Makarena Dudley

Makarena Diana Dudley , also known as Margaret Dudley, is a New Zealand clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist and academic, specialising in neuropsychology, dementia and Māori health psychology research. She is currently one of the co-directors of the clinical psychology programme at the University of Auckland. In 2016, Dudley became the first permanent Māori clinical psychology lecturer employed at the University of Auckland. Dudley's iwi include Te Rarawa, Te Aupōuri and Ngāti Kahu. In 2025 Dudley was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to people with dementia, particularly Māori.

Biography

Dudley was one of ten children growing up in central Auckland, attending Blockhouse Bay Intermediate and Lynfield College, leaving at 15. In 2016, Dudley became the first permanent Māori clinical psychology lecturer employed at the University of Auckland. By 2020, Dudley was still only one of four Māori neuropsychologists in New Zealand. In 2020, Dudley was awarded a fellowship by Alzheimers New Zealand, in order to further research on the impacts of dementia. As a part of this project, a smartphone app was released to help families identify early signs of mate wareware (dementia), while following Tikanga Māori.

In the 2025 New Year Honours, Dudley was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to people with dementia, particularly Māori.

Selected works