Community of Practice Conference 2026

John is an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at the School of Psychological Science at the University of Western Australia and at the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide. He is the Chair of APAC’s Board of Directors and has previously held the positions of Chair of the Heads of Psychology, Australia (HPA) and Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide.

He is a Fellow of the Psychonomic Society and a member of the Association for Psychological Science, the International Association of Applied Psychology, the Cognitive Science Society, Society for Mathematical Psychology and the Australasian Mathematical Psychology Society.

John obtained his PhD in 1984 from the University of Western Australia. He has since worked at the University of Western Australia, the University of Queensland, the University of Adelaide, Murdoch University and Edith Cowan University.

His research is focused on cognitive psychology, human memory, reasoning, decision-making, cognitive modelling, mathematical psychology and methodological issues in human experimental psychology. He has published more than 80 peer-reviewed scientific papers and one book.

Associate Professor Chelsea Hyde is an academic in the School of Learning Sciences in the Faculty of Education and the Associate Dean of Teaching and Learning. Chelsea is a registered Educational & Developmental and Clinical Psychologist and an assessor for the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

Chelsea is interested in the development of authentic simulated learning experiences for postgraduate psychology students and has been supported with Faculty seed funding to advance this work. She is a regular presenter at both national and international conferences on school psychology and education and has more than fifteen years practical experience working as a school psychologist within Independent and Catholic school systems in Victoria and Queensland across both regional and metropolitan areas.

Kaye is a highly accomplished businesswoman and a leader in the health sector. She is an endorsed clinical and counselling psychologist, consultant and business coach to psychologists, in-demand speaker and trainer and has held national roles in psychology regulation and professional standards.

She built a successful group psychology practice in Williamstown, Victoria, which she sold in 2018. Her leadership resume includes Deputy Mayor of a country city council, NED in the Primary Care and Social Welfare sectors, first female President of the Psychologists Board of Victoria, co-founder of the first Centre against Sexual Assault established outside Melbourne more than 30 years ago.

She was appointed to the first Psychology Board of Australia and was instrumental in the process of establishing national standards for the psychology profession. More recently, she has been appointed to clinical governance roles in primary health networks, has undertaken reviews of various private practice and NFP agencies and mentored and coached psychology practice directors nationally. She is a Board approved supervisor and was the foundational trainer for the supervisor training program at the APS.

She is the lead author of Fit for Practice: Everything you wanted to know about starting your own psychology practice in Australia but were afraid to ask (published November 2016, co-authored with Professor Bruce Stevens and Dr Phil Watts) and more recently Creating Impact: The four pillars of private psychology practice (published 2022, co-authored with Nathan Castle, Daryl Chow, Aaron Frost and RaeLynn Alvarez Wicklein).

She is an Associate Professor of Psychology, Deakin University, and is assisting in the devising of new Master level clinical psychology training programs for registered psychologists.

Dr Elizabeth Pizarro-Campagna is a Senior Lecturer in Psychology at the Australian Catholic University and a clinical and educational/developmental psychologist with more than 20 years of clinical experience. She serves as Course Advisor for the Master of Professional Psychology program and Psychology Discipline Specialised Learning Environments and Simulation Coordinator.

Elizabeth leads an interdisciplinary research initiative with collaborators from RMIT University and the University of Melbourne investigating how artificial intelligence, virtual reality, natural language processing, and other emerging technologies can enhance simulation-based learning in psychology education. Her work focuses on developing scalable, authentic, and high-fidelity learning experiences that strengthen professional competencies, confidence, and readiness for practice.

Dr Kelly Gough is a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical Neuropsychologist with over twenty years of experience in evidence-based practice. His clinical background keeps him connected to the realities of frontline care, but his focus as APS President is on leadership that brings people together, supports good governance, and strengthens the profession for the long term.

Across his time in the APS, including serving as national Chair of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists and in state leadership roles, Kelly has prioritised creating spaces where members feel heard, respected, and able to contribute. His leadership style is warm, collaborative, and steady. He works by drawing people into constructive conversations, building consensus, and keeping decisions grounded in evidence and the strategic priorities of the Society.

Education and mentorship are central to Kelly’s work. He teaches and supervises across university and clinical settings and is committed to supporting clear, accessible, and sustainable training pathways. He also brings a strong commitment to the diversity of practice within psychology and to improving equitable access to mental-health care across Australia.

Sonja is a Lecturer and Placement Coordinator at Deakin University, an endorsed Clinical Psychologist, and a Board-Approved Supervisor. She brings extensive clinical experience working with people experiencing substance use concerns across therapeutic communities and public and private outpatient settings. Sonja has contributed to research on psychology competency development and assessment. Sonja is Vice-Chair of the Australian Psychology Placement Alliance (APPA). With over eight years’ experience in higher education and extensive expertise in coordinating placements across Clinical and 5+1 programs, she is committed to supporting high-quality, ethical training and helping practitioners build confidence and competence in their clinical practice.

Vince is a senior lecturer in neuropsychology at Macquarie University and has served as the placement education lead for the neuropsychology program for the past 10 years. He is also the Clinical Discipline Head of the Neuropsychology Clinic at Macquarie University Health, which includes a student clinic where trainees complete their first placement. Vince has been a board-approved supervisor for 12 years and has supervised more than 60 students. He is also a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist at Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, where he supervises external placements.

Tony is a distinguished psychological scientist and organizational researcher with a focus on workplace health, safety, and wellbeing. He has extensive experience in creating and managing educational programs to enhance psychological workforce literacy and career options for psychology graduates. He is a member of the International Collaboration on Undergraduate Psychology Outcomes (ICUPO) project.

Tony is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society and has extensive experience as a leading psychology educator since 1992. He was Head of the UniSQ School of Psychology (2008-2018), Treasurer of the Heads of Departments and Schools of Psychology Association (HODSPA Inc) from 2008-2018, an assessor for the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (2019-2025), and Chair of the organising committee for the 2017 Inaugural Australian Psychology Learning and Teaching Conference (AusPLAT). He strongly advocates for psychology education to be based on and led by psychological science and include open science principles.

He participates in international collaborations between psychology educators from ICOPE Inc, STP, ESPLAT and Australia to support the development of psychology education. He recently presented at the Biennial International Symposium for Teaching of Psychological Science (BISTOPS2024). He has contributed as a member of the ICOPE Inc committee since 2022 and served as the Secretary for the ICOPE Inc for the 2023-4 term. He is currently President-elect of ICOPE Inc.

Jacky is an Honorary Professor in the School of Psychology, UNSW Sydney. She has extensive undergraduate education experience for which she has won numerous UNSW/national/international awards and fellowships. She is currently co-leading the International Collaboration on Undergraduate Psychology Outcomes (ICUPO) project, which has produced the International Competences for Undergraduate Psychology (ICUP) foundational competence model.

Jacky is a Fellow of the UNSW Scientia Education Academy, the Australian Psychological Society, and the International Federation of National Teaching Fellows (https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/professor-jacquelyn-cranney). She has contributed to and led national and international psychology education committees as well as communities of practice for educators. Her current activities have two foci: (1) undergraduate psychology education (https://icupo.org) and psychological literacy (https://psychliteracy.com); and (2) university student self-management, academic success, and wellbeing (https://teaching.unsw.edu.au/HealthyUni).

David believes in the potential of people and has built a career focused on future possibilities while respecting the past. He is dedicated to equity, access, and quality, regardless of an individual’s birthright. David is a passionate and experienced higher education and public sector transformation and development leader.

With over 30 years of experience leading change and growth, he has held senior roles in Australian higher education, including Chief Operating Officer at universities, Chair of the Universities Australia Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Corporate) group, and Director of the South Australian Department of Education. In these roles, he was responsible for higher education, independent school funding, statutory bodies, and external stakeholder engagement. Previously, David was CEO of one of a few fully funded Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) NGOs, collaborating with local partners in South, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Africa.

Originally from Southern Africa, David and his family moved to Australia in 1999. During the apartheid years, he was a national student leader and activist, later leading a rural education NGO for six years – a role recognised by President Nelson Mandela with a Presidential Education Award. David also led the South African parliamentary transformation and reform program, supporting the transition of the newly democratic South African parliamentary system, funded by the European Union.

David holds a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Education (Adult Education).

Greg Buck is a clinical psychologist, Board-approved supervisor and Clinical Psychology Placement Coordinator at the Cairnmillar Institute, where he teaches across the postgraduate psychology programs and supervises psychology trainees. He has extensive experience coordinating clinical psychology placements across the postgraduate programs. Greg has practiced across public mental health, private practice, education and professional sport, and has a broad interest in psychology education and how postgraduate training can best prepare students for professional practice. He is an Executive Committee member of the Australian Psychology Placement Alliance (APPA) and contributes to the National Placements Framework Working Group.

Myles Ikin is a Provisional Psychologist, PhD candidate, and Master of Clinical Psychology student at Curtin University. Originally from regional Western Australia, Myles has gained experience across drug and alcohol counselling, disability support work, tutoring, mentoring and the 5+1 internship pathway. Myles uses this experience to provide a student voice in tertiary education, focusing on supporting equitable access and assessment across psychology workforce pathways.

Belle Selkirk is a Noongar woman from the southwest of Western Australia. As a Clinical Psychologist, Ahpra Board Approved Supervisor, and researcher, Belle aspires to contribute to the field of Indigenous psychology that amplifies the voices of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Belle is a Senior Research Fellow with Kwop Boorn Djenara, and the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP). She has led several initiatives developing resources in decolonising psychology education and practice, including the recently launched Listening More: Embedding Cultural Safety in Supervision resources, the Indigenous Knowledges in Psychology collection with the Australian Journal of Psychology, and the Indigenous-led psychology textbook entitled Psychology: From Inquiry to Understanding. Her main areas of focus are Indigenous psychology, social-emotional-wellbeing, trauma and culturally informed therapeutic practices, and cultural safety in psychological practice. In recognition of her collective work, she was honoured to be awarded the Indigenous Allied Health Australia 2024 Excellence in Cultural Responsiveness Award.

Cathrine is a lecturer and clinical psychologist and has coordinated psychology externships at Griffith University for the past 9 years. Prior to joining Griffith, she worked across private practice, the NGO sector and higher education, in roles spanning clinical practice, student support and career development. She is passionate about supporting developing psychologists to build their skills and confidence in clinical practice and supporting supervisors in their role developing future practitioners.

Debbie Haynes is a proud Gamilaraay yinarr with maternal ancestry from the Bull, Colebull, and Balding families, and paternal connections to the Haynes, Lawrie, and Coleman families across Wirangu, Mirning, and Yuwaalaraay Country.

Debbie has registration and affiliations with AHPRA, AIPA, PACFA, GANZ , and the College of Indigenous Healing Practices (PACFA). Since 2018, Debbie has worked with the NSW DCJ LINKS Trauma Healing Service. Her clinical practice is underpinned by the Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) framework and evidence based trauma interventions.

Her first peer-reviewed publication, “The Effectiveness of Trauma-Based Therapies for Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal Children in Out-of-Home Care,” emerged from her Clinical Masters research. This study focused on the secondary analysis of clinical outcomes data from the LINKS Trauma Healing Service across the Penrith and Hunter Central Coast regions. The article was published in the Lowitja Journal in May 2025 and contributes to the growing evidence base supporting culturally responsive trauma interventions for children in out-of-home care.

Debbie is currently undertaking a PhD at the University of Melbourne, where she is evaluating the cultural training program Walking in Blak Traks: Embedding Social and Emotional Wellbeing into Clinical Practice. This training was collaboratively co-developed alongside a 15-member Aboriginal Participatory Governance Group and has been delivered statewide to staff within NSW DCJ Psychological and Specialist Services.

Debbie is committed to fostering meaningful change for Aboriginal young people, families, and communities . Her work prioritises Indigenous models of Social and Emotional Wellbeing to support the development of strong cultural identities and to enhance holistic wellbeing. Central to this commitment is strengthening connection to Country and advocating for the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ways of knowing, being, and doing as essential foundations for culturally responsive practice and community self-determination.

Jody is a settler clinical neuropsychologist who has worked in private practice, public health services and research roles for over a decade. She spent two years in a community role where she co-developed two Social and Emotional Wellbeing (SEWB) services in the Fitzroy Valley, Central Kimberley region of Western Australia.

Jody is a Board approved supervisor, has chaired three national neuropsychology conferences, and recently coauthored a Bugmy Bar Book report on “Decision-making and emotional and behavioural regulation in 18 to 25-year-olds: A neurodevelopmental perspective”. She is completing a PhD on decolonising neuropsychology practice with oversight from the Australian Indigenous Psychology Association (AIPA). Jody works as a Research Fellow with Kwop Boorn Djenara, and the Australian Indigenous Psychology Education Project (AIPEP). She is committed to decolonisng and culturally responsive practice.

Johanna has been a placement coordinator for the past 5 years, working across Clinical Psychology, Professional Psychology and School Psychology postgraduate programs. She is also a clinical psychologist and prior to working for the University of Wollongong, provided psychology student placements as an external placement partner within the NGO sector for 10 years. Johanna is a member of the Australian Psychology Placement Alliance (APPA) Executive Committee.

Katrina is a settler project manager, researcher and diversity and inclusion practitioner of Anglo-Celtic descent, living and working on the unceded lands of the Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung people of the Kulin Nation. She has worked across higher education, health, consulting, professional bodies and research settings, with a focus on social justice, organisational change, and anti-discrimination.

From 2013–2016, under the leadership of Professor Pat Dudgeon AM, Katrina was Project Manager of the first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Psychology Education Project (AIPEP), supporting a cross-institutional team whose work led to the publication of the 2016 AIPEP Frameworks. Prior to joining the AIPEP team in 2026, Katrina was Senior Project Officer for the AIPEP–APAC Cultural Safety Project, with a particular focus on transformation of APAC’s accreditation assessment policies and practices towards cultural safety and anti-racism.

Katrina takes a systems-based approach to theoretical and practice-based work, identifying connections, fostering clarity, and championing transparency and accountability. Her work is grounded in a commitment to strengthening systems, structures and practices that support equity, cultural safety, inclusion and social justice.

Tegan Carrison is the Executive Director of the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi), a role she has held for the past eight years. She brings more than 20 years’ experience across healthcare, advocacy, education and organisational leadership, with a strong commitment to improving access to healthcare and championing the professionals who deliver it.

As Executive Director of AAPi, Tegan leads the organisation’s national advocacy, government relations and strategic engagement, working with governments, regulators and key stakeholders to influence policy and reform across psychology, mental health and the broader healthcare system.

Tegan is also an experienced clinical educator, with an extensive background in supervision, mentoring and interprofessional education. Her work has included establishing a student-led interprofessional clinic with the University of Queensland’s not-for-profit healthcare organisation, UQ Health Care.

Alongside her health and advocacy experience, Tegan brings significant expertise in organisational leadership, business management, administration and human resources, giving her a practical understanding of both the professional and operational challenges facing the healthcare workforce.

Professor Karena J. Burke is Head of the School of Psychology at the University of Wollongong, where she provides strategic discipline and sector leadership. She holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Tasmania, a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary & Adult Education from CQUniversity and is a respected psychological scientist and higher education leader. Professor Burke is the Treasurer for Heads of Psychology Australia and has been a member of the Executive Board since 2017.

Prior to joining the University of Wollongong in 2024, Professor Burke spent more than 16 years at CQUniversity, serving in senior leadership roles including Head of College of Psychology, Head of Department of Psychology and Public Health, and Deputy Chair of the CQUniversity Curriculum Committee. She has also held research appointments with the South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) and the University of Tasmania. Her research examines resilience, wellbeing, and adaptation to challenging life events, with a strong commitment to improving individual and community health outcomes.