Karyn O’Keeffe

Elected as the President of the NZ Branch of ASA in July 2025, Karyn O’Keeffe is a Senior Lecturer at the Sleep/Wake Research Centre at Massey University, Wellington.  Karyn started her career as a Clinical Physiologist at WellSleep, University of Otago, while completing her PhD in sleep physiology.  Karyn has broad research interests but is particularly passionate about (a) understanding the experience and impacts of shift work and workplace fatigue, and improving fatigue management, particularly for workers in healthcare; (b) strategies to improve sleep health; and (c) understanding the experience of sleep disorders.  She also coordinates and is the primary lecturer for undergraduate and postgraduate courses on sleep and circadian science at Massey University.  Outside of work, Karyn often has music in her ears and a book on hand.

Rosie Gibson
Rosie is originally from East Anglia, England, and has a background in psychology, clinical sleep practice, and aged care. She emigrated to Aotearoa New Zealand as a Commonwealth Scholar in 2008 and now resides with her young family on the Kāpiti coast. Rosie completed her postgraduate studies at Massey University's Sleep/Wake Research Centre in Wellington, where she developed a programme of research concerning sleep health with ageing, dementia, and informal caregiving. Her works use mixed methods to better understand experiences of sleep with ageing, factors affecting sleep, and non-pharmacological approaches to supporting sleep health. In 2022, Rosie transitioned to a senior position within Massey’s Health and Ageing Research Team, where she contributes to the ongoing research associated with a longitudinal cohort on ageing as well as adjunct projects concerning sleep, ageing, and society. Rosie is Vice President of the NZ Association of Gerontology. She has served on the research and early career committees within the Australasian Sleep Association before joining the NZ branch in 2022.

Leigh Signal 
Leigh is a Professor of Fatigue Management and Sleep Health at the Sleep/Wake Research Centre, Massey University, Wellington. Leigh trained as a Commercial Pilot and then completed a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organisational Psychology before completing her PhD in Public Health. Part of Leigh’s work focuses on applying sleep science in safety-critical industries, particularly aviation, to keep people safe and healthy. She has worked with aircraft manufacturers, national and international airlines and regulators and has conducted studies onboard aircraft and in the laboratory environment. Leigh’s second area of research looks at the sleep health of women and children. She is interested in the relationship between sleep and mental health across the lifespan, and ways we can support people to maintain good sleep health and mental health. When not thinking, talking or writing about sleep, Leigh can normally be found walking, biking or water skiing with her family on the Kapiti Coast.

Angela Campbell
Angela started her sleep career in Dunedin, completing her PhD in infant sleep physiology.  She now manages WellSleep, the University of Otago Sleep Investigation Unit.  Her research interests include paediatric apnoea, sleep and measurement technology, and sleep and prostate cancer.  Angela has previously served on the ASA board and completed terms as President of ASTA (now ANZSSA) and the NZ Branch of the ASA.  She is also a member of the reference group for the Paediatric Respiratory Network.  When not at work, she can be found running or biking around the Wellington hills. 

Bronwyn Sweeney
Bronwyn is a registered clinical psychologist in independent practice and an Honorary Research Associate at Massey University’s Sleep/Wake Research Centre. Bronwyn enjoys opportunities to share sleep knowledge with others, especially since few of us receive sleep education growing up. Her doctoral research investigated sleep changes in late pregnancy and the relationship to maternal mental health in a sample of over 1,100 Kiwi women. Clinically, her interests include working with adults affected by chronic insomnia and those affected by reproductive and perinatal difficulties, including infertility, loss and perinatal distress. Outside of these roles, Bronwyn cherishes any sleep she can get, always has knitting on the go, walking shoes at the ready, and relishes time with family, which includes young grandchildren and multiple dogs.

Patryk Szulakowski 
Patryk graduated from medical school in Poland. He moved to Scotland in 2002, where he carried out research in COPD at the University of Edinburgh.  He then continued his medical career by completing advanced training in Respiratory and General Medicine in Glasgow. During his specialist training, he became passionate about Sleep Medicine. He furthered his interest in this field by completing the Sleep Medicine Course at the University of Edinburgh and the International Sleep Medicine Course in Cambridge. Patryk undertook and passed the International Sleep Medicine Course (ISMC) Examination in London while he worked in the East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, England, where he established a Sleep Service. He emigrated to New Zealand in 2017 and now lives with his wife and two daughters in the Bay of Plenty. Patryk works as a Respiratory and Sleep Physician and as a Clinical Lead of the Sleep Service in Tauranga. In his spare time, he enjoys water sports, gardening and maintaining an active lifestyle.

Teurai Chikura
Teurai is a full-time Respiratory Physician with an interest in sleep.  He graduated from medical school in 2004. After moving to Dunedin from Zimbabwe in 2007, Teurai undertook FRACP-accredited training in Respiratory medicine at Dunedin and Christchurch Hospitals. He developed an interest in Sleep medicine during his Respiratory training. Teurai moved to Christchurch Hospital in 2013 as a Senior Registrar, where his sleep medicine interest was further developed under the mentorship of their dedicated sleep service, ably led by Dr Michael Hlavac (Medical Director of the Sleep Service and past president of the New Zealand Branch of The Australasian Sleep Association) and Dr Paul Tudor Kelly (Scientific Director Sleep Service). Soon after being appointed as a Respiratory Physician at Christchurch Hospital in 2016, Teurai completed the Sleep Medicine Course at the University of Edinburgh as he looked to further his skills in this area. Teurai has comprehensive experience in the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders, including sleep disordered breathing. He is a key member of the Christchurch Hospital multidisciplinary sleep service. Teurai is also involved in private Sleep and Respiratory medicine practice at Cansleep and South Island Respiratory Specialists in Christchurch. He is regularly involved in medical student teaching at the Christchurch Hospital campus of the University of Otago. He lives in Christchurch with his adorable wife, Melody, and their two sons.