Leadership and Board of Directors

AAPi Board of Directors

The AAPi Board of Directors is a powerhouse of experience and expertise, steering the association's governance with unwavering dedication. Each Director generously donates their time and knowledge, working hand-in-hand with the Executive Director to shape AAPi's strategic direction.

The current AAPi Board of Directors consists of:

Sahra O'Doherty

President

B.LibStud(Psych), BA(Hons)(Psych), CertPsychPractice(4+2), MAAPi

Sahra is a proud 4+2 registered psychologist, with over 10 years’ post-registration experience in clinical practice. Sahra is a strong believer in community and people power. Sahra aims to support AAPi to build grassroots, face to face bases throughout Australia. Sahra believes she can contribute to the vision, direction, and strategic planning of AAPi, as she has demonstrated experience in management and leadership. Sahra is people focused, and enjoys connecting with likeminded people and communities, raising awareness of common issues and concerns, problem solving, and motivating people to act. Sahra is known for being passionate about values-based practice.

Dr Katrina Norris

Vice President

BPsych (Hons), PhD (Org. Psych), Dip. Leadership and Management, MAAPi

Katrina Norris is a registered Psychologist with a PhD in Organisational Psychology specialising in occupational stress and work-life balance. She has over 10 years’ experience in occupational health and rehabilitation including pain management counselling, return to work planning, and workplace health promotion. Whilst working in the occupational health industry, Katrina also served on the Queensland Executive Committee of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers’ Association where she advocated for Allied Health providers with key private and government stakeholders.

Katrina hopes to bring this experience to her role within AAPi and to further advocate for the valuable role psychologists take on in supporting individuals, families, communities, and employers managing psychological wellbeing. Currently, Katrina is working in her own private practice in South-East Queensland with a strong focus on helping individuals to achieve their personal wellbeing goals, while also working with employers to build healthy workplace initiatives and breakdown the stigma surrounding psychological health and wellbeing.

Associate Professor Josephine Barbaro

Director

BBSc (Hons), MEd&DevPsych, PhD (Dev Psych), MAAPi

Associate Professor Josephine (Josie) Barbaro is a Principal Research Fellow and Neurodiversity-Affirming Psychologist at Olga Tennison Autism Research Centre, La Trobe University, Melbourne. She is the Research Director of Autism Identification and Diagnosis, and the Clinical Director of the Victorian Early Assessment Clinic, providing neuro-affirming, transdisciplinary assessments for neurodivergence in children under 3 years. Her research and clinical interests are in the early identification and diagnosis of autism in infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and family health and well-being following a diagnosis. Josie pioneered a developmental surveillance method for the early identification of autism known as Social Attention and Communication Surveillance (SACS), which has been developed and validated over the past 20 years. It is the most successful tool for early autism identification in children aged 11 months to 5 years, and is used by healthcare professionals around the world. Her early identification program has led to the development of ASDetect; the world’s first, empirically based, early autism identification mobile application for infants and toddlers. Josie’s passion is translating research into clinical practice, particularly for under-resourced and under-represented communities, co-production of research and service delivery with Autistic and Neurodivergent people, and facilitating policy change. Josie was a member of the Oversight Council for the Development of Australia’s First National Autism Strategy, and is the Acting President of the Australasian Society for Autism Research. As a Director of the AAPi, she hopes to continue to fight for equity, support, and protection of Neurodivergent Psychologists, and Psychological Researchers, in Australia.

Cailin Jordan

Treasurer

BSc Psych (Hons), PG Dip App Psych, MAAPi

Cailin began her Psychology career at Sydney’s St. Vincent’s Hospital in Grief and Bereavement over twenty years ago, moving into Suicide Prevention with SELAH and then into private practise in a women and family health practice.  This led to her interest in fertility, couple and relationship health as well as assisting people with lifestyle change to enhance their fertility. 

Currently Cailin is employed as a Psychologist and Senior Fertility Counsellor at Genea, and has a passionate interest in helping people complete their families. Cailin is a member of the International PCOS Guideline Development Group and loves science, in particular the science of Assisted Reproductive Technology. A graduate of London Guildhall University, Regents College of Psychotherapy and Macquarie University, Cailin has paused her PhD in Barriers and Enablers for Preconception Lifestyle Change at the University of Western Australia.

Dr Naomi Malone

Director

Bachelor of Science (BSc), Honours (Psychology), Doctorate of Counselling Psychology, AHPRA Board Approved Supervisor, MAAPi

Dr Naomi Malone is a Counselling Psychologist, AHPRA-approved clinical supervisor, and academic with over two decades of experience across clinical practice, supervision, and higher education. She has worked extensively in rural and remote settings, where her approach has been shaped by a deep commitment to accessible, contextually responsive, and relational care, developed through long-standing engagement with rural communities.

Naomi’s therapeutic work is grounded in trauma-informed and client-centred principles. Drawing from approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), EMDR, and family and narrative therapies, she supports individuals to reconnect with themselves in ways that honour their lived experience and values.

Alongside her clinical work, Naomi teaches and supervises postgraduate psychology students, with a focus on reflective practice, ethical development, and cultivating therapeutic presence. She is passionate about mentoring early-career clinicians and fostering learning environments that are collaborative, inclusive, and growth-oriented.

Naomi founded and led a multidisciplinary rural private practice, A Life Simply Lived Psychology, for over a decade, building a service model grounded in collaboration, sustainability, and responsiveness to community need. Her work in rural settings has included strengthening interdisciplinary partnerships, adapting service delivery to local contexts, and advocating for equitable access to psychological care.

Her broader professional contributions include advisory roles within primary health networks and ongoing advocacy for the psychology profession, particularly in relation to the unique challenges and strengths of rural and regional practice. She is committed to supporting the profession in ways that honour complexity, relational depth, and the diverse contexts in which psychologists work, particularly within rural and regional Australia.

Daniela McCann

Director

Daniela began her career as a Special Education Teacher before transitioning into psychology through a NSW Department of Education scholarship. This opportunity allowed her to complete a 4th-year psychology degree, leading to a permanent role as a School Counsellor. After a decade of working as a psychologist and counsellor in schools, Daniela undertook her 4+2 training through the College of Professional Psychologists (COPP). She now runs a private practice in northern NSW, specialising in the needs of children from early childhood through adolescence. Her approach incorporates play- and art-based therapies alongside paediatric assessments and behavioural investigations. Passionate about supporting young people and their caregivers, Daniela works collaboratively with families and educational settings to foster inclusion, mental health, and wellbeing. She also shares her expertise as a Teaching Associate at Southern Cross University, equipping undergraduate and postgraduate educators with the skills to support diverse learners in inclusive classrooms that prioritise wellbeing as much as academic achievement. As a strong advocate for regional and remote psychologists, Daniela is deeply committed to bridging the gaps in mental health access. Having grown up in a rural area, she understands the unique challenges of practicing in smaller communities and values the balance between professional ethics and community connections. Daniela believes in recognising the dedication of all psychologists and advocates for equity within the profession. She envisions a future where every individual—regardless of their age or postcode—can access high-quality mental health care delivered by skilled and compassionate professionals.

Rachel Samson

Director

Clinical Psychologist | Family Consultant | Educator | Advocate

Rachel is a clinical psychologist with over 15 years of experience working with children, adults, and families. Rachel currently serves as a Panel Family Consultant for the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia and provides supervision to psychologists across Australia. Her professional background spans clinical work, public communication, and national advocacy. Over the past two years, Rachel has contributed to state and federal legislative reviews in assisted reproductive technology, focusing on reproductive justice and inclusive care for LGBTQIA+, CALD, and single-parent communities. Her work has included writing submissions, organising consultations, collaborating with advocacy organisations, and meeting with politicians from across the political spectrum. She is passionate about using psychology to create systems-level change, and believes in the profession’s capacity to lead cultural conversations about wellbeing, equality, and mental health.

AAPi Senior Leadership Team

Tegan Carrison

AAPi Executive Director (CEO)

BAppSci, PostGradDip(HRM), MAICD, MICDA

Email: [email protected]

Tegan has spent over 20 years in health care and is passionate about advocating for the rights of health care professionals and improving access for the community. Tegan is an experienced clinical educator with many years of experience in supervision and mentoring including starting a student led inter-professional clinic with the University of Queensland's not-for-profit, UQ Health Care. Tegan also brings a wealth of experience in business management, administration and human resource management. 

Amanda Curran

Chief Psychologist

BSc, BSc (Hons), MHSt, MAAPi

Email: [email protected]

Amanda is a registered psychologist and has been registered since 2000. Amanda has a love for learning that led her to complete a Master of Health Studies Majoring in Addictions in 2009. Amanda has experience in a variety of areas including; residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation, Drug Diversion Programs, inpatient psychiatric treatment (including long term residential care prior to project 300), university counselling, employee assistance programs, family and relationship counselling and others. More recently Amanda has become involved in policy development and was appointed to the Mental Health Reference Group during the Medicare Benefits Schedule Review.