About

Emily joined our team in October 2022 and is a part of the administration team, Emily will be one of the first people you speak to when you call or arrive for a clinic appointment. Emily always has a smile on her face and loves getting to know the clients at Apricus Health. 

Qualifications

 Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) 

About

Hannah completed her final clinical placement with Apricus Health in hand therapy in 2022. Throughout her placements, Hannah gained experience in a range of practice areas including aged care, minor home modifications, paediatrics and hand therapy. Hannah also experienced various clinical settings including government, community-based and private practice. Hannah's current clinical focus is aged support and addressing hand pain and weakness associated with aging through the Apricus Health "Get a Grip" program. 

 Hannah is grateful to be a part of a supportive team whilst working with clients to reach their goals and live their most meaningful life.

Special Interests

Upper Limb Rehabilitation, Family Centred Therapy, Home Safety and Independence.

About

Sophie joined Apricus Health in August 2022 while completing her placement for her Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance (OT). Like many students before her Sophie enjoyed her placement and accepted a Therapy Assistant role shortly after.

She is excited to work with the Apricus Health team and learn from their wealth of experience.  

She is passionate about working in allied health, as it affords her the opportunity to help people of all diversities fulfill their goals and enhance their quality of life. 

Special Interests

Paediatrics, Cultural Inclusion, Aged Support  

Qualifications

Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance (Occupational Therapy), Cert III in Health Services Assistance, Cert III Children’s Services

About

Kellie joined the team as a Therapy Assistant in April 2021 and works under the guidance of the senior clinicians to assist with delivering therapy plans.  After a long career working as a passionate Early Childhood Educator, she is excited to be embarking on a new career in health care; learning all about the world of Occupational Therapy and how best to support the team of therapists. 

Kellie has always had a strong passion for helping others and is drawn to the diversity of a Therapy Assistant role and the meaningful work they do.  Kellie has a special interest in hand therapy and paediatrics.

Special Interests

Hand Therapy, Paediatrics, Hand Writing

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

About

Lauren is the principal Occupational Therapist and Clinic Manager at our Burdekin Clinic and is passionate about providing highly skilled, evidence based, hand and upper limb treatment in a rural setting. Lauren completed her studies of Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 2005 and has experience working in both the private and public practice settings, in a diverse range of clinical areas including acute and community paediatric care, acute burn management and acute upper limb and hand management.

Lauren joined our team in 2012 and has since worked exclusively in the area of hand, wrist, and elbow rehabilitation as well as upper limb neurological rehabilitation. Lauren is an associate member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association and has attended numerous hand and upper limb workshops and conferences to enhance her skills.

Lauren is trained in the use of dry needling and has obtained postgraduate training in soft tissue treatment. In 2015 Lauren was awarded JCU Outstanding Alumni Award for excellence in her field. 

Special Interests

Hand Therapy, Upper Limb Fractures care, Upper Limb Neuro

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Accredited Hand Therapist (as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association), Graduate of The Australian Company of Directors, Certificate of Advanced Soft Tissue Management, Diploma of Business Management.

About

Cassandra is an occupational therapist with 20 years experience in the field of Hand Therapy. Cassandra is extremely passionate about the profession of hand therapy, and the role upper limb rehabilitation has in influencing the health of our nation. She strives to ensure Apricus Health are the leaders of hand and upper limb rehabilitation in North Queensland.

Cassandra has worked in senior positions in both the private and public sector, in Australia and the United Kingdom. Cassandra is a guest lecturer at James Cook University in the subjects of Upper Limb Anatomy, Hand Therapy and Orthotics/Splinting. She is also involved in the training of General Practitioners and other allied health professionals on hand and wrist injuries. She has previously been on the board of the Australian Hand Therapy Association

Cassandra has dedicated her career to Hand Therapy and prior to Apricus Health founded and directed Helping Hands – Hand, Wrist and Arm Clinic for 15 years. She was awarded the Townsville Business Woman of the Year in 2019.

Special Interests

Hand therapy, Scar Management, Pain Management.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Science, Master of Project Management

About

Aaron is an operations manager that has led organisations of various sizes, taking a special interest in systems and processes. Aaron enjoys blue-sky thinking and strategic planning.

Qualifications

Chemical and Environmental Engineering at the University of Nottingham. Commencing post-graduate studies this year in Healthcare Management.

About

Abbey joined our team in early 2023 as our Operations Manager. She has 5 years of experience working in varied healthcare settings from hospital administration to multi-site dental practice management.

Abbey is an approachable and inventive leader that is looking forward to supporting the Apricus Health Team in their day-to-day operations.

She specialises in streamlining processes, increasing operational efficiency and ensuring excellent client experiences.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

About

David is the Team Leader and one of our Senior Occupational Therapists working across the lifespan. He has substantial experience working in community aged support and the disability sector. He works with a range of clients with varying physical and intellectual abilities in the clinic and in the community including school visits.

David completed his Bachelor of Occupational Therapy where he completed multiple placements in several different contexts. David decided on Occupational Therapy as a profession after accompanying his cousin on various health appointments and saw the benefits that his cousin’s occupational therapist brought to his life.

David has project management experience working closely with James Cook University to coordinate community student placements. David also works with schools in North and Northwest Queensland to support children of all abilities in the classroom. David is passionate about all areas of his practice, enjoys the Townsville lifestyle as he has grown up here and loves to stay active and outdoors on his weekends.

Special Interests

Life Skills Development, Aged Support

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Graduate Diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, Graduate Diploma in Ergonomics,

About

Kerry is an Occupational Therapist with an extensive 35 years of experience as an Occupational Therapist working in hospitals, community, private practice, and tertiary education. Kerry has recent experience in community aged care and adult disability within NDIS and has developed a keen interest in dementia care.

Kerry has also worked in areas of acquired brain injury rehabilitation, work rehabilitation, ergonomics and private practices throughout Australia and the UK. Kerry was also a lecturer and practice education coordinator at James Cook University in the occupational therapy program from 2004-2018. Her academic areas of expertise include reflective practice, professional practice, and professional reasoning.

Kerry thoroughly enjoys her work as an Occupational Therapist as she is able to continuously learn and rise to new challenges.  Kerry enjoys working with people to provide solutions to assist them in participating in their everyday activities.  Kerry grew up in Ingham however has called Townsville home for the past 30 years.

Special Interests

Dementia Care, Acquired Brain Injury, Equipment Prescription

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

About

Caleb joins the team as a new graduate Occupational Therapist, completing his degree at James Cook University in 2022. During his studies, he developed a keen interest in Hand Therapy, particularly musculoskeletal injuries.

He looks forward to gaining his full accreditation as a Hand Therapist under the guidance of the experienced therapists at Apricus Health. 

Special Interests

Orthosis fabrication, musculoskeletal injuries, fractures 

About

Charlize is the newest face of our administration team; she is currently undertaking a traineeship with Apricus Health where she will gain a Certificate III in Business. Charlize looks forward to meeting all the Apricus Health clients, learning new skills and gaining valuable on-the-job experience from the Apricus team.

Qualifications

Studying Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours)

About

Alyssa is an Therapy Assistant who joined our team in early 2017. Alyssa is currently studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours). Alyssa has experience working in the public sector primarily Hospital to Home care, in addition to observations of ward, surgical, ER and vascular OT through university placements. The direct feedback from clients and positive work environment, along with the support from the team, shows her how truly rewarding a career in Occupational Therapy could be.

Special Interests

Paediatrics, Adult Disability, School Programs

Qualifications

Qualification/s (Postnominals): Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Certificate lll in Education Support

About

Natalie graduated in 2007, joining our team casually in 2019 before moving into a full-time role in 2022. Natalie enjoys the challenge of the role in working with clients to achieve the best outcome for the achievement of goals. The smiles of joy from her clients are why she wanted to help others from a young age. She has substantial experience working across various locations as an OT including in-patient hospital rehabilitation, outreach services to rural towns and within the community. She worked for 6 years in South East Queensland for private practices and not-for-profit organisations, before returning to Townsville in 2014. Natalie loves the North Queensland lifestyle, having grown up in Tully and Ingham.

Natalie has experience working with people across the lifespan in many areas of Occupational Therapy including prescription of assistive technology, home modification, DVA, NDIS, aged care, manual handling, workplace assessment and rehabilitation. She has a passion for delivering education through development workshops and online platforms.

Special Interests

Paediatric Special Interest Group
Complex home modifications
Assistive Technology Prescription
Education

About

Hunter is one of our newest additions to the administration team, he will be able to assist in making our administrative work run smoothly. Hunter is passionate about his role as he is able to support people in the community

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

About

Zach is one of our Senior Occupational Therapist working across the lifespan and has experience in both the public and private sector of the allied health field. Zach has substantial experience in the NDIS and works in the areas of paediatrics, mental health, assistive technology, home modifications and life skill development/training. Zach joined our team at the beginning of 2017 and enjoys the challenges and problem solving with clients to achieve the best outcomes possible.

Zach has lived in Townsville most of his life. However, he has also spent time living in Scotland and South Africa. Zach had an interest in Occupational Therapy ever since leaving school and knew it was something he wanted to, in order to give back to the community. Zach has a strong passion for mental health, disability, and the aged care sector.

Special Interests

Seating and Wheelchair Prescription, Adaptive Equipment, Mental Health

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy

About

Liana is a new addition to our team working from our Ayr Clinic. Liana has attained a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) and has an extensive 11 years of experience working as an Occupational Therapist in the public sector. Liana has worked in a variety of clinical areas and began specialising in hand therapy in 2015 with a particular interest on management of burns and trauma injuries. Liana is also an associated member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association.

Special Interests

Management of burns, trauma injuries, adult dis

Qualifications

Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Health Sciences, Master of Occupational Therapy Studies

About

Alison is an Occupational Therapist who graduated from the University of Queensland in 2019 and believes in the importance of seeking out ongoing educational opportunities. 

Alison has worked in her preferred area of practice as a practitioner of hand therapy since her graduation.

Originally based in Brisbane Alison relocated to Townsville in early 2022.

She enjoys looking at each client's case individually and creating unique plans based on their own personalised goals.

Special Interests

Hand Therapy, Workplace Injuries.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours – Class I)

About

Alexandra completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours – Class I) in 2020.  She completed her final clinical placement at Helping Hands where her passion for hand therapy emerged, enabling her to truly appreciate the importance of our upper limbs in everyday activities.

Alexandra is also an associate member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association (AHTA) and is pursuing her accreditation as a hand therapist.

Special Interests

Special interest: Fractures, Tendinopathies and Finger Injuries

About

Jenny is our Administration Team Leader and Finance Manager with more than 21 years of experience in various industries. Prior to joining our allied health team, Jenny owned a successful business for a decade, worked in the building industry, and held a long-term position as an accounts manager. Her diverse background equipped her with a strong foundation in finance and operations, which has allowed her to excel in her current role.

Jenny's passion for streamlining procedures and policies is evident in her work. She is committed to helping the team achieve greater efficiency by implementing best practices and optimizing workflows. Her attention to detail and dedication to continuous improvement has earned her a reputation as a reliable and trusted leader, both professionally and personally.

Outside of work, Jenny loves spending quality time with her family and travelling to new places. She enjoys exploring different cultures and learning about their customs and traditions. Her passion for life outside of work translates to her positive and supportive leadership style.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Certified in NDTA (Neuro-Developmental Treatment Association)

About

Juliet is an Occupational Therapist who graduated in 2007. Juliet spent the first 7 years of her career working in the area of paediatric neurological and physical rehabilitation. During her time working in this area, Juliet developed a passion for upper limb rehabilitation and in particular hypertonicity management. Juliet joined our team in 2014 and developed further skills in assessment and treatment of the upper limb. Juliet is passionate about combining her skill sets and regular treats clients post botox injections, casting and splinting for hypertonicity, post stroke rehab, children’s development and upper limb trauma.

Special Interests

Paediatrics, Upper Limb Hypotonicity, Handwriting

Qualifications

Diploma Practice Management

About

Following extensive administration experience in other allied health practices, Ann joined our team as an Administration Assistant in November 2017 and is working remotely at Apricus Health as she relocates to New South Wales. Ann enjoys being part of the caring and supportive Apricus Health team where she provides support to people of all ages in the community to enhance their self-esteem and sense of accomplishment.

Ann has substantial experience with NDIS and DVA administrative processes and provides invaluable support to the therapists and clients.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, Graduate Certificate of Research Methods, Master of Public Health-Master of Business Administration, Graduate of the Australian Company of Directors

About

Joanna is an occupational therapist with 15 years experience in the aged support and dementia field.

Joanna has been integral in the development and implementation of innovative health programs, education and partnerships in the North and Central Queensland regions and is passionate about providing contemporary services to support all clients and stakeholders. She is a current Board Director of Occupational Therapy Australia.

Joanna has been instrumental in the development of innovative frameworks to engage students in working with clients in a variety of contexts and locations, including the development of an international collaborative placement model working with the University of Worcester in the UK.

Joanna is passionate about supporting women in business and is a business mentor for start-ups and small business owners. Prior to Apricus Health, Joanna was the founder and managing director of Access Therapy Services for 11 years.

Special Interests

Dementia Rehabilitation, Aged support

Qualifications

Bachelor of Physiotherapy, Accredited Hand Therapist (as awarded by the Australian Hand Therapy Association)

About

Letitia has completed her bachelor of Physiotherapy and has been a part of our team for over 7 years. As a physiotherapist Letitia brings to the clinic not only skills in upper limb therapy but also a comprehensive understanding of the neck and shoulder.

Letitia has attended numerous advanced courses in shoulder management making her a leader of shoulder injuries in North Queensland. Letitia is able to perform dry needling, hydrotherapy and has excellent skills in the use of sports and dynamic tape as an adjunct to therapy

Special Interests

Wrist Instability, Shoulder Impingement, Elbow Tendonitis, Sports Injuries

Qualifications

Anita is currently studying to obtain her Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance and has such a passion for Occupational Therapy that once completed she will go on to study her bachelor's of Occupational Therapy. 

About

Anita recently joined the Apricus Health team in a dual role in Administration and Therapy Assisting.

Anita is thrilled to have the support of the Apricus Health team through her studies, helping to put the theory work into practice. 

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) 

About

Denae is passionate about supporting her community, having mentored the modified rugby team for several years. Denae has a wealth of experience in play-based therapy, family-centred practice, and equipment prescription, which allows her to develop individualised treatment plans for each client that suit their unique needs. She is passionate about working across the lifespan, but her special interest is in paediatrics.

Denae's experience working with children has allowed her to develop a compassionate and empathetic approach, which helps her to connect with her young clients on a deeper level. She believes in providing a safe, supportive, and engaging environment for children to explore and develop their abilities. Denae's goal is to help her clients reach their full potential and achieve their goals.

Special Interests

Paediatrics

Qualifications

Cert IV Legal Services

About

Heather joined our team in mid-2020 as part of the Administration team.  She has worked in the office administration field in the Legal, Hospitality and Transport industries and is excited to learn about the Allied Health area.

Heather enjoys providing organisational support to the clinical team and to our clients; and is thriving on the challenge of learning a whole new industry.

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational therapy (Honours)

About

Lachlan is a new graduate occupational therapist who joined our team as a therapy assistant while in his final year of studying a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours).  Prior to commencing his studies in Occupational Therapy, Lachlan worked as a chef for 12 years where he learned to appreciate and respect the importance of complete hand functionality.

Lachlan has a great interest in upper limb anatomy and is passionate about helping clients through their treatment journey, so they are able to return to doing things that they need and want to do. Lachlan is excited to develop his skills and work towards becoming an accredited hand therapist in the future.

Special Interests

Hand Therapy, Sports Injuries, Workplace Injuries

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Honours) 

About

Lara joined our team as a Therapy Assistant, after completing a student placement with Apricus Health in 2021. During her university placements, Lara gained experience in a range of practice areas including paediatrics, rehabilitation, aged care and community care.

Lara is now a graduated Occupational Therapist and works with Paediatric clients in both the clinic and community.

Lara is looking forward to working with the clients and their families to support them to achieve their goals. 

Lara is grateful to be a part of a supportive team and start her career as an Occupational Therapist with Apricus Health. 

Special Interests

Paediatrics 

Qualifications

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy, with Honours (research)

About

Kelly joined Apricus Health in 2022 as the Team Leader for paediatric services. She has been working with children with additional needs and their families for over 20 years, both in Canada and Australia. During that time, she worked as a support worker, a school-based therapy assistant and a community-based therapy assistant before finally taking the plunge to become an occupational therapist.

She is passionate about supporting upcoming occupational therapists and has guest lectured at James Cook University.

Her own personal values of honesty, curiosity and openness guides her work. She always strives to connect with the families she supports to ensure she is helping in the most meaningful way for them.

Kelly is a trained Parent Facilitator for the Circle of Security Parenting program.

Special Interests

Relationship Based Interventions, Play-based Therapy, Family Centred Practice.