to students. Lauren comes from the Otago Peninsula and enjoys spending time with friends and family, walking, playing the harp and creative pursuits.
Phil Newman
Mental Health Clinician
Phil is a Registered Mental Health Nurse. Originally from, and trained in England, he has worked extensively within the mental health field in New Zealand and overseas. He has worked for Student Health since 2016 and alongside Caro, Tricia, Janine, Jaime and Richard, Phil is a part of the Mental Health support team where his main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.
Shannon Westgate
Clinical Psychologist
Shannon is one of our Clinical Psychologists. She joined our team in 2020.
Stephen Neal
Mental Health Support Clinician
Stephen qualified as a mental health nurse in the UK and has more recently worked in a mental health role in the DHB. He is passionate about music especially alternative indie rock stuff plus also into the arts in general. He is a keen follower of cricket and football while trying his best to understand rugby.
Tricia Lawson
Mental Health Clinician
Tricia is a Mental Health Clinician at Student Health, she joined our team in 2017. Alongside Phil, Caro, Janine, Jaime and Richard, Tricia is a part of the Mental Health support team where her main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.
Jasmine Cobby
Client Services Administrator
Jasmine is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2019.
Holly Abbotts-Holmes
Client Services Administrator
Holly is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2020.
Natalie Evans
Client Services Administrator
Natalie is one of our Administrators and has been at Student Health since 2013. Natalie is originally from Auckland and has lived in Dunedin since 2012. She loves spending time with her family and photography. Natalie is currently on leave and returning in April 2021.
Beth Lochhead
Clinics Administrator
Beth is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2020.
Carolyn Jordan
Clinics Administrator
Carolyn is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2005.
Debbie Harrison
Clinics Administrator
Debbie is one of our Clinics Administrators. She joined our team in 2019.
Heather Parnell
Clinics Administrator
Heather started at Student Health in January 2019. Prior to that she spent 22 years at ACC in various roles, and a short period at Nelson Marlborough DHB as a Team Leader before moving to Dunedin. She is an avid reader and appreciator of chocolate.
Lauren Miller
Clinics Administrator
Linda Hope
Clinics Administrator
Linda is one of our Clinics Administrators. She joined our team in 2019.
Sarah Naylor
Clinics Administrator
Sarah started at Student Health in 2018 with a break in 2019 to travel around India and South East Asia. She now works part-time at Student health, as well as studying. She enjoys walking her dog, cooking, podcasts and reading.
