our people

Dr Dave George
Dave is a registered psychologist with over 25 years experience designing and implementing management assessment systems, development programmes, 360° feedback programmes, and organisational culture and climate diagnostic programmes. Dave has worked extensively with Chief Executives and senior managers in the public and private sectors, with prominent clients including the State Services Commission, ASB Bank, New Zealand Transport Agency, the Warehouse, Police, Wrightsons, Ministry of Health, Southern Cross, New Zealand Defence Forces, AXA, Ministry of Education, UNISYS, and the Victorian Leadership Development Centre.

Dave holds a PhD in Organisational Psychology from Massey University, where he has also lectured and supervised graduate students. He established Cerno with Sharon and Russell in 1996. Previously, he was a Partner at KPMG, where he led the Organisational Psychology Division. Before Dave became an organisational psychologist, he worked in a variety of roles, including as a teacher, lecturer, and a range of management roles in New Zealand and overseas.

Previous clients warn about discussing any of the following topics with Dave: sailing, wine, Taihape, and the five-day marine weather forecast.

Dr Sharon Rippin
Sharon is a registered psychologist with more than 20 years of experience consulting in the areas of competency modelling, managerial development, 360° feedback, capability assessment, design of selection and assessment systems, and performance management. She has extensive experience assessing and coaching Chief Executives and senior managers, with prominent clients including the State Services Commission, ANZ, The Treasury, KiwiRail, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Telecom, New Zealand Security Intelligence Service, AMP, Land Information New Zealand, Telstra, Department of Statistics, Yellow Pages, and Ministry for the Environment. Sharon has designed and led developmental assessment programmes for both the New Zealand and the Victorian Leadership Development Centres.

Sharon is known for her doctoral research at Victoria University, which produced the New Zealand Effective Manager Model. She established Cerno with Dave and Russell in 1996. Previously, she worked as a Director at KPMG. Before Sharon became an organisational psychologist, she worked in a variety of roles, including as a barmaid at the Southern Cross and as a prison psychologist. Sharon also has a talent for power-shopping and providing life guidance to people who sit next to her on planes.

Russell McMurray
Russell has an Honours Degree in Business Information Systems and 20 years experience in human resource consulting. Over that period he has gained significant experience in survey design, statistical analysis, 360 survey design and analysis, database management, competency analysis, HR strategy and planning, career frameworks, remuneration, and performance management systems.

Russell designed MINT, an online professional development and career management tool that is used by the national Institutes of Accountants in New Zealand, Australia, and Hong Kong. Other notable recent projects include managing the staff culture survey for Air New Zealand, and conducting research for Inland Revenue into the managerial competencies that best predict positive Gallup survey results. Russell’s other clients have included New Zealand Post, State Services Commission, Ag Research, ESR, Mary Potter Hospice, the Reserve Bank and Treasury.

Russell established Cerno with Dave and Sharon in 1996, and previously worked as a Senior Consultant at KPMG. His hobbies include spending time with his three beautiful children and going on long mountain-bike treks (to escape his three children).

Dr Tania Graham
Tania completed her PhD in psychology at Massey University, where she worked with the New Zealand Police to explore the job expectations of new recruits. She has worked as a Cerno consultant since 2001. She has a wide range of experience in the development and implementation of assessment and development tools, manager assessment, conducting 360° coaching sessions, and workshop facilitation. She has worked with managers and leaders at a wide range of levels, from team leaders and front-line managers to candidates for Chief Executive roles. Tania has worked with a wide range of clients including New Zealand Fire Service, New Zealand Police, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Audit New Zealand, Treasury, Department of Labour, New Zealand Post, Victoria University, Telecom, Wrightsons, AMP, P & O Nedlloyd, and Jade Software Corporation.

In another life, Tania conducted health and safety surveys for forestry workers in Tokoroa, worked as a Customer Services Representatives in Home Décor at Kmart, and put her outstanding penmanship to good use as a notetaker for students with disabilities. She also worked on the 'Lord of the Rings' as a hobbit. Tania is particularly passionate about lunch and is Duran Duran’s number one fan.

Dr Kate Mirfin
Kate is a registered psychologist with over 25 years experience in a wide range of areas (including selection and developmental focused assessment centres, research, workshop facilitation, capability identification, 360° coaching sessions, change management and performance management). Kate has worked with managers and leaders at a wide range of levels, from team leaders and front-line managers to candidates for Chief Executive roles. Kate’s notable clients have included the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Reserve Bank, Ministry for the Environment, The Treasury, Victoria University, the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners and the New Zealand Defence Force.

Kate has worked as a Cerno consultant since 2004. Previously, Kate was the Senior Psychologist for the NZ Army, where she was responsible for the conduct of psychology and psychology-related services and research. While serving with the NZ Army, Kate developed a range of services to assist service people and their families cope with the stresses caused by peacekeeping deployments. Kate has also consulted to the International Atomic Energy Agency and the New Zealand Defence Force. Kate completed her PhD at Massey University, where she researched the Psychological Effects of Peacekeeping Service in Bosnia. Kate’s work has been published in Stress Medicine and Military Medicine.

It’s easy to win favour with Kate by demonstrating your knowledge of nursery rhymes but beware – her Army experience means that she might try to move everything outdoors and get you to negotiate obstacles of a real, rather than metaphorical, nature.

Dr Carl Beuke
Carl is a registered psychologist who has been working in management and leadership development since 2002. He has worked with clients including New Zealand Prisons Service, the New Zealand Transport Agency, Inland Revenue, Jade Software Corporation, Ministry for the Environment and the New Zealand Fire Service. He has worked with managers and leaders at a wide range of levels, from team leaders and front-line managers to candidates for Chief Executive roles. Carl is also experienced in training HR professionals in assessment and test interpretation, and in conducting statistical and psychometric research and development.

Carl holds a PhD in Psychology from Victoria University, where his topic was information processing in depression and anxiety. His PhD research was published in Clinical Psychology Review. He previously worked for Australian Psychologists Press (APP) and the Independent Testing Service of Australia (ITSA).

Carl once worked for a month with a puma in the Bolivian jungle. He is a passionate advocate for world harmony and, to this end, is currently doing what he can to bring NZ and Argentina closer together.

Nancy Wilson
Nancy is Cerno's Practice Manager. Her role is to manage the business side of Cerno, including accounts, resources, staffing, and other office management tasks. Prior to starting at Cerno, she spent fourteen years managing TSW Swim School with her husband (which serviced 1800 customers per week), and worked as a secondary school teacher, where she was Head of Department in Social Sciences and Maths. She holds a BA in Geography and a Diploma in Secondary School Teaching. When she's not at work ensuring the smooth-running of the Cerno team's operation, she acts as manager and corporate sponsor for her daughter’s budding career in the worlds of fashion and web design.

Felicity Stewart
Felicity is Cerno's client co-ordinator, and the first point of contact for the majority of the people who attend an Assessment or Development Centre at Cerno. Felicity handles the logistics of the assessment process.

Felicity has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education. Previously, she has been an International Travel Consultant, Case Manager at WINZ, and owner and manager of a Hell Pizza franchise. After spending five years as the boss of Hell, Felicity’s reserves of malevolence have been exhausted, and she is now rather sunny and cheerful. When not organising everything for everyone at Cerno, Felicity keeps despicably fit by cycling, running, and doting over her five-year-old miniature schnauzer.

Barbara Alp
Barbara is a registered psychologist with over 20 years experience working primarily in HR consulting and organisation development both within NZ and off-shore. She has particular expertise in performance management, organisation design, individual assessment, coaching, mentoring and counselling. Barb has worked extensively with Chief Executives and senior managers in the public and private sectors.

Barbara has a postgraduate degree in industrial and organisational psychology from Massey University. She has worked with Cerno since 2002, apart from taking a year out in 2010, as a Principal Advisor, Organisation Development with the Ministry of Justice. She started her career as a nurse and prior to joining Cerno was a Principal Consultant with Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. This included a three and a half year secondment in Brussels as the Europe Middle East and Africa Regional HR Director. Barbara devotes her spare time to living the good life in Wanganui. She is famed throughout the office for her relishes, pickles, free range eggs and lemons.

Faye Braithwaite
Faye completed her Masters degree in industrial/organisational psychology in 2007 at the University of Canterbury, where she researched the relationship between personality and investment preferences. At Cerno, she has worked with managers from a range of organisations including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Department of Internal Affairs, and the Ministry for the Environment. Previously she worked for a headhunting firm, contributing to the assessment and analysis of candidates for senior positions in both the public and private sectors.

In her spare time, Faye is investing in a diversified portfolio of footwear.