She joined the IoP in 2011 and presented an inaugural lecture entitled "Trials and tribulations: A journey towards integrated care for long term conditions.

"[2] Growing up in South Africa, Rona studied occupational therapy at the University of Cape Town, where she was awarded a BSc.

[4] She worked at the University of Auckland as a lecturer and whilst on the faculty helped to set up a Masters course in Health Psychology.

This work has included attempts to model and treat[6] the disorders as well as understanding psychological factors involved in reactions to chronic illness as well as how the patient[7] and their family adjust to the symptoms.

[10] Rona has co-authored a book with Keith Petrie entitled Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (Experience of Illness).