Leigh Rushworth

Director and Principal Physiotherapist at Accelerate Physiotherapy in Canberra. Dual titled physiotherapist in both Musculoskeletal and Pain and sits on the Capital Health Network’s Clinical Advisory Council as the Allied Health representative.

ACT

Ten years' experience working as a Physiotherapist in disability services across public, private and business sectors, with a strong focus on stakeholder engagement.

NSW

Titled Musculoskeletal physiotherapist with experience in public health orthopaedic and neurosurgery screening clinics in Queensland and the ACT. Currently working at Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital. Member of the National Professional Standards Panel since 2017.

ACT

Director and Principal Physio at Mint Wellbeing - a women’s health and musculoskeletal clinic. Lecturer for the APA WMPH courses. Over 15 years management experience in hospital, not-for-profit and private practice.

WA

Amy first joined the QLD Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy committee in 2002 and has held numerous office bearer roles at state and national levels. Amy’s career has included clinical work in acute, rehabilitation and outpatient settings predominately working with people who had medical and orthopaedic/ musculoskeletal conditions.

QLD

Angela is the Founder & Principal Physiotherapist of Sydney Pelvic Clinic, a specialised pelvic health service for women, men, and children. Angela has developed a team of like-minded, highly trained professionals committed to delivering an evidence-based and person-centred approach to improve their patient’s pelvic health. In addition to her clinical work, Angela teaches locally and internationally, striving to improve the quality of physiotherapy services beyond her own borders.

NSW

Physiotherapist and business owner who graduated over 30 years ago and while I trained as a physiotherapist, I realised early on that I’m in the business of making people feel better.

VIC

Benjamin is a final-year Physiotherapy student at the University of Queensland and the 2025 APA Board of Directors Student Prize winner. He serves as a student representative and advisor within the Faculty of Health, Medicine and Behavioural Sciences and the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, supporting curriculum development, student experience, and student employability initiatives university-wide.

QLD

APA Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with experience in private practice and public health in Australia, the UK and Canada.

VIC

Caitlin is a highly experienced physiotherapist, with over a decade of expertise in community aged care, having worked in the private and the not-for-profit sectors.

WA

A proud Kamilaroi man, he currently works at Westmead Children’s Hospital in NSW in Burns and Mental Health. He has enjoyed rotating through approximately 15 clinical areas within NSW Health, working with both adult and paediatric populations.

NSW

Advanced Physiotherapist at Surgical Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS) with extensive neurological physiotherapy experience across public and private models of care in Queensland and overseas including the United Kingdom.

QLD

Dipthi Samalia APAM, MBA, AICD, BPhty, BPharm is a senior physiotherapist and Director of Operations and Marketing at Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy in Brisbane. She has over 22 years of clinical experience across sports physiotherapy, aged care, neurology, men’s and women’s health, and paediatric continence. Dipthi brings extensive leadership and governance experience to her role and is actively involved in professional engagement and advocacy through the Australian Physiotherapy Association.

QLD

Community Care Allied Health Manager at Canberra Health Services, with over 20 years experience working in Australia and the UK.

ACT

A Titled Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist and holds a Masters of Clinical Education. Emily has worked in both public and private sectors, and is now Director of a private practice. She has been involved at a committee level in the Educators group since 2018.

VIC

Senior Physiotherapist and Research Project Manager, with a focus in cancer exercise rehabilitation across major metropolitan public hospital and not-for-profit community organisation settings. Eastern Health, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

VIC

Physiotherapy Head of Department at Blacktown and Mt Druitt Hospitals in Western Sydney Local Health District. Ian has 23 years’ experience in the NSW Public Health Environment.

NSW

APA Titled Sports and Exercise Physiotherapist with 17 years of clinical experience spanning private practice, elite and pathway sports, and workplace injury rehabilitation. Currently working at Physioactive SA, WorkGain Solutions, and Football South Australia.

SA

Jianqi is a final year Physiotherapy student at the University of Queensland and the APA Board of Directors Student Prize winner in 2024. Currently, he contributes to various academic committees as a student representative at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (SHRS).

QLD

WA

NT

SA

APA Titled Occupational Health Physiotherapist in Melbourne with over 15 years of private sector experience in occupational health, workers' compensation and workforce health management.

VIC

QLD

Maree is an APA Musculoskeletal physiotherapist, health service manager and researcher, who is the Program Manager for Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy Screening Clinics in Queensland Health. She has coordinated the pilot, roll out and expansion of advanced practice roles across 18 facilities.

QLD

A Clinical Associate Professor at The University of Sydney, Scientific Editor of Journal of Physiotherapy and Co-Director of the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro). His research investigates: ways to capitalise on interactions between physiotherapy and pharmacological interventions in chronic respiratory disease, and ways to monitor and improve the quality of the clinical research methods used in physiotherapy.

VIC

Specialist Research Physiotherapist and Senior Research Fellow at The University of Queensland. Megan (she/her) leads a program of research to understand and enhance experiences of and access to physiotherapy for people with intersectional and diverse identities and experiences.

QLD

Over 25 years experience in the private sector as a generalist and sports physiotherapist.

NT

Nicola is a dual-titled Sports & Exercise and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. She has worked extensively in elite and amateur sport, and is the Director of the newly established G.O.A.T Physiotherapy & Sports Medicine in Sydney.

NSW

Director of Western Kids Health in Perth, APA Titled Paediatric Physiotherapist

WA

TAS

VIC

Clinical Lead Physiotherapist in Orthopaedics at the Royal Brisbane & Women’s Hospital with extensive experience in both elective and trauma, including spinal cord injuries, sarcoma and limb reconstruction within Australia and the UK.

QLD

Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist with clinical, governance and management roles across the healthcare spectrum. Tom is the Executive Director of the Physio Plus Group, and sits on the Council of the National Rural Health Alliance and the Clinical Council of the Northern Queensland PHN.

QLD

NSW

APA titled Pain and Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist. Senior Clinician Physiotherapist and Clinical Coordinator at the Barbara Walker Centre for Pain Management at St Vincent's Hospital Melbourne.

VIC