Mokopuna Pae Ora Conference | 12 March 2025
Taiohitanga / Adolescence: A Time of Opportunity
Join us for an impactful online conference, dedicated to advancing our understanding of adolescent development and exploring effective strategies to support taiohi throughout their formative years. This highly anticipated biennial event, hosted by Brainwave Trust, brings together leading experts and advocates committed to tackling the challenges faced by young people in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Speakers
With five speakers—representing New Zealand’s leaders in child and adolescent wellbeing—and an engaging question and answer session, conference attendees will gain evidence-based knowledge and inspiration to action positive change in their own communities and fields of work.
Dr. Claire Achmad
PhD, LLM, BA
Chief Children’s Commissioner at Mana Mokopuna
Dr. Claire Achmad is the Chief Children’s Commissioner and a recognised advocate for children in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally, having worked in a wide range of areas relating to children’s rights, including from legal, policy and practice perspectives.
In her previous role as Chief Executive Officer of Social Service Providers Te Pai Ora o Aotearoa, she championed the aspirations and outcomes of children, rangatahi and whānau and community-based social service provider strongly grounded in a focus on equity. Claire holds a doctorate in international children’s rights law from Leiden University, the Netherlands, and has published internationally on a range of children’s rights issues.
Prof. Terryann Clark
PhD, MPH, RN
(Ngāpuhi, Ngati Wai, Ngati Whatua ki Kaipara)
Principle Investigator for Youth2000 Survey Series
Dr Terryann Clark is a Professor in the School of Nursing, University of Auckland and the Cure Kids Professorial Chair in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. She has worked as a nurse for over 30 years in youth health in various roles and as an academic.
Dr Terryann Clark was a founding member of the Youth2000 survey series over the past 25 years and has led the last two waves of the national youth health surveys. She has also led a study exploring the influence of whanaungatanga on Indigenous youth wellbeing. She has authored over 120 academic publications and 50 reports and recently was awarded a research impact award for influencing national policy.
Dr. Sarah Watson
BA, MA(Hons), DClinPsych, MNZCCP
Founder and Managing Director at Totally Psyched
Dr Sarah Watson is a registered mental health specialist Senior Clinical Psychologist experienced in providing assessment and therapeutic interventions for children and youth aged from 5 years to 21 years old, and their families. Dr Watson practices as a registered Senior Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychologist and specialises in Neurodivergence (ADHD | ASD | AuDHD | OCD) in childhood.
Dr Watson is also the Founder and Managing Director at Totally Psyched; private mental healthcare practices on Auckland’s North Shore and Warkworth, where she has a multidisciplinary team of over twenty exceptional Psychologists, Psychiatrists and Therapists. The practice specialises in working with children, adolescents and their families.
