student ambassadors

Nicole Feast

National Student Co-ordinator 2024-

Contact: nicole.feast@research.uwa.edu.au

Nicole Feast is a clinical neuropsychologist who is passionate about assisting others to better understand and enhance their cognitive (i.e., thinking) abilities. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and a Master of Psychology (Clinical Neuropsychology) from The University of Melbourne, and is currently a PhD candidate at The University of Western Australia with funding support from the Forrest Research Foundation. Prior to commencing her PhD in 2023, Nicole worked within a multidisciplinary team of allied health and medical clinicians at the WA Department of Health.

Her PhD research focuses on investigating whether neuropsychological assessment can enhance outcomes for individuals with brain conditions, through high-quality clinical trial research. Neuropsychological assessment involves evaluation of an individual’s cognition (e.g., attention, memory, problem solving) to identify strengths and weaknesses, support accurate diagnosis, and inform treatment planning in a variety of neurological and mental health conditions, including stroke, head injury, dementia, and schizophrenia. Research on the outcomes of neuropsychological assessment is limited, which has impeded efforts to advocate for greater access to clinical neuropsychology services in Australia, whereby adequate assessment and intervention for cognitive impairments remains an area of high unmet need for many individuals. The current clinical trial thus has the potential for real-world impact by informing evidence-based clinical practice and policy related to the management of brain conditions, both in Australia and worldwide.

Feel free to connect with and reach out to Nicole on LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-feast-419a99198/

TEAM MELBOURNE

Kimberly Chew

Team Leader 2024-
Clinical Neuropsychology, Monash University

Kimberly is a PhD (Clinical Neuropsychology) candidate at Monash University, supervised by Dr Kate Gould and Professor Jennie Ponsford. Her current research focuses on co-designing and evaluating a cyberscam recovery treatment for people with acquired brain injury. Beyond her PhD, Kimberly is also a research assistant at Monash-Epworth Rehabilitation Research Centre (MERRC) within co-design and translational ABI research. Kimberly hopes to continue working collaboratively with people with living experience and to work as a clinical neuropsychologist in the brain injury population.

Madeline Gibson

Student Ambassador 2024-
Clinical Neuropsychology, Monash University

Madeline is currently undertaking a PhD in Clinical Neuropsychology at Monash University, conducting research under the supervision of Associate Professor Matthew Pase and Dr Stephanie Yiallourou. Madeline is passionate about providing dignity and respect to older adults affected by cognitive impairment, including dementia and stroke. Her research focuses on understanding how distinct changes in blood pressure over the course of the day and night relate to brain health. This research aims to provide further understanding of blood pressure as a potential intervention point for dementia prevention. She hopes to increase awareness of modifiable lifestyle interventions for the prevention of dementia.

Madeline welcomes opportunities to connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/madeline-gibson-a8b502172/

Nicholas Cheng

Student Ambassador 2025
Clinical Neuropsychology, Monash University

TEAM SYDNEY

Kylie (Ky) Southwell

Team Leader 2024-
Speech Pathology, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney

Ky Southwell is a PhD candidate at the University of Sydney, under the supervision of Professor Leanne Togher and Dr Melissa Brunner. Her research focuses on developing co-designed cognitive communication interventions for adolescents following a moderate-severe brain injury. Ky is also the project manager of the icare Brain Injury Psychiatry Program (iBIPP) at the Brain and Mind Centre (USYD), as well as a research assistant in the Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Communication lab in the Faculty of Medicine and Health (USYD). She holds a Master of Speech Pathology degree from the University of Queensland (QLD), a Graduate Diploma of Science from the University of Southern Queensland and La Trobe University (QLD/VIC), and a Bachelor of Music from the Conservatorium of Music, Griffith University (QLD). Ky is passionate about co-designing tailored, motivating, and inclusive cognitive communication treatment programs and research methodologies in collaboration with people with lived experience of a brain injury.

Alex Manea

Student Ambassador 2024-
Speech Pathology, The University of Sydney

Alex is currently completing a Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology) degree at the University of Sydney (USYD). As a disability support worker and volunteer for youths living with intellectual and physical disabilities, she has a passion for improving the quality of life of people living with an impairment. Alex also possesses a keen interest in research, completing an internship at the Children’s Cancer Research Unit at the Children’s Hospital at Westmead and joining an international USYD project regarding therapy for childhood apraxia of speech. Alex hopes to specialise in treating clients with traumatic brain injury and is excited to learn more about the rehabilitation of language impaired individuals following sports-related injuries, such as concussion and chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

Tanisha Joshi

Student Ambassador 2025
The University of Sydney

tbc

TEAM NEWCASTLE

Sarah Haskard

Team Leader 2024-
Psychological Science, University of Newcastle

Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) from the University of Newcastle in 2022. She is currently undertaking her PhD program on dementia awareness within Australia. Specifically, her research focuses on understanding and creating an educational intervention for the public to increase their knowledge of dementia. Sarah has worked and volunteered with people with ABI, mental illness, and disability, seeing the impact first hand sparked her interest in neuropsychology. She is passionate about advocating for those in need, empowering individuals and developing her professional skills.

Emma Gifford

Student Ambassador 2024-
Psychological Science, University of Newcastle

Emma is currently completing her Bachelor of Psychological Science (Honours) at the University of Newcastle. She is an aspiring Clinical Neuropsychologist, which is grounded in her love for psychology, neuroscience, and the ability to help others.

Throughout her studies, Emma has accumulated numerous experiences that have shone a light on the fears and frustrations experienced by people who have cognitive concerns. Her experiences are based in the fields of: acquired brain injury, sports concussion, older adults, and mental illness. As such, Emma is passionate about raising awareness, as well as her own professional growth, so that she may assist those experiencing cognitive challenges to achieve their goals and live more meaningful lives.

TEAM BRISBANE

Yi Wang

Team Leader 2025
Queensland University of Technology

tbc

Aiden Tso

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Queensland

tbc

Carla de Rois

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Queensland

tbc

Sebastian Gallegos Berrios

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Queensland

tbc

Yi-Jen Su

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Queensland

tbc

TEAM CANBERRA

Taylor Geoffrey

Team Leader 2025
University of Canberra

tbc

Sofia Goncharova

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Canberra

tbc

Salma Adam

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Canberra

tbc

Riley Fernandez

Student Ambassador 2025
University of Canberra

tbc

TEAM PERTH

Brooke Lebihan

Team Leader 2025

tbc

Nisha Rameish

Team Leader 2025

tbc

Nishu Tyagi

Student Ambassador 2025
Edith Cowan University

tbc

Jaye Wainwright

Student Ambassador 2025
Curtin University

tbc

THERE IS NO TEAM ADELAIDE

THERE IS NO TEAM TASMANIA FOR 2024

THERE IS NO TEAM GOLD COAST FOR 2024