Physiotherapy Board Members

Ms Kim Gibson

Chair and practitioner member from Western Australia

Qualifications:

• B.App. Sci. (Physio), MA Public Sector Leadership, GAICD, FACHSM

Kim has significant health industry experience spanning clinical practice, education, clinical governance, health service management and governance, regulation and health reform.

A diverse work history has taken her from Perth to regional WA, Switzerland, Egypt and the UK practicing in a range of clinical areas and healthcare settings.

She has held key leadership positions including Physiotherapy Head of Department and Director of Allied Health at Princess Margaret and King Edward Memorial Hospitals, Deputy Chair, of the Governing Council of North Metropolitan Health Service and Chair of the Clinical Senate of Western Australia.

Kim is Deputy Chair of the South Metropolitan Health Service Board and Chair of the Board's Safety and Quality Committee.

Appointed for her second term as Board Chair, and fourth as the WA practitioner member, she has been involved in physiotherapy regulation since 2003, chairing the WA Physiotherapy Board prior to commencement of the national scheme.

Sally Adamson

Appointed as a practitioner member from Northern Territory

Qualifications:

• B. App Sc (Ex & Sp Sc), B. Physio, MBA (eBusiness).

Sally is the Managing Director and Senior Clinician of a private physiotherapy clinic in the Northern Territory. She commenced her career as a physiotherapist 19 years ago in northern Queensland after completing Bachelor degrees in Exercise and Sports Science and Physiotherapy in Adelaide. Since this time Sally has worked across a wide range of sectors including Public and Private Hospitals, Community Health, Residential and Community Care and Private Practice in Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Sally has resided in Darwin with her husband and two school aged children for 15 years. During this time she has worked predominantly in private physiotherapy practice and has played an important role in the development of physiotherapy services within the local community. Sally has been a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association since she graduated and has worked closely with colleagues and professional bodies during this time to improve access to professional development in the Top End.

Sally has a passion for quality in physiotherapy practice, ethics, governance and social responsibility. She demonstrates this commitment in her own practice through voluntarily completing and maintaining practice accreditation to the Australian Physiotherapy Associations 8th Standards, and implementing an online learning platform for clinical and non-clinical staff to ensure compliance with professional standards and professional development requirements. It is this passion that has driven Sally to undertake a Masters of Business Administration which she has recently completed and hopes to use to further influence the quality in healthcare landscape.

Mr David Cross

Appointed as a practitioner member from New South Wales

David has worked in rural and remote towns in western NSW since his graduation over 35 years ago. David also completed a Masters of Physiotherapy in Rural and Remote Studies through the University of South Australia in 1999.

David presently works as the sole physiotherapist in a small rural community in western NSW. David has a special passion for rural health, especially for small communities, and believes that the role of a physiotherapist can significantly help with improving the health of these communities. David has been member of the NSW Rural Health Network Executive for the last eight years.

David also has a particular interest in undergraduate physiotherapy education and takes physiotherapy students from NSW, Queensland and ACT for most months of the year. He also gives lectures on rural health and rural physiotherapy to some undergraduate courses.

David has been involved in physiotherapy registration for over 30 years, both with the former NSW State Physiotherapy Board, the NSW Physiotherapy Council and also the Physiotherapy Board of Australia. He has a particular interest in notification management.

Paula Harding

Appointed as a practitioner member from Victoria

Qualifications:

• B. Physio., M. Manip., D.Clin. Physio.,
• The Alfred, Melbourne.

Paula has over 30 years+ of experience working as a physiotherapist in both private and public settings. In 2000, she completed a post graduate Masters of Manipulative Physiotherapy at La Trobe University and a Doctorate of Clinical Physiotherapy at The University of Melbourne in 2013. Paula has been the project lead for numerous state-wide and national projects aimed at implementing and evaluating advanced practice physiotherapy services into public hospitals, after having had established and worked in advanced practice musculoskeletal roles in the Emergency Department and Outpatient settings at the Alfred Hospital in Melbourne since 2006. She has published and presented her work at conferences for allied health and physiotherapy both nationally and internationally.

Paula is currently the Director of Allied Health at Barwon Health and continues to work part time at the Alfred supporting the Allied Health Workforce Unit. Her interests are in optimising the workforce to work to top of scope and in advanced practice roles, and supporting clinical excellence with research and quality improvement initiatives.

Ms Cherie Hearn

Appointed as a practitioner member from Queensland

• Director, Physiotherapy Services at Princess Alexandra Hospital, a large tertiary teaching hospital in Brisbane.
• Over 30 years’ experience as physiotherapist both in the Australia and the United Kingdom, predominantly in the public sector.
• Extensive senior management experience with a master’s in health science (Health Management)
• Long standing member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association and have held key state and national roles within the association
• Fellow Member of the Australasian College of Health Services Management
• Have led National Workforce and Information Management Project.
• Have special interest in Physiotherapy Management, Workforce and workforce development, Clinical Education, Information Management, Regulation and Accreditation.

Professor Sheila Lennon

Appointed as a practitioner member South Australia

Professor Sheila Lennon works privately as a physiotherapy consultant. As Foundation Chair of Physiotherapy at Flinders University, she holds full academic status and continues to supervise postgraduate research students. She qualified as a physiotherapist from McGill University (Canada) in 1979, and has worked internationally for almost 40 years on a full time basis in Canada, Switzerland, the UK and Australia. She has been involved in accreditation of both new and established physiotherapy degree courses and registration since 1992. She relocated to Adelaide in 2012 to develop the new Master of Physiotherapy degree at Flinders University, retiring from this role in December 2016. Under her leadership, physiotherapy programs have gained accreditation in the United Kingdom, America and Australia. Relevant previous appointments have included: Head of Physiotherapy at Flinders University, membership of the Council of Deans of Physiotherapy (Australia and New Zealand) contributing to accreditation and minimum threshold standards for physiotherapy practice, and Health Professions Council Visitor (UK) for the accreditation of allied health courses. Professor Lennon is an international expert in the field of neurological rehabilitation, a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, and a Fellow of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy in the UK. She is the author/editor of over 190 public outputs including 60 peer reviewed papers, and two textbooks on neurological rehabilitation.

Rosemary Mathlin

Appointed as a community member from NSW

Rosemary is a lawyer with over thirty years’ experience in the community and public sectors. Her main area of practice is administrative law, where she has worked both as an advocate for individuals seeking review of government decisions, and as a tribunal decision maker. She currently works in the refugee and asylum jurisdiction. Alongside her work commitments she maintains strong links to the community through involvement in volunteer work in the justice and education systems. She holds Bachelor’s degrees in Arts and Law from the University of Sydney.

Allan Renouf

Appointed as a community member from Queensland

Allan is a proud Gubbi Gubbi man from the Bunya Mountains area. As a very young person he spent a few years growing up in Apple Tree Creek, near Childers. The family then moved to Brisbane where he got married and had 4 children

In 1973 he enlisted in the Australian Army. After discharge he drove heavy vehicles.

Allan went on to study at University and secured a position with an Indigenous organisation as a Counsellor. He stayed with this organisation for 19 years and was promoted to Programs Manager. In addition to this he spent 10 years working as a welfare worker for a Salvation Army Men’s Homeless Shelter

Allan also sat on the Qld Parole Board for 10 years and is currently a member of the Mental Health Review Tribunal, MHRT.

In his spare time, Allan likes to watch Rugby League, Snooker and Boxing.

Ms Elizabeth Trickett

Appointed as a practitioner member from the ACT

Qualifications:

• BSc, Grad Dip Physio, BA LLB, Graduate Aust. Institute of Company Directors (AICD)

Experience:

• Experience in clinical practice, management of physiotherapy services and clinical governance - safety and quality management and governance
• Experience as a lawyer providing advice to health services on the management of particular clinical issues, managing health complaints and medicolegal claims.
• Currently a member of the ACT Civil and Administrative Tribunal mediating disputes and resolving occupational discipline cases.
• Has a special interest in governance, ethics, culture and ensuring work systems and programs are cohesive and as simple/clear as possible.
• Appointed for a third term, has been interested and involved in physiotherapy regulation since 2002.

Kate Waterford

Appointed as community member from the ACT

Kate Waterford is Partner at a Canberra law firm, managing the medical negligence practice. In pursuit of Kate's interest in human rights law, she is currently undertaking a PhD in constitutional and human rights law at the ANU School of Law. Kate also holds Master’s Degrees in Law (ANU) and Commerce (UNSW), and Bachelor’s Degrees in Arts and Laws (both from University of Sydney). She is a graduate member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD) and sits on the AICD Divisional Council. Kate has been a non-executive director of a range of healthcare-focused and not-for-profit entities.

Simon Watt

Appointed as a practitioner member from Tasmania

Qualifications:

• BPhty (Otago), MBA

Simon has recently joined the Physiotherapy Board. He works full time leading the public physiotherapy service for Southern Tasmania. A graduate of Otago University in New Zealand, he worked in public and private practice settings in New Zealand and in the United Kingdom, before settling down to a public health service career in Tasmania, 10 years ago. In the later stages of his clinical career, he developed a special interest in persistent pain and held the Tasmanian Director position for the Australian Pain Society for five years. He has also been fortunate to be involved with a dedicated Australian Physiotherapy Association Tasmanian Branch Council, serving as President for two-and-a-half years. He recently completed a Master of Business Administration and is enjoying having more time to enjoy all that Tasmania has to offer with his wife and three young daughters.