Bridgette is a Lecturer in the School of Psychology at the University of Waikato. Bridgette's PhD sought to understand stakeholder experiences of an external evaluation applied to a Kaupapa Māori programme. A descendent of Ngāti Kuri, Te Rarawa, Ngai te Rangi, Tūwharetoa ki Kawerau, married to Shaun Awatere and mother of two children, Bridgette juggles family commitments with her research interests and work/teaching roles. Bridgette’s experience of evaluation with communities has contributed to her interest in exploring the strengths, weaknesses, similarities and differences of evaluation models applied across different community contexts. To apply this interest to her research Bridgette has engaged interviews with evaluators, programme providers, programme recipients and their whānau. Her research intends to contribute to cultural consideration in the application of evaluation when working with Māori communities.

Examples of other research projects Bridgette is/has been involved in, include: Evaluations on Domestic Violence and Intimate Partner violence with Department of Corrections (2004-2006) and Te Whakaruruhau, Māori Women's Welfare League (2010 - 2014); Psychological Professional Practice Issues with the National Standing Committee on Bicultural Issues (NSCBI) (2012-2014); Māori and Pasifika Trade Training at the Waikato Institute of Technology (2014); Māori women and breast screening, Waikato District Health Board, (2014 - ongoing).

Within the School of Psychology, Bridgette: convenes the Community Psychology post-graduate programme, a professional training programme that leads to registration as a psychologist in Aotearoa New Zealand; co-convenes the Kaupapa Māori Management Committee  with Mohi Rua, a committee that monitors the School's delivery of culturally appropriate and relevant teaching and research material; and, is a member of several School and Faculty committees.