Our people and community

Agnes is a second-generation Chinese New Zealander with a passion for equity and community. After experiencing a traumatic brain injury herself, she’s committed to giving back through her work with Headway.

Agnes brings a background in public health and currently works at the Ministry of Education, leading learning support network planning. She’s especially focused on making sure young people impacted by brain injury get the support they need to thrive.

Michael’s connection to Headway is deeply personal, with strong family ties to the organisation. He understands the challenges brain injury can bring and is committed to supporting others through it.

Michael brings business expertise and a clear vision to help Headway stay effective, focused, and future-ready.

Peta knows first-hand how tough it can be to recover from concussion. She’s passionate about making sure people feel supported, understood, and connected.

Peta has a background in strategy, sustainability, and governance. She’s a lawyer by training and currently works for New Zealand’s government trade agency.

Melanie is a Professor in Biomechanics and Director of the Motion Analysis Research Lab in the University of Otago School of Physical Education, Sport and Exercise Sciences. She is originally from the East Coast of Canada, where she studied Kinesiology and Athletic Therapy at the University of New Brunswick (BPE and MSc) before transplanting to New Zealand in pursuit of her PhD in Clinical Biomechanics.

Rich has been the CEO of the Neurological Foundation since 2017, and brings more than 30 years’ experience in business, change and technology. He is deeply committed to the not-for-profit sector, having actively volunteered for over 16 years with a number of organisations.  Rich is the current Chair of the Neurological Alliance, as well as Board Chair of another charity, Project Employ.  He also mentors with the Institute of Directors, First Foundation and provides coaching support for the Springboard Trust.

Josh is a registered Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist and has worked across diverse clinical settings, including adult and child mental health, traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation, and paediatric and adult physical rehabilitation services.

Following his doctoral training, Josh undertook a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship at the TBI Network, Auckland University of Technology, where he focused on advancing research in brain injury recovery. In 2022, he joined Victoria University of Wellington, where he leads the Neurorecovery and Contextual Sciences (NRCS) Lab, developing evidence-based approaches to support adaptive coping and long-term resilience in neurorecovery.

Alice is known as the “Concussion Professor”.  She is a Professor of Brain Health at AUT and Director of the Brain Health Research Institute (BHRI) which aims to facilitate collaboration between clinicians, academics, policymakers and the community to do research that improves brain health. Alice is an international leader in the field of mild traumatic brain injury including concussion and has published more than 240 articles in high quality journals, including Commissioned Issues of the Lancet Neurology. In 2025 Alice was awarded the prestigious HRC Beaven Medal for Excellence in Translational Research.

Keith has been practising as a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist since 1999.  He has worked in New Zealand and England and has extensive experience in the field of Neuropsychology, specialising in traumatic brain injury.   He has a particular interest in the recovery process following mild traumatic brain injury.

Sarah is a scientist and research leader with lived experience of brain injury. Her work spans academic, industry, and community-based research, including leading and contributing to cross-sector collaborations between scientists, government, iwi, and community stakeholders. She prefers to work on projects that translate evidence into real-world outcomes, including environmental protection initiatives and community-led change.

After a hypoxic brain injury in 2023, Sarah now brings this distinct perspective to her work. She is particularly interested in how research, services, and policy can better reflect lived experience, and is committed to improving outcomes for individuals and whānau affected by brain injury by bridging the gap between evidence, practice, and real-world recovery.