Dr Jo Prendergast delivers entertaining, engaging and informative keynotes shaped by more than 30 years of clinical mental health experience. A HarperCollins-commissioned author and award-winning stand-up comedian, she is passionate about building high performance on human foundations.
She works with leaders, teams and conferences on burnout, psychological safety, neurodivergence and the honest conversations most workplaces avoid, and she performs professionally as a stand-up comedian. Her rare blend of medical expertise, lived experience and fearless humour lets her connect deeply with audiences while challenging them to think differently. They laugh hard, think harder, and walk out with something they will actually use.
More than 30 years in clinical mental health
Dr Jo graduated from Otago Medical School in 1992 and completed specialty training as a psychiatrist in Sydney, obtaining her RANZCP Fellowship in 2000. Since then she has worked with teenagers and adults across public mental health services and private practice in both New Zealand and Australia, building specialist expertise in burnout, severe childhood trauma and ADHD. She now works as a psychiatrist assessor for ACC.
When Life Sucks, HarperCollins
HarperCollins commissioned her first book, When Life Sucks, a frank, funny, practical guide to supporting teen mental health. It is now sold across Australia, New Zealand and the UK, and Dr Jo has appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live, The Project, TVNZ Breakfast, Channel 9 Today Extra, ABC Weekend Breakfast and RNZ, among many others.
Five sold-out festival seasons
Dr Jo performs professionally as a stand-up comedian, with three solo shows: The Cool Mum, Cancer and Cartwheels and Dr Jo Prendergast is #coping. She has toured extensively around New Zealand and Australia, including curated festivals, with multiple sold-out shows. She performed a well-reviewed full run at the Gilded Balloon, Edinburgh Fringe, in 2024. Dr Jo has won multiple comedy awards and her shows have received many four- and five-star reviews.
Burnout, resilience, psychological safety, neurodivergence and mental health at work, delivered as serious keynotes with humour, comedy keynotes, or pure corporate comedy sets.
Yes. Her Tier 1 keynotes meet a serious brief with clinical substance; humour is used to engage, not to undercut the message.
Absolutely. Her comedy keynotes and corporate comedy sets are built to entertain, for galas, awards nights and social events.
Dr Jo is based in Christchurch, New Zealand, and she speaks in NZ, Australia and beyond.