Our people
Our team members bring a diversity of perspectives to our research including physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, health psychology, critical health psychology, Māori health, sociology, medical anthropology, nursing, outcome measurement and psychometrics.

Nicola Kayes
Kia Ora. Nō Tairawhiti ahau. My background is in Health Psychology. I am passionate about applying that knowledge to support practice advance in rehabilitation and improve outcomes that matter to people.

Tēnā koe. My family and I live in West Auckland near the Waitākere ranges and Mānukau Harbour. My research includes investigating work-ability and vocational rehabilitation, and exploring how post-structural methodologies can open up opportunities to address challenges.

Kia ora. I came to NZ from the UK 20 odd years ago and my small family now call Auckland home. I love working with our team of dedicated people helping to transform research ideas into reality.

Kia ora, I am a speech language therapist, rehabilitation researcher and mum of three. Through my work, I hope to help clinicians enhance their work with patients so that patients have the best possible rehabilitation experiences and outcomes.

Kia ora. Nō Tāmaki Makaurau ahau. I have a background in critical health psychology. I am interested in research that informs social justice and equity. I am also invested in enhancing understanding of research tools – in particular qualitative methods.

Kia ora koutou. I am an occupational therapist with a passion for supporting mental wellbeing in individuals and communities. My research has focused on living well through meaningful activities, sensory strategies and social inclusion

Richard Siegert
Kia Ora. Malo e lelei. Ni hao. I have a background in clinical psychology. My research interests include goal setting and measuring progress in rehabilitation, depression and inflammation in young Pacific adults and prolonged disorders of consciousness.

Chris Krägeloh
Kia ora, Guten Tag, สวัสดีครับ. I have an international background but call New Zealand my home now. My research is in psychology, quality of life, outcome measurement, and mindfulness.

Barbara Gibson
I live and work in Toronto, Canada and come to AUT for a few weeks each year. My work is focused on childhood disability and reforming children’s rehabilitation.

Tēnā koe. Nō Ngāti Tūwharetoa ahau. With a background in Physiotherapy I am passionate about supporting health care practices and research, which promote kaupapa Māori and Tiriti based relationships for health equity in Aotearoa.

Kia ora. I am a 5th generation Pakeha New Zealander. My background is in physiotherapy and rehabilitation. I am passionate about developing innovative approaches that support health and wellbeing for people with long-term conditions.

Kia ora. I have a sociological imagination and feel at home as a member of this research team particularly because of the values and passion that drives the work we do.

Tēnā koe. Working for equal opportunities for good health motivates me and I’m glad to be part of a team doing research that makes a difference.

Tēnā koe. I have lived in Auckland for a number of years after growing up in Dunedin and spending a lot of time travelling. I work in the Physiotherapy teaching team and have a particular interest in critical disability studies and postqualitative methodologies.


Tena koe, I am a cardiothoracic intensive care nurse and clinical psychologist. These backgrounds have given me an interest in improving health assessment and outcome measurement to improve patient care.

Kia ora, I grew up in Whangarei and moved to Auckland after working abroad. I am an occupational therapist and am interested in how people live well with long term conditions and applying ecological theories in rehabilitation.

Tēnā koe. I am from Christchurch, and lived in Australia and the Pacific before moving to Auckland. My background is in physiotherapy and rehabilitation system strengthening. I am passionate about health equity and interested in how we can provide more inclusive, culturally appropriate healthcare here in Aotearoa.

I’m a physiotherapist who brings a clinical perspective to research and a researcher that tries to implement new ways of working into clinical practice. My research focuses on how to help clinicians make changes in their practice.
Research collaborators
Our team is working with research associates and other collaborators within and outside of AUT.