About Us

Meet The Aoake te Rā Team

Amanda Christian
Amanda ChristianClinical Advisor / Coach
Amanda ChristianClinical Advisor / Coach

I’m Amanda Christian, I’m from Tamaki Makaurau/Auckland and my favourite place is being on the beach, with a special connection to Taupō Bay/The Far North.

I work as a psychologist in the area of suicide prevention and postvention – facilitating a peer support group for bereaved others, supporting individuals and families through their traumatic grief, being an advocate for those bereaved by suicide and as a Clinical Advisor in Aoake te Rā.

Brooke Brake
Brooke Brake2IC Project Lead & Clinical Advisor
Brooke Brake2IC Project Lead & Clinical Advisor
Kia ora, I am a Registered Social Worker living in Rural Northern Waikato and work as a Clinical Advisor for the CPRS team and 2IC and Clinical Advisor for the Bereaved by Suicide Service. I have a background in Child and Youth Mental Health and Suicide Prevention. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my husband and 4 young children in the sunshine, reading and baking.
Elle Cradwick
Elle CradwickPortfolio Co-ordinator
Elle CradwickPortfolio Co-ordinator
Kia ora, nō Ingarangi ahau, engari, kei Ōtautahi taku kāinga ināianei. Ko Elle Cradwick tōku ingoa. I am a Portfolio Co-ordinator in the Aoake te Rā bereaved by suicide service and feel lucky to be part of this humbling mahi. I have a background in mental health and suicide prevention & postvention, as well as in the mental health innovation space. I am passionate about improving service provision to better meet the needs of tangata whaiora and whānau. Outside of mahi I enjoy being creative and connecting with nature.
Miriama Scott
Miriama ScottKaihāpai
Miriama ScottKaihāpai

Tēnā koutou e ngā rangatira, ngā tangata whenua o te Ao. Greetings all distinguished indigenous peoples of the World.

Ko Takitimu raua ko Kurahaupō ngā waka,
Ko Ngāti Kahungunu rātou ko Rangitāne, ko Ngāti Raukawa ngā iwi
Ko Renata raua ko Heketa Te Awe ngā tangata,
Ko Miriama Scott te ingoa.

I am of Ngāti Kahungunu and Rangitāne descent through our mother and Scottish and English descent through our father.

I was born in the Cook Islands, where there is a close association with the Takitimu waka, the canoe of the Ngāti Kahungunu tīpuna, to whom I whakapapa.

While I am a registered social worker, my education is in Sociology, Anthropology and History but due to the ‘strong’ encouragement of a kaumatua, Turoa Haronga, because I was facilitating learning on a social work programme, I completed competency to practice social work and then registration as a social worker.

My passion and commitment are to progress tangata whenua knowledge and skills in any field of practice and to challenge mainstream / generic services, where constraint of the legitimacy to practice as the indigenous peoples of Aotearoa may be evident. In keeping with this commitment, I also work to tautoko all indigenous peoples in the same endeavours.
Mauriora!

Sandra Palmer
Sandra PalmerClinical Advisor / Coach
Sandra PalmerClinical Advisor / Coach
I am passionate about post-vention and the difference it can make for individuals, whanau and community. I am a member of Aoake te Rā, CDS and the Senior Leadership Teams. Professionally I am a Registered Psychologist. I embrace wellbeing in all its aspects and my own wellbeing is enhanced by being with family and friends, engaging in outdoor activities, practicing and teaching yoga, and playing/singing with my ukulele group.
Wylie Te Peeti
Wylie Te PeetiKaitakawaenga
Wylie Te PeetiKaitakawaenga
Tena Tatou, Ko Wylie Timotuha Te Peeti ahau. I am a descendant of Ngati Rangiwewehi Te Arawa waka on my Father side and Ngati Raukawa ki te Tonga on my Mother side ko te waka Tainui. I have the privilege and honour to be apart of casa as a Kaitakawaenga and a valued member of Ngā Pou Ārahi. He reo hononga aku kia tautoko nga korero, kia marama, kia awhina, kia ako nga tohu Maori. My role is to support in helping understand, bringing together and in learning the aspects of Maoritanga that coincides with casa.
Ben Te Maro
Ben Te MaroClinical Advisor /Portfolio Coordinator
Ben Te MaroClinical Advisor /Portfolio Coordinator
Kia ora. Ko Ben Te Maro tōku ingoa. I’m an occupational therapist with a background in mental health. I’m interested in social equity, and CASA provides me with opportunities to assist rangatahi and their whānau realise their full potential. When I’m not working you can find me exercising, baking/cooking and exploring outdoors.
Cheryl Em
Cheryl EmClinical Advisor
Cheryl EmClinical Advisor
Kia ora. Ko Cheryl Em tōku ingoa. I am an Occupational Therapist with a background in mental health, suicide prevention and postvention. I am currently working as a clinical advisor in the Aoake te Rā team focusing on onboarding and supporting providers and you’ll see me working on the intake team too. Outside of this mahi I love hanging out with my whānau being outdoors, and enjoying the sunshine.
Kirsty Louden
Kirsty LoudenProject Lead
Kirsty LoudenProject Lead
Kia ora, I am the Project lead for this awesome new service for our whānau who have been bereaved by suicide. As a Clinical Psychologist and Clinical manager I've worked in the suicide pre and post vention space for a number of years now. I have a passion to see services delivered to our communities in ways that the communities want and that are effective for them. When not working I am hanging out with my whānau and enjoying our beautiful outdoors.
Nicola Cribb
Nicola CribbAdministrator
Nicola CribbAdministrator
I have worked for CASA since 2006 and currently work as the administrator for Aoake te Rā. I enjoy working with a great bunch of people and supporting the work they do. In my down time I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading and walking the dog.
Taulaga Alatimu
Taulaga AlatimuClinical Advisor
Taulaga AlatimuClinical Advisor
Talofa lava, I am of Samoan descent, born and raised here in Tamaki Makaurau/Aukilani (Auckland). I work as a Clinical Advisor for the CPRS team and the Aoake Te Ra team. I am a Registered Nurse, worked mainly in Mental Health, with a background working in Forensic Mental health and General Inpatient Mental health services (Acute). My passion is empowering and working in partnership with young people and their families, specifically our Māori and Pacific communities. Outside of work I enjoy spending time with my husband and two young children as well as my extended Aiga (family). Above all, my faith in God keeps me strong and grounded.
Bex Petrie
Bex PetrieClinical Advisor
Bex PetrieClinical Advisor
Kia ora. Ko Bex Petrie tōku ingoa. I am a Social Worker with a background in mental health, suicide prevention and postvention. I am currently working as a clinical advisor for the TWB and Aoake te Rā team and a valued member of Ngā Pou Ārahi. I live in Taupō where you will find me with my whānau enjoying the mountains and lake. Mauri ora!
Daryl Gregory
Daryl GregoryCASA Director & Kaitakawaenga
Daryl GregoryCASA Director & Kaitakawaenga
The Mana and Tapu of all people make us unique as individuals and I believe that we are created to be connected to others. I am passionate about encouraging whānau to provide a lifestyle, which encourages and nurtures personal, corporate and spiritual growth within the communities they live in. Kia ora I am from Waikato Tainui living in Christchurch and a current Board member of CASA and kaitakawaenga across the different teams. I am married we have a son who is working hard as a musician in the Wellington scene to make his mark. In my spare time I am interested in making short documentaries of interesting characters I meet every day. I enjoy travelling, good food and cold ale with my lovely wife Rose.
Linda Bowden
Linda BowdenClinical Advisor
Linda BowdenClinical Advisor
Kia ora, I am an occupational therapist with a background in mental health and suicide prevention. I believe in the hauora and wellbeing of all and enjoy working collaboratively to achieve systems change. When I am not working at CASA you will find me chasing toddlers, at the beach or with my whānau.
Rachel Day-Brown
Rachel Day-BrownClinical Advisor
Rachel Day-BrownClinical Advisor
Kia ora, ko Kāi Tahu tāku iwi, nō Kaikoura ahau, engari nō Ōtautahi tāku kainga ināianei. I have been dedicated to mental health for the past 20+ years in various roles for Private, DHB & Kaupapa Māori NGO sectors. My roles at CASA are Clinical Advisor on the CPRS and Aoake te Rā team and a valued member of Ngā Pou Ārahi. It is a privilege to walk alongside communities, supporting and empowering them forward to enhanced resilience. Outside of this mahi, I work in Research for The Department of Psychological Medicine, and otherwise I enjoy my whanau, puppy and adventures to new places. Mauri ora.
Tracy Murdoch
Tracy MurdochClinical Advisor / Coach
Tracy MurdochClinical Advisor / Coach
I am Tracy Murdoch and I live and work in Ōtautahi. I am a Child and Family trained Registered Psychologist and have worked in the field of suicide prevention and postvention for 9 years with CASA. I also work in private practice with children and young people who have experienced significant trauma in their lives. As a coach and a member of the Aoake Te Rā team, I value and respect my mahi of supporting the Aoake Te Rā providers who support the bereaved by suicide. In my down time, I love reading, camping and my new focus is learning to garden and grow my own vegetables. There is something quite therapeutic in this process.