Our People

Dale Smith - Clinical Director

Dale has a Bachelor of Applied Social Sciences and is a full member of the Aotearoa New Zealand Association of Social Workers, and is registered with the New Zealand Social Workers Registration Board. He has a Post Graduate Primary Certificate in R.E.B.T., and has completed addiction training at Willingway Hospital in the US. He worked for three years as a rehabilitation counsellor at QE Health Rotorua, and was also on the Advisory Committee for Waiariki Technical Institute (Social Sciences). He is a community volunteer, speaker and trainer. Dale brings a unique family perspective to the Capri Team. He provides overall clinical supervision for all Capri clients' individual treatment plans, client recovery education and direct client and family counselling. In 2010 Dale is on study leave working towards his Masters in Rehabilitation.

Aston Smith - Administrator

Aston is personal proof the programme works. He was initially trained by the International Institute of Addiction Studies after his own successful recovery. Beginning with Capri in the role of Personal Recovery Coach, he continued his training in the United States with an internship at the world-renowned Willingway Hospital. Aston has attended a Southeast Conference on Addictive Disease (SECAD) in Atlanta, US. “I’m hands-on with the clients because I know if I can do it, anyone can.”

Tom Claunch - Co Founder & Clinical Consultant

A Certified Addiction Counsellor and Hospital Administrator with over thirty years working in the addictive disease field, Tom is an international consultant, lecturer and speaker. A past president of the 22,000 member National Association of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors - USA, Director of the International Institute of Addiction Studies and Founder/Chairman of the New Zealand ~ Australia Conference of Addictive Diseases.

Dr Greig McCormick FRANZCP - Medical Director

Greig qualified in medicine at the University of Otago and has been a specialist psychiatrist since 1991. He has established a private practice in Auckland and has a long standing interest in drug, alcohol, and dual diagnosis problems. Dr McCormick currently serves as consultant to several community organisations in both the public and private sectors.

Dr Charles Newhook - MBChB, BMedSc (Otago) 1973; FRCPA (Australia) 1981 - General Physician

Dr Charles is our doctor. He is in recovery himself and brings personal experience to helping our consumers into solid recovery. Charles completed Basic Medical training at Otago Medical School, Dunedin. He also has a research degree (Medical Science) in immunology. His postgraduate training was mostly in Brisbane in general medicine, pathology and haematology. Charles returned to Dunedin in 1980 and took up a Senior Lecturer post at the Medical School, and consultancy at Dunedin Hospital and Kew Hospital, Invercargill in Clinical Haematology and Haematopathology. Charles moved to Hamilton to a purely Laboratory consultancy in 2001 until it ceased operations in early 2008. Charles has semi-retired and entered recovery since then.

Michelle Smith - Clinical Administrator & Family Counsellor

Michelle is a qualified and experienced teacher who has a special interest in family members' recovery from the effects of addictive disease. She works with Clinical Director to ensure compliance with our certification requirements. She also works with consumers as needed.

Guy Smith - Co-Founder and Volunteer

A highly successful and effective businessman, Guy is able to share his recovery experience, strength and hope with other professionals and accomplished Capri consumers and their families. Trained with the International Instititue of Addiction Studies, he serves as a personal Recovery Coach. "Addiction is not just a skid-row problem, often the best and the brightest are affected."

Sue Smith - Co-Founder and House Mother

Sue is one of the original founders of Capri Trust and a family member in recovery. She is a great support to our consumers' families. Sue helps to facilitate our Family Group on Wednesday evenings. She also helps with administration.

Vicki Fisikefu-Brown - Night Caregiver and Cultural Advisor

Vicki provides a listening ear for consumers during the night and ensures the property is secure. She is more commonly known as 'Aunty' by our consumers. Vicki is also available to support consumers with any cultural concerns they might have and advises the Management Team about cultural issues.

Dharmesh Parekh (Dee) - Chef

Dee has a vast amount of experience in the entertainment area. His meals are simply outstanding. Dee can assist consumers with any specific dietary requirements they might have.

Lance Manins - Consumer Advocate and Volunteer

Lance is a Capri graduate in solid recovery who facilitates two evening consumer groups: a 12-Step Study Group and a Continuing Care Group. Lance also supports our consumers and advoctes on their behalf if they have any concerns they don't feel able to address with the Management Team on their own.

Sue Jacobi - Special Issues Counsellor

Sue provides counselling related to special issues that individual consumers may have. She is also available in a private capcity for family counselling. Sue received the NZACAD Counsellor of the Year Award for 2003. She received her B.A. from Auckland University, and B.D. from Otago University. Sue has an Hons. Diploma in Theology from Theological Hall, Knox College, Dunedin, a Cerifcat d'etudes oecumeniques (Geneva) and is a Certified Addiction Counsellor (CAC). Sue had a long and sucessful career as a Parish Minister, and as a Hospital Chaplain at Middlemore Hospital.

Ted Wotherspoon - Psychologist

Ted is a registered psychologist who qualified at the University of Auckland. He has extensive experience in child, young adult, family and education interventions. Since 1985 Ted has been Managing Director of Vital Services Limited and since 1996, Healthy Families - Triple P Limited, his own businesses. Ted works with children, young adults and families on a daily basis, assisting them to lead normal lives. His strong background and specialised knowledge in these areas make Ted highly suited to support the Capri programmes, particularly those involving young adults and their families.

Dr Rob Nash - Weekend Volunteer

Dr Rob Nash is in recovery, and brings both professional and personal experience to his volunteer work here at Capri.

Trever Grice - Consultant / Advisor

Trevor Grice has been in the education business in NZ for the past 20 years. In addition to his work for Capri Trust Trevor now wears several hats:

Founder/director Life Education NZ (40 community funded mobiles on the road covering most of the country with health-based programs for primary school children).

Co-author THE GREAT BRAIN ROBBERY - best seller describing the negative impact of drugs on the maturing brain. Second edition now released. Translated into German and Spanish.

Lecturer at the NZ Police College, secondary schools and tertiary institutions throughout the country, government and private agencies, hospitals and businesses.

Private counsellor for youth at risk and their families.

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (1997)

USA – Presidential Citation (1977)

UNESCO Peace Builder Award (2000)

Adam - Dog

Adam loves going for walks around the basin.