Meet the team.

The FASD Centre Aotearoa team are all extensively trained and experienced in the field of neurodisabilities and most specifically FASD. We work collaboratively and formulate all medical and neuropsychological findings to ensure that international best practice is followed in all our work.

Dr Valerie McGinn

Clinical Neuropsychologist and Clinical Director of the FASD Centre, Aotearoa.

Dr Valerie McGinn is recognised as New Zealand’s leading expert in FASD. Since first training in FASD at the Asante Centre in Canada in 2008 she has had the pleasure to meet and diagnose hundreds of children, young people and adults with FASD.

Many of those referred to the Centre are or have been in state care with complex needs. Most have been stood down or excluded from school or have offended due to their disability needs not being recognised, understood and accommodated. Families have been under huge strain from not knowing what is different about their loved one and how to help. Often previous advice has been ineffective and unsuitable for a child with FASD. By using FASD informed practice methods developed by Dr McGinn the life course of many have been changed for the better.

She has also provided over 100 FASD assessments to the New Zealand Courts resulting in FASD now being widely recognised and accommodated within the legal system. She presented FASD evidence at the Privy Council resulting in a murder conviction based on a false confession being overturned after 22 years. Dr McGinn is a founding and board member of FASD-CAN, New Zealand’s organisation to support and advocate for people with FASD and their families and caregivers. She provides FASD-informed workshops, diagnostic training, supervision and advisory services. However, her primary focus is to support individuals with FASD and their families.

Valerie McGinn’s Publications

Munira Haidermota

Registered Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist

Munira Haidermota is registered as a Clinical Psychologist and a Neuropsychologist who specialises in working with children with a range of neurodisabilities. She has previously worked in the public health service with the District Health Board in South Auckland within their Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service. Her training and work experience has been in a number of settings in New Zealand, Middle East and India providing extensive experience in working with mental health issues for adults, adolescents, children and their families. Munira has over 10 years of experience in completing neuropsychological assessments for children, adolescents and adults in New Zealand. After joining the FASD Centre in 2016, she has specialised in providing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder assessments for children and adolescents. Her skills lie in providing a comprehensive, holistic assessment of the child or young person, identifying areas of weaknesses and concentrating on strengths to develop an appropriate suitable treatment plan for whanau, caregivers, support staff and educational institutions. She is particularly skilled at working with challenging and disruptive behaviours in young people. As a mother of two young men, she possesses hands on experience of parenting challenges that guides her assessments and work with families.

Sarah Goldsbury

Clinical Neuropsychologist

Sarah Goldsbury is a registered Clinical Psychologist of Ngati Porou and Te-Aitanga-A-Hauiti descent. Sarah has particular interests in Maori models of health and wellbeing and neurodisability. Since first training in the diagnosis of FASD in 2010 she has worked towards increasing the understanding of children and young people with FASD and their whanau so that they can be well supported and successful. She has a particular expertise in working with children with challenging behaviours who she is able to calm and reassure.  Sarah’s past roles have included working in Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Child Development Service, Ministry of Education (Behaviour Support Service) and Regional Youth Forensic Service preparing her well for her important work in FASD. She conducts comprehensive assessment and formulation for children and youth that consider neuro-disabilities, mental health, environmental factors (such as trauma) and systematic factors (such as cultural considerations).   

Madeleine Manning

Registered Counselling Psychologist

Madeleine is a Registered Counselling Psychologist with over 15 years experience of working in the mental health field and supporting families whose children experience emotional and behavioural challenges. She has previously worked within NGO's both in New Zealand and the UK, utilising her training in Family Therapy and Multi-Systemic Therapy and Parenting Interventions such as Incredible Years, Triple P. Madeleine completed her Master's level research investigating the experience of New Zealand families whose children had been diagnosed with FASD, giving her a valuable understanding of the struggles these families face, what supports are needed and what is required for an FASD informed approach. Madeleine joined the FASD Centre in 2016, helping to establish the Follow-on Service - an FASD informed intervention aimed at supporting families and their wider communities post diagnosis.

Dr Alexa Kidd

Medical Geneticist –MBBS, MRCP (UK), MRCGP (UK), MSc

I trained in medicine in London. My background was mainly in Paediatrics, but I completed General Practitioner training before entering a Clinical Genetics training programme in Aberdeen, Scotland. I have a very broad range of experience within medical genetics. Interests include the genetics of neurodevelopmental disorders including learning difficulties, autism and psychiatric disorders. I am especially interested in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, on both the diagnostic and preventive sides and provide medical assessments for The FASD Centre, Aotearoa. There are many reasons why a child, young person or adult may be experiencing problems and I consider the impact of prenatal alcohol exposure as well as other neurodevelopmental conditions including possible genetic disorders within the diagnostic process. I hold a current practicing certificate as a specialist in Clinical Genetics, and I am an active member of the Human Genetics Society of Australasia. I am registered with the New Zealand Medical Council as a specialist in Clinical Genetics.

Andrea McOnie-Perfect

Registered Educational Psychologist

Andrea has worked in Paediatric neurodisability services with both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health for over 20 years. Her career started as a kindergarten teacher and over the years her professional development and interest areas have shaped her career pathway.  Andrea has led Early Intervention teams and worked as a behavioural specialist, she has led diagnostic teams and intervention teams.  Andrea is also an accredited provider of parenting programmes such as Incredible Year and Triple P.  Currently Andrea works in the Gateway service, specifically with children involved with Oranga Tamariki and the FASD centre.  Andrea and her whanau have provided care placements for children in need of specialist placements, so has experience as both the professional and as the caregiver.  Within her biological whanau Andrea has raised a children born with a chronic health condition, so appreciates the demands of being a working parent and balancing the demands of parenting a child who has extremely high needs.  Andrea joined the FASD centre in 2021 and brings a wealth of experience.     

Megan Tsering-Young 

Registered Neuropsychologist

Megan is a registered Neuropsychologist with 20 years of experience working with children and youth in welfare and development sectors. Ten years ago she attended the Asante Centre in Canada for intensive training in the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Megan is also currently Consultant Psychologist at the Child Health Centre (Northland DHB). She resides in Northland, where she is from, and is passionate about advocating for tamariki and whanau experiencing neuro-disability.  

Hannah Stannard

Clinic Coordinator

Hannah joined the clinic in September 2021. Hannah first became aware of FASD as she worked in the field of dance performance and education; travelling around New Zealand to help provide school workshops encouraging kinaesthetic learning. She also has experienced first hand the effects of young people living with disabilities, and parents/education systems working to support them, during her time with Ohomairangi Trust as an education support worker and many years in pastoral care.