Our people

Management

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.

Brylee Saunders

Practice Co-ordinator

Brylee is the Practice Co-ordinator at Student Health. She joined our team in 2011.

Melanie Philip

Clinical Group Leader – Nursing

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.

Bret Dougherty

Clinical Group Leader – Doctors

Bret is a General Practitioner at Student Health, he joined our team in 2010.

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.

Doctors

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.

Julia Collett

Doctor

Julia is a General Practitioner at Student Health. She joined our team in 2021.

Henry Cooke

Medical Officer

Henry is a Medical Officer at Student Health. Originally from Ireland, he has worked in Western Australia before coming to New Zealand in 2023. Henry loves mountains, hiking, cycling and mountain biking. He joined our team in 2024.

Claire Handley

Doctor

Claire is a General Practitioner (GPEP3) at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

Emma Heaton

Medical Officer

Medical Officer
Emma Heaton is a Medical Officer at Student Health. She joined our team in 2023.

Alveera Hynes

Doctor

Alveera is a General Practitioner at Student Health. She joined our team in 2012.

Raj Kandath

Doctor

Raj is a General Practitioner at Student Health. He joined our team in 2009.

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.

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.

Prue Orchiston

Doctor

Prue is a General Practitioner at Student Health. She joined our team in 2004.

Tommy Perkov

Medical Officer

Tommy is a Medical Officer at Student Health. She previously worked in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology department at Dunedin Hospital, and has a special interest in Women’s Health and Contraception.

Pip Ross

Doctor

Pip is a General Practitioner ( GPEP2 ) at Student Health. She joined our team in 2024. She also works part time in the hospital in the ENT department.

Outside of work Pip enjoys mountain biking and outdoor adventures of any kind.

Leo Stewart

Medical Officer

Leo Stewart is a Medical Officer at Student Health. He joined our team in 2023.

Graeme Whittaker

Doctor

Graeme is a General Practitioner. He joined our team in 2017.

Nurses

Sarah Seque

Registered Nurse

Sarah trained as a nurse in Dunedin, graduating in 2013. Since then, she has gained experience in a variety of health settings but has a special interest in sexual health and general practice nursing.

Aleisha Telford

Nurse

Aleisha Telford is a nurse at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

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.

Finn Gilbertson

Registered Nurse

Finn is a Registered Nurse at Student Health. He joined our team in 2021.

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 has worked at the University of Otago for many years. She enjoys working with students from a variety of backgrounds. She has special interests in sexual health, nurse prescribing and acute illness/injury. Outside of work she does a lot of running, athletics and Zumba and rescues a menagerie of animals.

Libby Reid

Registered Nurse

Libby is an experienced Registered Nurse who has a special interest in sexual health, and behaviour change.

Marcy Ballantyne

Registered Nurse

Marcy trained in Otago and joined our team in 2022. She works for the University both here at Student Health as a Practice Nurse Clinician, and as Unit Manager for the Gastroenterology Research Unit. Marcy has a special interest in long term chronic conditions such as diabetes, Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis, along with the impact these have on sexual health for students.

Rupert Reyes

Registered Nurse

Rupert is a Registered Nurse at Student Health. He joined our team in 2021.

Tori O'Brien/Clearwater

Clinical Assistant

Tori O'Brien/Clearwater is a Clinical Assistant at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

Heather Anderson

Clinical Assistant

Heather Anderson is a Clinical Assistant at Student Health. She joined our team in 2024.

Mental Health and Wellbeing team

Alannah Corson Keogh

Clinical Psychologist

Alannah is a registered Clinical Psychologist who studied at the University of Otago. She also works part time at the Department of Psychological Medicine researching tertiary students' mental health.

Andrea Moore

Wellbeing Counsellor

Andrea Moore joined our team in 2023 as a Wellbeing Counsellor.

Andrea is a qualified counsellor with a postgraduate certificate in addictions.

She comes with 15 years of experience working alongside young people and their whanau experiencing mental health and substance use difficulties but enjoys supporting all young people to overcome adversity and enhance their own resilience.

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.

Ashleigh Ryalls

Occupational Therapist

Ashleigh joined the team at Student Health in 2024.

Carolyn Walker

Mental Health Clinician

Caro is a registered Mental Health Occupational Therapist ( OT ), who came 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. Caro is a part of the Mental Health Support ( MHS) team where her main role is in completing initial assessments, crisis resolution, brief intervention, and identifying and referring students to appropriate supports.

Caro also works in a liaison role with the other support services at Otago Uni which means she gets to get out and about seeing and supporting students around campus and colleges.

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.

David Jaggard

Mental Health Support Clinician

David is an Occupational Therapist who joined our mental health team in 2021. David has been working in Mental Health or Addiction services for 26 years. After several years in management roles, he is thrilled to have returned to working with clients. David grew up in Whanganui but Dunedin is definitely home. He looks forward to meeting new people every day. Nga mhi nui.

Ellen Warhurst

Clinical Psychologist

Ellen Warhurst is a Clinical Psychologist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

Georgia Cowan

Clinical Psychologist

Georgia Cowan is a Clinical Psychologist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

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.

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. 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.

Jen Murray

Wellbeing Counsellor

Jen is a registered Mental Health Occupational Therapist (OT), who came to Student Health 2021, after working in child and youth mental health services in Dunedin for many years. Jen has studied at Otago Polytechnic, Auckland University and Massey University, and will utilise her knowledge, experience and skills to provide counselling services to students. Jen enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walking, reading and being outside in the sunshine.

Jessie Gwynne

Wellbeing Clinical Psychologist

Jessie Gwynne is a Clinical Psychologist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

Jubilee Rajiah

Psychiatrist

Jubilee is the Psychiatrist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2002.

Lauren Redshaw

Wellbeing Counsellor

Lauren is a registered Occupational Therapist (OT), with a special interest in the mental health and talking therapies field. Lauren joined the team at Student Health in 2018. After several years working under the Southern District Health Board across a variety of community and inpatient adult mental health settings. Lauren’s brief intervention counselling approach is a blend of Solution-Focussed, ACT and OT skills, knowledge and practices. Lauren comes from the Otakau Peninsula and enjoys spending time with whanau, friends and like-hearted folk; in her spare time you will find her walking with her Staffy, taking photos of nature, drawing, reading and being anywhere near some sunshine or water.

Mami Yamaguchi

Clinical Psychologist

Mami Yamaguchi is a Clinical Psychologist at Student Health. She joined our team in 2023.

Michelle Moore

Wellbeing Counsellor

Michelle is a Registered Occupational Therapist working at Student Health as a Wellbeing Counsellor and joined our team in 2021. Since her training at Otago Polytechnic she has worked predominantly in Mental health and completed training in CBT and other therapies. Until joining Student health she spent 17 years working at Youth Specialty Service and had a special interest in working with young people with Eating Disorders and their families.

Nat Davis

Registered Nurse

Nat is a Registered Nurse, who joined Student Health in 2024, with many years of experience working in Mental Health.

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.

Sarah Crannitch

Clinical Psychologist

Sarah joined our team in 2024.

Sarah Davie

Occupational Therapist

Sarah Davie is an Occupational Therapist at Student Health.

Before joining our team in 2024, she spent many years working alongside rangatahi and whānau at the DHB.

Shannon Westgate

Clinical Psychologist

Shannon is one of our Clinical Psychologists. She joined our team in 2020.

Reception and Administration

Aimee Puckey

Aimee is a member of our reception and administration team at Student Health. She grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and moved down to Ōtepoti Dunedin for her university studies in Medical Technology.

Carolyn Jordan

Administrator

Carolyn is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2005.

Heather Parnell

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.

Judy Ross

Clinics Administrator

Judy Ross is a member of our reception and administration team at Student Health. She joined our team in 2022.

Linda Hope

Administrator

Linda is a member of our reception and administration team. She joined our team in 2019.

Megan Millar

Megan is a member of our reception and administration team at Student Health. She joined our team in 2024.

Michael Le Pine-Day

Clinics Administrator

Michael Le Pine-Day is a member of our reception and administration team at Student Health. He joined our team in 2022.

Nicole Fyfe

Nicole is a member of our administration team at Student Health. She joined our team in 2024.

Sarah Everard

Sarah is our Clinical Activity Coordinator at Student Health. She joined our team in 2024.