Leadership Network members

Sonja Neef



Sonja is of Thai-German origin who grew up in Thailand and Japan before moving to Aotearoa.

Sonja is currently pursuing a master's degree in psychology, focusing on the role of arts and community engagement in promoting hope and well-being among individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Sonja is interested in intercultural research on aging, aiming to improve the positive aging, well-being and mental health of older adults.

She has represented youth at the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs and received the Prime Minister's Scholarship to Latin America, where she participated in a four-month course on Intercultural Approaches to Public Health in Chile.