Henrique Salles (he/him)

Henrique is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Board-Approved Supervisor, Benzodiazepine Dependency Counsellor, and Director of the AEDPA. He provides counselling and assessment services across the lifespan, with extensive experience in insomnia treatment and neurodevelopmental assessment.

He has a particular interest in sleep psychology. Henrique co-developed and delivered Reconnexion’s Better Sleep Program during a multi-year Deakin University research project, and continues to deliver the program through community and corporate workshops, as well as one-to-one treatment using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I). Henrique provides training to health professionals on the dependence risks of benzodiazepines and safe deprescription practices. He is a member of the Australasian Sleep Association’s Behavioural Management of Sleep Disorders education subcommittee.

Henrique is also passionate about the benefits of nature-based therapy and offers ‘Walk and Talk’ counselling to clients who prefer this approach. He values the way outdoor sessions increase access to evidence-based treatments (e.g., CBT, ACT, mindfulness) for people who feel uncomfortable in traditional settings and might otherwise avoid or disengage from psychological treatment.

“There is often a misunderstanding that Educational and Developmental Psychologists only work with children and schools. While that is a common context, many of us work across the lifespan in diverse settings, including older adulthood, community contexts, and complex clinical presentations. Taking on the Media portfolio at the AEDPA, I hope to help promote this information within the broader public, and to support Ed&Dev psychologists to be more visible in public discussions about areas of expertise.”

Simone Gindidis PhD (she/her)

Dr Simone Gindidis is an Educational, Developmental and Clinical Psychologist, Board Approved Supervisor, Senior Lecturer and Assessment Lead Swinburne University Psychology Clinic, Director of SavvyPsych, GameIQ, and co-founder of AEDPA.  She has experience across a myriad of settings including private practice, non-profit community language schools, as a university lecturer and research supervisor in postgraduate psychology and counselling programs, Clinical Lead in an Australian-based international digital therapeutics company, and most recently as one of the authors of a one-of-a kind text titled, ‘How to be an Educational and Developmental Psychologist: From University Applications to Entering the Workforce’.  She is passionate about the ecologically valid, robust and sustainable integration of technology with psychology assessment and practice.

Simone’s reason for studying Educational and Developmental Psychology stems from a thought-provoking conversation held during a postgraduate psychology programme interview: 

“I was challenged by the Course Leader at the time who made me realise that Ed&Dev is more than just schools and working with kids. Before that, it wasn’t even on my radar due to the incessant, pervasive, and misguided messaging from undergraduate university lecturers and tutors who openly and repeatedly advised there was only one AoPE and course “worth” pursuing if I wanted the flexibility to work anywhere… another reason why advocacy through the AEDPA has become so necessary in today’s day and age” 

Simone’s motivation for collaborating with co-founders and directors Kate Crosher and Dr Jake Kraska to start the AEDPA?  “To build a community of E&Ds who unapologetically, actively collaborate and contribute to the recognition, growth, improvement, and celebration of our AoPE to the benefit of all Australians”.

Kate Crosher (she/her)

Kate Crosher is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Board Approved Supervisor, Director of Enfys Psychology and AEDPA.  Her psychology career spans over 20 years, primarily in government and state schools, including being a Professional Practice Leader for the Department of Education.  Kate is a Circle of Security Parenting and Classroom Facilitator who has also worked across university and tertiary institutions as a Senior Lecturer and Supervisor in postgraduate psychology programs. She has supervised and nurtured psychologists-in-training for many years and is passionate about promoting their personal and professional growth. 

Her reason for studying Educational and Developmental Psychology can be traced back to high school, where at 16 years old she visited a vocational psychologist who suggested she would make a great psychologist:

“I changed schools to study VCE Psych (it didn’t exist in all schools back then!) and I realised I loved learning about how people worked. I’ve never stopped enjoying it”.

 Kate’s focus on Educational and Developmental Psychology evolved during this time, where she connected with “wanting to work with children and young people in schools, to work with the system around them to help them achieve to their potential”.

Kate’s motivation for collaborating with co-founders and directors Dr Jake Kraska and Dr Simone Gindidis to start the AEDPA is unequivocally shared by her colleagues:

“AEDPA started with an idea to work alongside our current professional organisations to advocate specifically for Ed&Dev psychology. To ensure the community has access and understanding of what we can offer and to ensure the needs and goals of Educational & Developmental Psychologists are highlighted and explicitly advocated for without the limitations that come in larger organisations".

Jake Kraska PhD (he/him)

Dr Jake Kraska is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Director of Level Up Psychology, GameIQ and co-founder of AEDPA. He has also held positions as a Senior Lecturer, Supervisor, Research Supervisor, and Teaching Associate at no less than two leading tertiary institutions.  In addition to leading his own team of ten psychologists at Level Up Psychology, Jake has experience working across school, community and private practice settings where he often lead multidisciplinary or wellbeing teams.  Jake is a talented researcher and gaming enthusiast whose PhD thesis focused on the use of computer adaptive testing to measure cognitive ability.  It’s safe to assume he enjoys psychological assessment…a lot!

Jake chose to pursue a career in psychology with an initial focus on organisational psychology, “I started towards the organisational psychology pathway with a Bachelor of Psychology and Business and in fourth year fell in love with psychological assessment”.  When asked how the move to Educational and Developmental Psychology came about, Jake advised:

“I enjoyed psychological assessment and helping young people understand their own strengths and challenges as a form of celebrating the diversity of being human”.  

For those who know Jake, it comes as no surprise that his insightful and passionate motivation for starting the AEDPA and collaborating with co-founders and directors Dr Simone Gindidis and Kate Crosher is explained directly, and succinctly: “Advocacy. Advocacy. Advocacy”.

Steven Lanham (he/him)

Steve Lanham is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and a University Lecturer.  Passionate about development across the lifespan, Steve enjoys working with people to uncover their unique strengths, address challenges, and navigate complex systems to succeed. He is also dedicated to helping individuals understand differences and one another.

Steve was drawn to the field while researching Master's degrees. He found that the Educational and Developmental ethos of valuing diversity and supporting the unique human experience across the lifespan aligned perfectly with his own values and thinking.

Steve joined AEDPA because he believes Educational and Developmental Psychologists are an exceptionally skilled and humble group who deserve better recognition for the immense value they bring to the public. 

His goal is to help the community understand how the profession can assist them at any stage of life and to ensure these psychologists are recognised for their true expertise.

Claire Ting (she/her)

Claire Ting is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Board approved supervisor, lecturer, and PhD candidate. She is the Course Coordinator of a Master of Psychology (Educational and Developmental) program, and is currently the only AEDPA Director from Queensland. Claire’s career has focused on assessment, learning and developmental disability, accessibility, and the Deaf community.

Claire describes her decision to study Ed & Dev:

“Developmental psychology was my favourite area all through undergrad. In third year, a tutor said that the only career in developmental psychology was research, but that there was no professional pathway. Thankfully I soon discovered that this was untrue and started seriously looking into Ed & Dev. The decision was obvious to me when I realised that even though ed & dev overlaps hugely with other areas, if I were to do a Venn diagram, it was the Ed & Dev parts outside of the overlap that most excited me - and I’d still get to do all the rest!”

Since then, Claire has continued to juggle her love of Ed & Dev with the frustration of how misunderstood it still is. Becoming a director of AEDPA seemed to be a natural step in enabling her to keep promoting what a fabulous area of psychology ed & dev is, and also making sure ed & dev remains visible and understood correctly.  She recently obtained endorsement in clinical psychology through the substantial equivalence pathway, hoping this may enable more opportunities for discussions and advocacy within the sector.

Shi Hui Lee (she/her)

Shi Hui Lee is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and the Principal Psychologist of Altair Psychology. Her career has taken her through medical, research, educational, and social services, experiences that shape her holistic, deeply human lens. Shi Hui has been privileged to witness how biology, environment, identity, and resilience weave together across a lifetime. These diverse chapters inform her warm, integrative approach to psychology and her steady ability to sit confidently with complexity, grounded in the belief that every story makes sense when understood in its full context.

Shi Hui chose Educational and Developmental Psychology because it reflects how she naturally thinks: across the lifespan, across systems, and across the wonderfully tangled pathways through which humans learn, adapt, and make meaning. “People don’t magically reset at 18,” she often jokes. “Our stories grow with us, so our psychology should too.” The field offered her a home for her curiosity, compassion, creativity, and love for complex human stories.

She works with trauma, neurodivergence, and presentations where development, emotion, and lived experience intersect in nuanced ways. Known for her formulation-driven style, Shi Hui translates intricate clinical patterns into clear, empowering narratives that help individuals and families understand themselves with clarity and kindness. Her assessment work blends scientific rigour with accessibility and humanity.

Alongside her clinical practice, Shi Hui develops workshops, tools, and educational resources for clinicians, educators, families, and communities, infusing evidence-based practice with metaphor, humour, and practical insight. As a board-approved supervisor, she supports early-career psychologists with warmth, honesty, and a touch of sparkle.

Shi Hui is often found saying, “When people understand their own story, they stop feeling lost inside it.”

Lydia Soh PhD (she/her)

Dr Lydia Soh is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and the director of Lemon Squeezy Psychology, a neuro-affirming practice that supports children, young people, and their families to understand themselves and grow with confidence. She values creating safe, inclusive spaces where people feel heard, respected, and genuinely supported.

Lydia’s pathway into Educational & Developmental Psychology was shaped by a longstanding curiosity about human development - how physical, cognitive, emotional, and social milestones unfold, and how each stage presents its own opportunities and challenges. This interest evolved into a commitment to supporting people and their surrounding systems at every step of their developmental journey. This led her to complete a Master’s/PhD in Educational and Developmental Psychology, where she deepened her understanding of the factors that shape wellbeing across the lifespan.

Lydia joined the AEDPA Board to help strengthen the voice and visibility of Educational and Developmental Psychologists in Australia. She is passionate about building processes that help AEDPA run smoothly, grow sustainably, and stay connected to its members. In the Operations portfolio, she enjoys bringing people together, improving how the organisation communicates and collaborates, and supporting projects that advance equity and positive outcomes for the communities Educational & Developmental Psychologists serve.

Simon Finkelstein PhD (he/him)

Dr Simon Finkelstein is an Educational and Developmental Psychologist and researcher who leads AEDPA’s People & Culture portfolio with a steady, systems-focused lens.

His PhD research examined disability inclusion in mainstream schools, including published work on the classroom practices that support meaningful inclusion and belonging for diverse learners.

Simon brings a strong evidence base, thoughtful leadership, and a genuine commitment to building cultures where people feel valued, supported, and able to do their best work whether in schools, services, or professional organisations.

Bree Danielle-Wyatt

Bree-Danielle Wyatt is the AEDPA Director of Business Development. Bree brings more than two decades of strategic, consultative leadership in business development: building sales strategy, pipelines, teams and innovation from the ground up with clarity, courage and creativity. She has been recognised as a Women in Digital Health Leader by the Australasian Institute of Digital Health, celebrating her commitment to advancing women’s leadership, technology, and impact in complex health environments. 

She’s the kind of leader who isn’t intimidated by a room (or organisation!) full of psychologists.  In fact, she brings a fresh perspective that helps connect our expertise with wider systems, opportunities and impact.  We are delighted that Bree has chosen to share her leadership and vision with AEDPA.