Director and Principal
Dr Nicole Kochan
BSc (Hons), MClinNeuropsychology, PhD, MAPS
Dr Nicky Kochan is a Senior Clinical Neuropsychologist with over 25 years of clinical and research experience in assessment, diagnosis and management of neurocognitive disorders and cognitive decline. She holds endorsement in Clinical Neuropsychology with the Psychology Board of Australia and is a full member of the Australian Psychological Society.
As a Clinician and Cognitive Neuroscience Researcher, I bridge cutting-edge research on brain disorders with clinical practice, bringing the latest scientific insights directly into patient care.
Dr Nicole Kochan
Nicky is a Clinical Neuropsychologist with 25 years of specialist experience in cognitive ageing, memory disorders, and dementia. Through Sydney Memory Centre, she provides comprehensive, evidence-based assessments and rehabilitation to help individuals and families understand cognitive changes, gain diagnostic clarity, and make informed decisions about their health, wellbeing, and future care.
Nicky is endorsed as a Clinical Neuropsychologist by the Psychology Board of Australia and has extensive experience assessing adults with memory concerns, Mild Cognitive Impairment, dementia, brain injury, and other neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions.
Extensive Clinical Experience
Nicky spent 17 years as a Clinical Neuropsychologist at the Neuropsychiatric Institute and Memory Disorders Clinic at Prince of Wales Hospital, where she developed specialist expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of dementia and other cognitive disorders. She has also worked in neurological rehabilitation, supporting individuals recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and other neurological conditions.
Research Excellence Informing Clinical Care
Alongside her clinical work, Nicky has built an internationally recognised research career in cognitive ageing and dementia. She completed her PhD at UNSW and spent more than 15 years as Lead Neuropsychologist at the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), contributing to major research programs focused on dementia prevention and innovative cognitive assessment.
She is an Adjunct Senior Lecturer at UNSW, serves on the Advisory Board of the Australian Dementia Research Network, and continues to collaborate on national and international dementia prevention research.
Bringing Clinical and Research Expertise Together
Through Sydney Memory Centre, Nicky combines decades of clinical experience with the latest advances in dementia and brain health research. Her approach is thorough, compassionate, and practical, helping individuals and families understand the reasons behind cognitive changes and develop personalised strategies to support everyday functioning, wellbeing, and long-term brain health.
Qualifications
Bachelor of Science in Psychology (Honours) University of New South Wales
Master of Clinical Neuropsychology Macquarie University
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) University of New South Wales
Other Training
Training Course in Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), University of Michigan, USA
Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), University of Queensland
Professional Memberships and Appointments
Registered Psychologist, Australian Health Professional Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and Psychology Board of Australia – Endorsed Area of Practice in Clinical Neuropsychology
Full Member of the Australian Psychological Society (MAPS)
Fellow of the APS College of Clinical Neuropsychologists
Member of Australian Clinical Neuropsychology Association (ACNpA)
Psychology Board of Australia approved Supervisor in Clinical Neuropsychology
Adjunct Senior Lecturer,Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), Faculty of Medicine and Health UNSW
Member Australia Dementia Research Network (ADNeT) Advisory Board
Member of the International Society to Advance Alzheimer Research and Treatment (ISTAART)
