Lisa Zipparo completed a BSc in Psychology (Hons1) from the University of NSW and was awarded the Australian Psychological Society award for academic excellence. In 2007 she completed a Masters of Clinical Neuropsychology from Macquarie University and is currently completing a PhD looking at the neuropsychology of Complex PTSD.

Since 1989 Lisa has worked with a wide array of psychiatric and neurocognitive populations including in the areas of intellectual disabilities, neurodevelopmental disorders, trauma, psychosis, and acquired brain injury. Lisa has experience working as a Clinical Neuropsychologist in both hospital and private practice settings. Lisa completed her internship in the Traumatic Brain Injury Unit at Westmead Hospital where she gained thorough skills in the assessment and rehabilitation of people with the full range of brain injuries.  She conducted her Master’s research through the First Episode Psychosis Unit at Westmead Hospital writing her thesis on the neuropsychological markers of first episode psychosis. More recently Lisa held a 12-month position as Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Northern Beaches Hospital, conducting neuropsychological and capacity assessments across all hospital populations including patients with medical, psychiatric, and neurocognitive disorders. Lisa has held a position as Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist at Dr Susan Pulman and Associates since 2011 specialising in neuropsychological assessments with forensic populations. Lisa has fifteen years of experience conducting fitness to stand trial assessments, sentencing reports, Section 14 and 32 reports, substantial impairment assessments, risk assessments of forensic populations including sex offenders, and has training in specific risk assessment instruments for cognitively impaired populations. Lisa has many years of experience working with complex populations including people with autism, intellectual disability, brain injury, and cognitive impairments resulting from neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders.  Lisa has conducted assessments for NSW Crown Solicitors, Mental Health Advocacy Service for Conditional Release matters and Extended Supervision Orders, in addition to conducting cognitive assessments for ongoing forensic patient status.

In addition to three decades working as a psychologist, researcher and specialist interviewer, Lisa spent six years at the Independent Commission Against Corruption researching criminal and corrupt behaviour. Lisa was the evaluation manager for the Drug Summit programs for NSW Cabinet Office and has conducted many state-wide research projects, including evaluations of the experiences of people with disabilities within the justice system on behalf the Department of Community and Justice. 

Lisa holds specialist endorsement as a Clinical Neuropsychologist and is a Fellow of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologists and Member of the Australian Psychological Society.

Educational Qualifications

• Master of Clinical Neuropsychology, Macquarie University 2007
• BSc (Psych, Hons 1), University of NSW 1989
• PhD Candidate

Professional Experience

• 2011 – Current Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist
  • Dr Susan Pulman & Associates
• 2022 – 2023 Clinical Neuropsychologist
  • Northern Beaches Hospital
• 2001- 2010 Senior Research Director Government and Social Research
  • Taverner Research
• 2000 – 2001 State Evaluation Manager, Drug Summit Programs
  • Office of Drug Policy, NSW Cabinet Office
• 1995 – 2000 Research Officer
  • Independent Commission Against Corruption
• 1991 – 1995 Research Manager, Clinical Quality Improvement Unit
  • Central Sydney Area Health Service
• 1989 – 1991 Psychologist
  • Spastic Centre of NSW

Professional Memberships

• Registration with AHPRA / Psychology Board of Australia as a General Psychologist with endorsement in the area of Clinical Neuropsychology (registration number: PSY0001245495)
• Membership of the APS (MAPS)
• Fellow of the College of Clinical Neuropsychologist (FCCN)
• Organisational Membership with the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN)

Publications

• Zipparo, L., Whitford, T.J., et al (2008) Investigating the neuropsychological and neuroanatomical changes that occur over the first 2-3 years of illness in patients with first-episode schizophrenia. Progress in Neuro-psychopharmacology & Biological Psychiatry, Volume 32, Issue 2, pages 531-538.
• Zipparo, L. (1999) Encouraging Public Sector Employees to Report Workplace Corruption. Australian Journal of Public Administration, Volume 58, Issue 2, pages 83–93.
• Zipparo, L. (1999) Factors which deter public officials from reporting corruption. Crime, Law and Social Change. Volume 30, Number 3, pages 273-287.
• Zipparo, L. and Gibson, J. (1994) Study of the actual and potential utilization of autologous blood donation in four Central Sydney Area hospitals. Journal of Quality in Clinical Practice, Volume 14, Issue 2, pages 65-77.
• Gibson, J. and Zipparo, L. (1993) Autologous Predeposit Blood Donation in Pregnancy – a Perspective. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Volume 33, Issue 3, pages 276–279.

Conference Papers

• Lisa Zipparo. Why people don’t report corruption: Barriers to the success of the NSW Protected Disclosures Act. 12th Annual Conference for the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology, 8-11 July 1997, Griffith University, Queensland