Who We Are - your brain training team of experts.

HeadStrong Cognitive Fitness Centre is a company developed in Australia with American origins.  Dr. Elkhonon Goldberg, a globally recognised authority, scientist, neuropsychologist, author and Clinical Professor of Neurology at New York University, is one of HeadStrong’s founders.  He created and pioneered the concept of a Cognitive Fitness Centre in New York and has become one of HeadStrong’s advisors.

John Garland - CEO

John serves as the CEO of HeadStrong.  Most recently the COO of J Walter Thomson New York, the largest advertising agency in North America, working with clients like Ford Motor Co, Merrill Lynch, HSBC, Unilever, Sun Microsystems, Qwest, KPMG and Jet Blue. John has also had stints as an EVP at Advertising Agencies Chiat-Day and Wells, Rich, Green, both in New York.  John’s background, however, is in film production where he has produced in 55 different countries in the world for both his own production companies and for others. John’s credits include the movie, “The Professional” directed by Luc Besson starring Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman. Additionally, he founded one of the first web site development companies, IQueue Multimedia, in 1994 with Mercedes Benz as its anchor client.

"The Wisdom Paradox - how your mind can grow stronger as your brain grows older" Prof. Elkhonon Goldberg, HeadStrong Advisor

Clinical and Scientific Advisory Team

Clinical Neuropsychologist Nicola Gates is responsible for the development of the exercises and research.  She is a member of the International Neuropsychology Society and has sixteen years of clinical expertise in acquired brain injury and rehabilitation.  She has been an Honorary member of the University of Macquarie, University of Sydney and University of New South Wales.

HeadStrong has a number of specialist clinicians advising its program.  Professor Goldberg, at New York University School of Medicine, internationally renowned for his clinical work, research, and teaching in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience.   Dr Green, a respected researcher and Clinician with publications in positive psychology, and Susie Burell, President of the Australian Dietician Association.

Management team

In Australia, HeadStrong is managed by Nicola Gates and has the following board of directors:

John Fawcett
Fellow AMI, CPM, AMP(Harvard)
 
John is Chairman of HeadStrong and is leading the company’s marketing.  John was formerly National Managing Partner and CEO of George Patterson Bates in Australia and formerly Creative Director of Bates Worldwide based in New York.
 
Andrew Stephenson
BA LLB

Andrew has significant experience in corporate law and business development, and provides legal and investment advice for the strategic development of HeadStrong.

Daniel Barnett
BA (Mass Communication)

Daniel is responsible for the online product development and Internet marketing and sales.  Daniel’s background is in managing and commercialising innovative technology as well as in Internet retail.  Daniel brings to the group skills in commercialisation and project management.


Nicola Gates
BA (Hons), MPhil (Psychology), MA (Clinical Neuropsychology)

In addition to her role as Clinical Neuropsychologist, Nicola was employed with the Royal Rehabilitation Centre Sydney as the Allied Health Manager of the Brain Injury Unit, and has conducted several research projects. 

Key Shareholder
A founding shareholder and advisor to HeadStrong, Professor Elkhonon Goldberg Ph.D, is an author, educator, and clinician, internationally renowned for his clinical work, research, and teaching in neuropsychology and cognitive neuroscience. He is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at New York University School of Medicine.