Cerno - Profiles

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 climate 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 Ministry of Justice and by the national Institutes of Accountants in New Zealand, Australia, the Netherlands, and Hong Kong. Other notable recent projects include managing the climate survey for Air New Zealand’s staff of over ten thousand people, 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).


		Cerno's three Directors oversee all our client assignments.


		There's a lot more to Cerno than our three Directors.

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. Previously she worked on 'Lord of the Rings' as a hobbit. Tania is particularly passionate about lunch and accordian music.

Dr Kate Mirfin

Kate has a PhD in psychology and previously worked with the NZ Army Psychology Service. She gained her wide range of experience in organisational psychology within the Army both in NZ and overseas. 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 a PhD in Psychology from Victoria University, where his topic was information processing in depression and anxiety. He previously worked for Australian Psychologists Press (APP) and the Independent Testing Service of Australia (ITSA). He also 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. Previously she operated a swimming school servicing 1800 customers per week and before that she was a secondary school teacher. When she's not at work ensuring the smooth-running of the team's operation, she acts as a chauffer for her daughter.

Felicity Stewart

Felicity is Cerno's client co-ordinator, and the first point of contact for the majority of the senior managers 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 and Woman of Mystery, 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 and active by cycling, running, and doting over her five-year-old miniature schnauzer.

The Porcelain Head

The first thing you'll see when you enter our office is the Phrenology Head. Phrenology is the (thoroughly discredited) study of the bumps of the skull to determine a person's character and mental capacity. Although phrenology has long been recognized as having no scientific merit, it still has its advocates - in fact, phrenological readings are not unlike astrological readings and many who have them done are satisfied that the results are uncannily accurate. We just like the way it looks.