Conference speakers
We are pleased to announce the 2025 AHTA Conference speakers!
Keynote speaker
Sarah Mee
An experienced hand therapist and OT with over 30 years of experience, initially specialising in burns and plastics and then exclusively in hand therapy in the UK. From 2000 has worked at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Wrist and Hand Unit, London and the last 15 years as Consultant Hand Therapist; running first contact practitioner diagnostic triage clinics, requesting and interpreting imaging and booking for surgery for acquired hand/wrist conditions and acute hand trauma. Hand Therapy treatment for complex acquired and traumatic orthopaedic and plastics wrist and hand injuries and congenital conditions. Sarah runs a team of 19 generic OT/Physio hand therapists with 3 other Advanced Clinical Practitioners in hand therapy.
Sarah has been active in the British Association of Hand Therapy as Chair of the Education Committee, is an Accredited Hand Therapist (BAHT) and recently received the Natalie Barr Award for substantial contributions to hand therapy.
She has taught in Hand Therapy since 1990 and is a Partner in N.E.S Hand Therapy Training LLP, lecturing nationally and internationally at congress, on Masters, post grad, accredited and local courses. She is the therapy lead for the BSSH 5-year development of the LION sustainable Hand Unit in Malawi, Africa.
Invited speakers
Dr Brooke Coombes
Dr Brooke Coombes is a Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, with expertise in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal pain, ranking 4th worldwide for elbow tendinopathy on Expertscape. She is a postdoctoral research fellow within the Centre for Innovation in Pain and Health Research (CIPHeR). She holds a graduate certificate in University Learning and Teaching and has developed and taught curricula in Physiotherapy, within the areas of musculoskeletal pain and chronic disease. Using a biopsychosocial framework and diverse research methodologies from mechanisms to implementation, Coombes’ research is addressing the personal, economic and societal impact of chronic pain. Evidence of her expertise includes 4 recent consensus statements in tendinopathy (311 citations) and highly cited work published in JAMA (287 citations) and Lancet (672 citations) demonstrating long harms of corticosteroid injection for elbow tendinopathy. Using patient reported measures and quantitative sensory testing, Dr Coombes has studied the mechanisms for persistence neck pain, elbow pain and wrist pain, including the role of descending pain modulatory systems and the efficacy of manual therapy and exercise treatments. Her research has also explored eHealth interventions to increase reach and uptake of evidence-based treatments. Her current postdoctoral research is to develop and test a tool to identify the predominant mechanism for a patient’s pain (in collaboration with the International Association for the Study of Pain Terminology Task Force). This innovative tool is intended to assist clinicians and researchers to match treatment to the predominant driver(s) of a person’s pain experience. Coombes has published 64 papers (2569 citations), including 21 papers in the last 5 years), two international textbooks (Grieve’s Modern Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy) and independent coursework (Academy of Orthopaedic Physical Therapy). Coombes has received postdoctoral fellowship ($278K), project ($55K) and infrastructure ($350K) funding.
Tina Czech
Tina Czech is the director and founder of the Australian Institute of Laser Therapy, which was officially opened in the city of Melbourne on the 9th December 1997 by Secretary General of the World Association of Laser Therapy (WALT]) to provide post -graduate education in phototherapy and photobiomodulation using laser and non-laser light and has been instrumental in educating nurses, health and medical practitioners in the clinical application of laser and intense pulsed light (IPL).
Tina is well known for her expertise with over 3 decades of experience in the application of laser photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) for dermatolological conditions, physical rehabilitation, pain relief and tissue repair and as a clinician she has had over 5,000 hours of operating room experience with Australia's most reputable dermatologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons and has lectured worldwide about optimising the healing process with the bio-regulatory effects of laser light and phototherapy.
Having studied in the United Kingdom, USA and Germany, Tina has authored several government accredited courses on laser & IPL science and safety, including the clinical applications of both thermal and non-thermal laser therapy, and continues to facilitate educational tutorials and practical workshops in the clinical application of PBMT.
Ms Czech is a senior consultant at both a technical and clinical level in PBMT laser research projects and is a reviewer of scientific research manuscripts in the field of photobiomodulation and an honorary board member of the World Academy Of Laser Applications, Life member of the International Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery, official member of the International Editorial Board for the European Medical Laser Association. and a long standing member of the World Association for Laser Therapy since 1994.
Kath Dalton
She has provided education at state, national and international forums including outreach trips in Kyrgyzstan and Nepal. She continues to raise the profile of paediatric hand therapy through not only her participation and chairing of several committees and forums, but also regularly presents and co-chairs national and international conferences, workshops and scientific committees in hand therapy and hand surgery.
Kath enjoys health service design and improvement work splitting her clinical time with program and project positions. She has a Master of Health Management and has held positions focused on statewide quality improvement in Queensland, allied health service design and education. She has a particular interest in contemporary approaches, including value-based health care, which she has presented at national quality and safety, and paediatric healthcare forums.
Her truest clinical passion is working with babies and their families in the first year of life helping to establish life long health outcomes!
Jessica Francis
Jess Francis is an occupational therapist and the Director of The Training Club. She helps allied health professionals build confidence with innovation and emerging technologies, like artificial intelligence, to deliver more effective, efficient, and empowering care. With experience in clinical, research, and leadership roles, Jess takes a practical approach to digital transformation. Her work is grounded in a vision of healthcare that is more accessible, equitable, and future-ready.
Associate Professor David Graham
Associate Professor David Graham is an Australian trained Orthopaedic surgeon who specialises in hand, wrist and microsurgery working at Gold Coast University Hospital, Queensland Children’s Hospital and at the Mudgeeraba Hand Clinic.
A/Prof Graham graduated from the University of Queensland (UQ) with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy with honours and went on to complete a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at UQ. After working as a junior doctor in Brisbane and the Gold Coast, Dr Graham subsequently completed his advanced training in Orthopaedic Surgery in NSW. Following Orthopaedic training, Dr Graham completed the Hand, Wrist and Microsurgery fellowship at the Royal North Shore Hospital / The Children’s Hospital at Westmead in Sydney, and international hand fellowships including Ganga Hospital (Coimbatore, India) and the University of California Irvine/ Shriners Hospital Los Angeles / Children’s Hospital of Orange County (USA). Dr Graham was awarded the Post Fellowship Education and Training (PFET) Hand qualification by the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2017.
Prior to moving to Queensland, Dr Graham worked as a consultant hand surgeon at the Sydney Hospital and South Western Sydney Hand Units (Fairfield Hospital).
Dr Graham has a strong interest in teaching and research, and holds academic title with the University of Queensland, Griffith University and Bond University and has been awarded the title of Associate Professor due to his commitment to research and teaching. Dr Graham has over 90 peer reviewed published research papers in Orthopaedic and Hand surgery and presents at local, national and international hand surgery conferences.
Dr Graham was selected for the prestigious 2018 Australian Hand Surgery Society (AHSS), American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) travelling hand fellowship, visiting the Mayo Clinic Rochester MN, Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) New York NY, Curtis Hand Centre Baltimore MD, Rothman Institute, Philadelphia PA. Dr Graham was again selected in 2023 for the combined AHSS/BSSH travelling fellowship, visiting Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, University College London, Morrison Hospital Swansea, Royal Glasgow Infirmary, Livingston Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow.
Dr Graham regularly volunteers on hand surgery outreach missions, with the aim of providing quality health care to all, and to provide teaching to local surgeons and surgical trainees. These include trips to Nepal, Cambodia, Fiji, and the Solomon Islands.
Anita Hobson-Powell
Anita Hobson-Powell trained as an exercise physiologist. She has a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Movement, Master of Science and Master of Business.
Anita's career has been dedicated to excellence across health, sport and wellness domains. She spent almost 18 years working in associations, advocating for recognition and access to allied health professions, and establishing the quality assurances of self-regulation for health professions.
Anita’s role as the Chief Allied Health Officer includes supporting the Australian Government to:
- raise awareness of the role and value of allied health care in Australia
- build and strengthen engagement with the allied health sector
- promote inclusion of allied health in relevant policies, programs and reforms within the primary care sector and health system more broadly.
The role complements the work of the Chief Medical Officer, the Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer, and the National Rural Health Commissioner.
It also supports the following reforms:
- Strengthening Medicare
- the Primary Health Care 10-Year Plan
- health workforce reforms, including development of the National Allied Health Workforce Strategy
- the Stronger Rural Health Strategy.
Dr Gail Kingston
Dr Gail Kingston is a Senior Allied Health Research Fellow at the Townsville Hospital and Health Service, with over 30 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist and researcher. In her current role, she supports allied health professionals to build research capacity, translate evidence into practice, and lead projects that directly enhance patient care and service delivery.
Gail is dedicated to improving healthcare access and outcomes for people living in rural and remote communities. She continues to work in a clinical capacity, bringing firsthand insight into the unique challenges and strengths of delivering care outside urban centres.
Her research interests include knowledge translation, qualitative and mixed methods research, and the development of care models that strengthen acute and rehabilitation services in rural and remote settings. Gail’s PhD focused on service models for individuals in remote areas with traumatic hand injuries, and she continues to explore innovative, patient-centred approaches to care beyond metropolitan locations.
Gail is actively involved in research translation programs and training initiatives in Queensland Health. She has served on the Townsville Hospital and Health Service Human Research Ethics Committee for nine years. Currently, she is an investigator on an NHMRC-funded project aimed at empowering Indigenous women and the healthcare workforce to respond to violence-related concussion through co-designed education and training.
Andrew McKenzie
Andrew is a Principal at Maurice Blackburn lawyers and has been listed by the prestigious Doyle's Guide as a lawyer of note. He has spent over 30 years working in plaintiff law firms, including over 28 years as a qualified lawyer. He practices exclusively in civil law and has appeared on behalf of his clients in just about every court and tribunal in Queensland.
He works closely with peak allied health organisations AHTA, APA, OTA, AASW and ESSA on legal advice, education and policy.
He has also been an advocate for vulnerable road users, resulting in him appearing on their behalf before the Queensland Parliamentary Enquiry into Cycling in 2013. In May 2018, he authored submissions to the National Quadbike Taskforce with the ACCC. In 2021 he authored submissions on the Driverless Car Enquiry with the ACCC. He is the Queensland face of Maurice Blackburn’s Sorry Mate I Didn’t See You (SMIDSY) campaign for motorcycle safety.
Professor Evonne Miller
She is the inaugural Queensland Health Research Chair in Healthcare Design, based at Clinical Excellence Queensland’s Healthcare Improvement Unit where she engages with consumers, clinicians, and community to collaboratively co-design creative solutions to improve healthcare.
Evonne is a recognised international thought leader in design for health, with expertise in design thinking, participatory co-design, co-production, futures thinking, and qualitative arts-based research and knowledge translation. To ensure lived experience informs and improves health service delivery, she works in close partnership with different populations: older people in residential aged care, people in prison, people and families with disabilities, chronic health conditions, and at end of life. Evonne has authored / co-authored 140+ academic publications, including 5 books (2 edited) - with her most recent documenting the experience of integrating designers into healthcare, How Designers are Transforming (Springer, 2024).
Dr Dinesh Palipana OAM
Dinesh was the first quadriplegic medical intern in Queensland. Dinesh is a doctor, lawyer, disability advocate, and researcher. While in medical school, he was involved in a car accident that caused a spinal cord injury. Dinesh’s family left Sri Lanka during the war, when he was 10 years old.
Dinesh has completed a Bachelor of Laws at the Queensland University of Technology, a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice at the College of Law, Emergency Medicine Certificate at the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine, and Doctor of Medicine and Griffith University. He is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors under a Disability Leadership Scholarship.
Dinesh works in the emergency department at the Gold Coast University Hospital. He is a researcher and senior lecturer at the Griffith University and assistant professor at Bond University. Dinesh is a researcher in spinal cord injury, co-leading the BioSpine research team.
He is a doctor for the Gold Coast Titans physical disability rugby team. Dinesh was a senior advisor to the Disability Royal Commission. He is an ambassador to the Human Rights Commission’s Includeability program. He is a founding member of Doctors with Disabilities Australia. He is an advisory board member to HealthyLife, a Woolworths company. Dinesh is a John Monash Scholar. He is an independent non-executive director of George Steuart & Co, one of the oldest companies in the world and oldest in Sri Lanka. Dinesh is a non-executive director of the Housing Hub, started by the Summer Foundation.
Dinesh was the Gold Coast Hospital and Health Service’s Junior Doctor of the Year in 2018. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia in 2019. He was the third Australian to be awarded a Henry Viscardi Achievement Award. He was the 2021 Griffith University Young Alumnus of the Year. Dinesh was the Queensland Australian of the Year for 2021. In 2022, Dinesh was listed as number 33 in the Courier Mail’s top 100 power list for Queensland’s most influential in health and wellbeing. His autobiography, Stronger, was published by Pan Macmillan in 2022.
Richard Pellatt
Dr Richard Pellatt is an Emergency Department Consultant at Gold Coast University Hospital, and a Pre-hospital and Retrieval Consultant for LifeFlight.
His research interests include advanced airway management, toxicology, reducing low value care and pre-hospital aeromedical retrieval. He complements evidence-based practice with a contemplative approach.
Angela Thynne
Angela Thynne is an occupational therapist with over 30 years of experience in the management of scarring and oedema following traumatic injuries, burns and surgery. She has run her private practice in scarring and oedema for over 20 years and has extensive experience in treating both adults and children with scarring and oedema. Her experience has been within both the private and public sectors, including clinical practice, research, teaching and training. Angela is a credentialed private practitioner to the Professor Stuart Pegg Adult Burns Centre at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital. She is a lymphoedema trained therapist and uses her background in lymphoedema and acute injury to holistically manage scarring and oedema. A clinical lecturer in scar and oedema management at the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Queensland, Angela is also the co-coordinator of the Burns Rehabilitation Course of the Australian and New Zealand Burn Association.
Dr Thuy Tran
Dr Thuy Tran (Perth, Western Australia, Lecturer and Hand Therapy Clinician)
Thuy (“Twee”) Tran has over 14 years of clinical hand therapy experience, but recently made the move to academia and research. She coordinates and teaches the foundations of hand therapy and evidence informed practice units at Edith Cowan University, Perth WA. She is an active early career researcher, and her interests include occupation-based hand therapy, women’s health and community health. Thuy's PhD comprised of a mixed methods study design, including both qualitative and quantitative approaches which looked at a holistic approach to managing lateral elbow tendinopathy. Thuy has successfully supervised honours students to completion and has been invited to present at various professional development sessions over the years to occupational therapists, physiotherapists and medical practitioners. She has published in peer-reviewed international and national journals, is a reviewer for international hand therapy journals and is currently a member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association Research committee and Low Ethics Research committee at Edith Cowan University.
Sian Williamson
Sian Williamson is an Advanced Occupational Therapist and Accredited Hand Therapist who brings 10 years of diverse experience across multiple tertiary public hospital settings. Sian has worked within both adult and paediatric populations developing specialist skills across hand therapy and complex plastic surgery in both traditional and primary contact positions. Sian has been an active member within the QHTN and Plastics Special Interest Group over the years and has recently shifted her focus to further specialise in paediatric hand therapy.