CO-CHAIR

Dr Hodge is a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, New South Wales, and clinical supervisor for post graduate students of neuropsychology and neuropsychology registrars. She has over 25 years clinical and research experience in public, private and university sectors.

Her clinical and research interests include autism spectrum disorder, specific learning disorder, telehealth assessments, and neuropsychological interventions; topics on which she has published in national and international peer reviewed journals.

CO-CHAIR

Melanie Porter is a Scientist-Practitioner with 20 years of clinical expertise assessing and treating children, adults and families across government and private sectors. She is an Associate Professor in the School of Psychology at Macquarie University, and assists with the coordination of the neuropsychology programs. She holds a Master of Clinical Neuropsychology and a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology.

Melanie’s work involves national and international collaborations, and investigating the links between genetic, cognitive and brain abnormalities in neurodevelopmental conditions (e.g. ADHD, Williams syndrome, NF1, autism spectrum disorder etc.). She also heads a number of projects in the areas of child disability and neuropsychological rehabilitation and intervention, as well as research on the functional outcomes of teacher professional development for ADHD students. She is on the editorial board for a number of scientific journals and has published over 75 peer-reviewed journal articles and reviews in her field in high-impact journals, including Nature Reviews Disease Primers.

Melanie has extensive medico-legal expertise, including medical negligence, child protection, family law and guardianship/capacity assessments, having written single expert and narrow issue reports for family, civil and criminal law proceedings.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Professor Rachel Roberts currently holds a role as an academic with the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide. She holds endorsements in clinical psychology, health psychology, and clinical neuropsychology. Her research and teaching is in the areas of child, adolescent and peri-natal clinical, health and neuropsychology, including issues of stigma and chronic illness. Of particular interest are psychological aspects of acquired brain injury and craniofacial conditions.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Renee is a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist with over 20 years of clinical experience within public and private settings. Renee currently works within the Neurodevelopment Clinic at the Royal Children’s Hospital and has a private practice assessing children with complex neurodevelopmental needs. She previously co-ordinated a multidisciplinary Learning Difficulties Clinic and Neurodevelopmental Clinic for the Western Health Network and has a long history working collaboratively with allied health professionals (social work, speech pathology, occupational therapy, physiotherapy), and with professionals within the school and education system. She has also run information and education sessions for teachers and schools on learning difficulties and intervention strategies and techniques. Renee is also lecturer at Monash University within the Doctoral Clinical Neuropsychology Program teaching the paediatric neuropsychology course curriculum. Renee has provided expert consultation to government departments such as Specialist Children’s Services and the Department of Education. Renee has been involved in a program of research investigating paediatric disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Psychiatric Disorders (Schizotypal Disorder and Schizophrenia) and Learning Difficulties.

SECRETARY

Peta Wakulicz (nee Eggins) is a clinical neuropsychology registrar with a passion for working with children and young people. She currently works with the Child Development Unit and CICADA Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Service in public health at the Children’s Hospital in Westmead, as well as in private practice in Inner West Sydney. Her current clinical roles involve the assessment and diagnosis of young people with a range of developmental, neurological and mental health disorders, and psychoeducation for young people and their families.

Prior to her role as a neuropsychologist, Peta had a career as an academic at the University of Sydney, working with students in the Sydney Medical Program. She completed the Master of Clinical Neuropsychology at Macquarie University in 2021, and has since conducted research in the areas of neurodevelopment and neuroimaging across the lifespan. Peta has presented her work at conferences and workshops, and hopes to promote and advocate for neuropsychologist's role in paediatric diagnosis and intervention in Australia.