Our Team

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We work to attract, motivate and maintain excellent team members, who have a child and young person focus. We are very proud of our team. All physiotherapy team members at Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy who work within the Mars Clinic have:

Formal qualifications; many with post graduate qualifications
Professional Indemnity Insurance
Current Physiotherapy Registration
Current Certificate of competency in CPR

In addition all team members:

Have completed essential clinical competencies
Are supported with annual performance reviews and ongoing mentoring
Are involved in ongoing professional development and continuing education
Are subject to a confidentiality agreement
Are subject to the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s Code of Conduct

Your Physiotherapy Team

John Fitzgerald

B.Phty, B.Sc(Hons), APAM

John is Practice Principal of Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy and the Mars Clinic. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science (Hons) from the University of Queensland in 1979 and a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in April 1983. Following post graduate studies in Sports Physiotherapy, he was awarded the title of APA Sports Physiotherapist in 1999.

John commenced his physiotherapy career in 1983 at the Mater Public Hospital, South Brisbane. After gaining several years of experience in adults and children’s medical, surgical and orthopaedic management, he established a small solo practice in 1986 on Wickham Terrace, Brisbane. He helped establish Brisbane’s first multi-disciplinary rehabilitation centres within the Australian Sports Medicine Clinic and Brisbane Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in 1989. He established Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy at the Mater Private Hospital in 1993.

Orthopaedic and sports rehabilitation have always been John’s passion, and he has had extensive physiotherapy experience with sporting teams. He was physiotherapist to the Brisbane Broncos from 1989 to 1996 and to the Brisbane Bullets and the Queensland State of Origin Teams in the early 1990’s. He has been physiotherapist to the Queensland Academy of Sport Netball Squad and many Queensland State Age and Open Netball Teams since 1996. From 2006 to 2009, John was the team physiotherapist to the Queensland Firebirds Netball Team.

With extensive experience in knee and shoulder rehabilitation, John regularly lectures undergraduate and post graduate physiotherapists in these special interest areas. For many years he has run partnered clinics in collaboration with some of Brisbane’s top Medical Specialists.

John has a strong commitment to giving back to the Physiotherapy profession. He has been a Physiotherapy Practice Surveyor for Quality in Practice. He sits on the University of Queensland Physiotherapy Department Curriculum Consultative Committee, Chairs the Sports Physiotherapy Australia Queensland Branch Committee and has chaired the Mater Private Hospital Allied Health Committee since 1999.

John is passionate about the philosophy of an Active Approach to physiotherapy. This approach is evident in his treatment, the practice environments, all with fully equipped gymnasiums and in the selection and management of his physiotherapy team.

Employing a large team of Physiotherapists with their various areas of special interest and skill, John’s philosophy on management of his team has always been to build career pathways and support his Physiotherapy team in further developing their areas of special interest and skill in the world of private practice.

In consultation with Specialist Paediatric Urologists, who highlighted the strong community need for the Physiotherapy management of Continence, John and his team developed the Mars Clinic for management of children’s bladder and bowel conditions. Having run one of the largest Private Accredited Physiotherapy Practices in Queensland, and with its expansion to several locations, Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy was well placed to commence and foster the development and expansion of the Mars Clinic: Continence Clinic for Children and Adolescents.

John Fitzgerald

Lauren Griffin

M.Phty, B.Ex.Sc, APAM

We were pleased to welcome Lauren to the Mars Clinic team in 2015. Lauren has a gentle and caring approach, and is very sensitive to the comfort and needs of her patients.

Lauren has always had a keen interest in paediatric physiotherapy, and she has developed a thorough clinical knowledge in the treatment of child and adolescent continence conditions. She is currently fulfilling the role of Mars Clinic Stream Leader.

Lauren graduated from Griffith University in 2014 with a Master of Physiotherapy, having previously completed a Bachelor in Exercise Science in 2012. She received multiple academic excellence awards throughout her 5 years of study. At university Lauren was involved in a number of local and international volunteer projects including trips to Cambodia and Timor Leste. As a result she was elected President of Enactus, the volunteering organisation at Griffith University with over 300 members.

In her spare time Lauren enjoys attending the gym, running and playing netball to keep active.

Lauren Draheim

Dr Joanne Bullock-Saxton

PhD(Physio), M.Phty(Manip), B.Phty(Hons), APAM, MPA

We were thrilled to welcome Joanne to the Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams in 2012. Joanne is a highly skilled and highly regarded physiotherapist with a special interest in the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions and research. Joanne graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland in 1984. She has worked as a clinician, clinical tutor and researcher. She completed a first class honours degree in 1985, a PhD by 1992 and a Clinical Masters degree in musculoskeletal physiotherapy in 1999. Joanne’s studies reflect her love of the physiotherapy profession and her continual quest to improve diagnosis and physiotherapy practice.

For the first 20 years of her professional career, Joanne was the Australian protégé of the late Professor Vladimir Janda, a neurologist and manual medicine doctor from Prague. He imparted his specialist understanding of the motor system and its control, which has provided an important foundation for Joanne’s practice. She has spent her clinical career in a variety of settings, working with adults, adolescents and children in both the public and private health sector.

Joanne also works as one of Active Rehab’s senior musculoskeletal outpatient clinicians. She has an ‘Active Approach’ to patient treatment, incorporating a combination of ‘hands on’ treatment and individually tailored exercise programs.

In 2012 Joanne was awarded the prestigious ‘Professional Excellence in Research’ award for services to the profession at the Australian Physiotherapy Association’s Queensland Awards Night. With her vast experience and special interest in research, with more than 75 publications over her career, Joanne acts as a consultant and mentor to the Mars Clinic in the development of research papers and presentations, encouraging our commitment to validating our assessment and treatment techniques.

Joanne works as a therapist within the Mars Clinic from our Brookwater practice. Coupled with her clinical knowledge, Joanne has a kind and caring disposition that allows her to cater to the needs and comfort of her patients.

Dr Joanne Bullock-Saxton

Fiona McKinnon

B.Phty

Fiona graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland in 1981. She has extensive experience in the acute and rehabilitation hospital environment having worked for numerous years in public and private hospitals in Brisbane, Melbourne, Townsville and country Victoria.

Her experience has included the areas of intensive care, medical, surgical, orthopaedics, oncology, ante- and post-natal physiotherapy and paediatrics in the acute hospital setting. She has also worked as a member of a multi-disciplinary team in the areas of amputee, neurological and orthopaedic rehabilitation.

Fiona has had roles as a senior physiotherapist mentoring junior physiotherapists and also as co-ordinator and supervisor of physiotherapy students in rehabilitation.

Fiona joined Active Rehabilitation in 1998, where she worked until 2010 as part of our physiotherapy team providing inpatient services to the Mater Private and Brisbane Private hospitals. After a short break whilst her sons completed school she rejoined the team in 2013.

With her clinical background, Fiona is well placed in her position as Senior Physiotherapist in the Mars Clinic at Annerley, working with children and teenagers with bladder and bowel disorders. Fiona works closely with Paediatric Urologists to maximise the team approach for patient management. She also works with parents, care-givers and school teachers to assist children to accomplish exercises and treatment programs outside of the Mars Clinic.

Coupled with her thorough and extensive clinical knowledge, and experience as a mother, Fiona has a gentle and caring approach and is very sensitive to the comfort and needs of her patients.

Fiona McKinnon

Felicity Read

B.Phty(Hons), APAM

Felicity works as part of our Mars Clinic team, specialising in the treatment of child and adolescent continence from our Annerley and Brookwater locations. Felicity also works within our inpatient physiotherapy team at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane and Mater Private Hospital Springfield.

Felicity graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy with First Class Honours. She received multiple academic excellence awards throughout her degree.

Felicity has a keen interest in paediatric physiotherapy, particularly in muscle function and movement. Felicity is undertaking a PhD with the University of Queensland investigating the relationship between calf muscle size and walking ability in children with cerebral palsy. Her research uses a novel clinical measure of muscle volume, 3-dimensional ultrasound, as well as clinical measures of walking patterns. Felicity has been successful in achieving an Australian Government Scholarship for her PhD program and has presented her research at several conferences, including the Australasian Academy of Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine conference in Adelaide, 2016.

In her spare time, Felicity enjoys various activities including crafts and sewing, and training her border collie dog.

Felicity Read

Phoebe Giffard

B.Phty(Hons)

We were pleased to welcome Phoebe to the Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams in 2019. Phoebe is part of our outpatients physiotherapy team at our Annerley and Brisbane North clinics, working with Women’s Health and Mars Clinic patients. She is highly interested in the areas of adult and paediatric incontinence, as well as physiotherapy for women who are pregnant.

Phoebe is also a member of our hospital inpatients team, enabling her to offer connected care to our patients from the inpatient to the outpatient setting.

Phoebe graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours. She received the Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence during her studies, and also received the Margaret Nicholl Memorial Award for the greatest proficiency in clinical practice within her cohort.

She has additional qualifications in the areas of Women’s Health and Pilates, and has contributed to 3 published research papers. Phoebe has experience working in a Women’s Health clinic and has instructed Pilates classes, being a firm believer in the use of Pilates as an adjunct to physiotherapy treatment.

Outside of her working life, Phoebe is an advocate and volunteer for a number of foundations, including Man Up, RSPCA, Oxfam, and MS Australia. She also loves socialising with friends and family, baking sweet treats, and going for runs with her black labrador.

Phoebe Giffard

Amelia Moir

B.Phty(Hons), B.Ex.Sc, APAM

Amelia graduated from Griffith University in 2012 with a double degree: Bachelor of Exercise Science & Bachelor of Physiotherapy with first class honours. Her honours project looked at bone mass in different athlete types including swimmers and rugby league players. On graduating, Amelia was awarded the Griffith University Award for Excellence in Honours Research and the University Medal for highest achieving graduate in the Bachelor of Physiotherapy.

Throughout her degree, Amelia worked as an AFL sports trainer in the NEAFL. During her studies, she had first hand exposure to the challenges facing developing nations, whilst volunteering to teach English in Cambodia. Amelia continued to build on this knowledge by attending model United Nations conferences in both Australia and Germany on health and human rights committees. Amelia hopes to continue to develop these skills and to visit Cambodia again to volunteer as a Physiotherapist. Her aim is to volunteer in the area of rehabilitation of victims of land mine injuries.

We were thrilled to have Amelia join our team in 2014. She works as part of our Annerley and Brookwater teams and our weekend hospital team, in the Mater Private and Brisbane Private hospitals.

Amelia provides services in Women’s Health and in the Mars Clinic for children’s continence at Annerley and Brookwater.

Being raised in Darwin, Amelia likes to journey home whenever the opportunity arises, to visit family and eat lots of South East Asian cuisine. Amelia also enjoys running for fitness and enjoys being in the outdoors, for fishing and camping, as well as attempting wakeboarding.

Amelia Moir

Caitlin Parker

B.Phty (Hons), APAM

Caitlin joined the Mars Clinic team in 2020, after gaining much experience working as an inpatient and outpatient physiotherapist within Active Rehab.

Her calm and gentle nature allow her to work well with Mars Clinic patients and their families, to go about diagnosing continence issues and figuring out possible solutions.

Caitlin graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland, where she received First Class Honours, as well as the Dean’s Commendation for High Achievement on multiple occasions throughout her studies.

During her studies, Caitlin completed a research project analysing falls in paediatric hospital and community healthcare settings. She has presented her research at the Queensland Children’s Hospital Allied Health Symposium and the University of Queensland’s School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Post-Graduate Research Conference.

Caitlin Parker

Dipthi Samalia

B.Phty, APAM, B.Pharm, MPS

Dipthi has been a member of our Mars Clinic team since the very beginning, with a keen interest and a supportive approach to Child and Adolescent Continence issues.

Dipthi graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Otago. She is also a qualified and practicing Pharmacist, holding a Bachelor of Pharmacy from the University of Queensland. Dipthi enjoys the balance that she achieves working professionally in both her Physiotherapy and Pharmacy roles.

Dipthi has previous experience working with a range of sporting teams including swimming, basketball, rugby and tennis teams.

Dipthi Samalia

Leanne Slater

B.Phty (Hons), APAM

Leanne Slater

Your Administration Team

Nicole Fitzgerald

Nicole graduated with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Queensland in 1985. She has worked as an Occupational Therapist at the Mater Adult and Prince Charles Hospitals and as Senior Occupational Therapist at the South Brisbane Centre for the Workers’ Compensation Board of Queensland. Nicole then moved into Private Practice with Active Rehabilitation in 1994, specializing in the splinting and management of hand injuries, work injury assessment and return to work management, including medico-legal assessment.

In 1996 Nicole was employed by the University of Queensland Occupational Therapy Department. Here she developed their new Work Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit, was involved in a research project, which developed a new Functional Capacity Evaluation Testing Instrument and employed as a part time Lecturer and Tutor.

In 1999, with the growth of Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy, Nicole came on board full time, to assist her husband John in the management of Active Rehab.

Active Rehab then expanded its list of services, to provide much needed continence services to the community. Nicole has been keenly involved in the infrastructure development and expansion of the Mars Clinc: Continence Clinic for Children and Adolescents since its inception in 2008. She is proud of the Mars Clinic’s impact on the community as a whole and of the confidence and independence it generates in the youngest members of our community. She closely supports the Physiotherapy and administration team in their service delivery.

Nicole Fitzgerald

Michelle Skene

Michelle graduated with a Bachelor of Business from the Queensland University of Technology in 1996. Michelle’s degree comprised a double major in Accountancy and a secondary major in Business Law and Taxation. She was awarded the Dean’s Award for Excellence.

Prior to studying, Michelle worked for the Federal Government for four years as a Senior Policy Officer for the Department of Housing and Construction. Her work involved briefing senior management, including the Minister, and the evaluation of housing programs of assistance. Michelle also spent eighteen months working for the St Vincent de Paul Society, providing support to young people, drug and alcohol affected people and those suffering from mental illness.

Whilst studying for her degree, Michelle worked for a press monitoring firm. Here she progressed from reading and analysing newspaper articles, to the position of General Manager.

On completion of her degree, Michelle worked for the next 14 years in the State Actuary’s Office, within Queensland Treasury. Her work involved undertaking actuarial investigations of the Queensland Government’s superannuation funds. This ranged from providing superannuation consulting services, including fund and benefit design, to providing accounting and taxation certificates to ensure compliance with Commonwealth legislation. Michelle also co-ordinated the management activities of the office. This included operational and strategic planning and utilisation of human and financial resources.

We were delighted to welcome Michelle to Active Rehabilitation and the Mars Clinic in 2012, to take on the role of Chief Financial Officer. Michelle is a strong advocate of Active Rehab and the Mars Clinic. As CFO, Michelle closely steers the management and ongoing development of the Mars Clinic and is excited about the potential for future expansion of our Mars Clinic services to the wider community.

Michelle Skene

Deirdre Spinetti

Deirdre joined the Active Rehabilitation and Mars Clinic team in 2010 looking to apply her skills and experience specifically to the area of physiotherapy administration. Deidre has had extensive administration experience in accounts, and administration roles in a variety of industries including construction, mining, and paper manufacturing.

Deirdre is a highly astute, meticulous administrator. We are grateful for her dedication to Active Rehab and the Mars Clinic and her passion for diligently maintaining practice systems and procedures. As our Administration Manager, Deirdre coordinates and leads our administration team across all of our practice locations.

She has a genuinely warm and caring personality and ensures that our team and our patients, especially the youngest ones, are provided with the best possible service.

Deirdre Spinetti

Celine Slaughter

Celine graduated from North Brisbane College of Advanced Education in 1980 with a Diploma in Community Recreation. She worked as a Recreation Officer in a variety of positions in resorts, nursing homes and child related services. This included YMCA, National Fitness, PCYC, local councils and welfare organisations, such as Centacare, where she coordinated Outside School Hours Care programs for school aged children. After completing further studies in early childhood, Celine spent many years employed as a group leader in child care centres and as a school officer in the preparatory year level at Marymount Primary School on the Gold Coast.

In 1997, after having three daughters, Celine then became self employed as proprietor and senior administrator in her family electrical contracting business.

In 2012, we were very fortunate that Celine joined our Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams. She is loved by our team and the patients alike, especially the youngest ones. Celine has a mature, caring, highly efficient and organised approach to her work.

Celine enjoys the beach, bushwalking and spending quality time with her daughters. She has always enjoyed an active lifestyle. She represented Queensland in the National Titles for athletics and has been in representative teams for netball, touch football and indoor cricket.

Celine Slaughter

Jodie Watson

We were privileged to have Jodie join our Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams in 2019, as a Senior Receptionist and Administration Officer. Jodie commenced at our South Brisbane practice, and is now skilled at providing support to our patients and our team, across all of our practice locations.

Jodie graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce from James Cook University in Townsville. Her administration experience extends across a range of industries, having worked in cement and concrete manufacturing, personal legal liability, a primary school setting, and for Little Athletics.

Jodie enjoys staying fit and keeping active by volunteering as a surf life saver at Bribie Island, alongside her family. She also enjoys camping, trail running, and cycling.

Jodie Watson

Michelle Dzodz

Michelle was welcomed to the Active Rehab and Mars Clinic Brookwater administration teams in 2015.

Michelle completed her Certificate III in Business (Administration) in 1999. Since then, she has gained a wealth of experience in administration, accounts and customer service, in both government and private organisations.

Michelle is dedicated to providing excellence in customer service and will happily assist with all your administration needs.

Michelle likes to spend her spare time reading, shopping and spending quality time with her children.

Michelle Dzodz

Ciera Livings

We were pleased to have Ciera join our Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams as a Senior Receptionist and Administration Officer in 2019. Ciera works at our Brookwater practice.

Ciera brings over 20 years of customer service experience to her role, with at least 10 of those years working in reception and administration positions. She brings an intelligent and compassionate approach to our patients and our team.

Ciera has a passion for floristry, and is trained at both a national and international level. In her spare time, she also enjoys spending time with her family, reading a good book, and going on exciting holidays.

Ciera Livings

Erin Hodgson

Erin joined the Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams in 2019 as a Senior Receptionist and Administration Officer, working from our South Brisbane and Annerley locations.

With her friendly and highly efficient nature, Erin is a strong asset to our team and offers very capable support to both our patients and our team.

Erin completed a Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Archaeology, at the University of Queensland in 2019, and is currently completing her Honours with a specific interest in Bioarchaeology.

While enjoying a lifelong passion for dance, lasting over 20 years, Erin completed her teaching examinations for the Australasian Dance Association. Teaching ballet, tap, and jazz for 8 years has allowed Erin to share her love of self-expression and creativity with her students.

Erin likes to keep active by spending as much time in Australia’s natural landscape as she can; enjoying kayaking, bush walking and practising mindful connection. In her free time she enjoys antiquing and spending time with family.

Erin Hodgson

Juliana Ip

Juliana joined our Active Rehab and Mars Clinic teams in 2019, as a Senior Receptionist and Administration Officer, working at our South Brisbane and Annerley practices.

Juliana has completed a Bachelor of Biomedical Science, and is in the process of commencing her Masters in Occupational Therapy studies.

Juliana has previously taught English as a second language in South Korea as well as at TAFE Queensland, and has a special interest in human health and wellness. Juliana keeps fit with zouk lambada dancing and also enjoys eating delicious food!

With her friendly and highly efficient nature, Juliana is a strong asset to our team and offers very capable support to both our patients and our team.

Juliana Ip

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