APA National President - Melissa Locke, FACP

Melissa Locke is a paediatric physiotherapist who has worked in private practice in Brisbane since 1991. Prior to this Melissa worked in metropolitan and rural hospital settings. During this time she also worked as a consultant physiotherapist to the Queensland Academy of Sport and is currently a visiting lecturer to Griffith University.

Melissa was elected to the Board of Directors in 2007 after being involved in paediatric committees at a State and National level as well as being their representative to the National Advisory Committee.

Melissa believes that physiotherapy workforce issues must continue to be a priority for the APA as well as ensuring that the Association continues to prosper financially in order to provide optimal services to its members.

APA National Vice President - Marcus Dripps

Marcus has worked predominately in private practice since graduating from the Physiotherapy school of the University of Queensland in 1993. He spent 8 years in the USA, an experience which has given him a broad perspective on models of healthcare funding and service delivery.

A former Victorian branch councillor and representative to the National Advisory Council, Marcus Joined the APA Board of Directors in 2007. He represents the APA on the Quality in Practice Board of Directors.

Clinically, Marcus has a strong interest in occupational medicine, and enjoys involvement with employers and third party payors in addition to his clinical practice.

Dr Shane Patman

Shane Patman [PhD (Curtin); BAppSc(Physio)(Uni Syd); MSc (Curtin); Grad Cert Uni Teaching (UNDA) ] graduated from the University of Sydney in 1990. His clinical work in NSW, London, and WA has covered the spectrum of physiotherapy from critical care through to ambulatory care in both public and private sectors, as well as solid experiences in clinical leadership and management. In recent years his work has extended into the tertiary education sector; currently he works as the senior lecturer in Cardiorespiratory physiotherapy at The University of Notre Dame Australia (UNDA) in Fremantle, Western Australia. Previously Shane has worked in a co-appointment position between UNDA and Fremantle Hospital as the Section Head Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapist, and prior to that as the Senior Physiotherapist in critical care at Royal Perth Hospital.

Shane joined the Board of Directors of the Australian Physiotherapy Association in 2009. Shane is the immediate past Chairperson of Cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy Australia (CRPA) and was the CRPA representative to the National Advisory Council from 2003 – 2008. He received Titled membership to CRPA in 2008. Additionally Shane is a member of the CRPA Clinical Standards Committee, the Grants Review Committee of the Physiotherapy Research Foundation, the Accreditation Committee of the Australian Physiotherapy Council, and on the Physiotherapists Registration Board of WA.

Michael Ryan, FACP

Michael Ryan completed his undergraduate physiotherapy degree with distinction from the University of Sydney in 1994. He completed his clinical Masters Degree in manipulative physiotherapy in 1999, and was admitted as a Fellow of The Australian College of Physiotherapists as a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist in 2007.

Michael is the principal physiotherapist in his Private Practice in North Ryde, NSW. He works primarily in clinical practice but continues a close relationship with the University of Sydney as a consultant on advisory panels and as an associate researcher. Michael is involved in mentoring and teaching as part of the ongoing process of Specialisation in the profession and continues to present courses to groups of physiotherapist, doctors and other health professionals on current best clinical musculoskeletal physiotherapy practice. Michael has been an appointed Independent Physiotherapy Consultant for WorkCover (NSW) since 2000 and continues to work as a Forensic Physiotherapist providing opinion in civil court proceedings and other forms of conciliation around Australia.

Michael currently sits on the Physiotherapists' Registration Board of NSW. He has spent many years on MPA committees, having most recently been the National Chair and International delegate to IFOMT.

Dr Darren Beales, PhD, FACP

Darren Beales completed his physiotherapy degree at Curtin University, graduating in 1992. He worked in rural Western Australia, before spending 4 years working in the USA. He returned to Perth in 2000, completing the Master of Manipulative Therapy program at Curtin University in that year. He gained fellowship of the Australian College of Physiotherapists as a Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist in 2008, and had his PhD from Curtin University conferred in 2009. Darren currently works as a specialist physiotherapist in private practice which includes acting as a consultant for a variety of private and public insurance providers. He also holds a research position at Curtin University. Darren's current interests centre around improving the understanding of the biopsychosocial nature of pain disorders from a lifespan perspective, and facilitating integration of this knowledge into clinical practice and public policy. Darren has had a strong association with the Australian Physiotherapy Association in a number of representative roles over the last decade. As well as a position on the Board of Directors he is an inaugural facilitator of future Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists for the Australian College of Physiotherapists.

Dr Liisa Laakso

Liisa Laakso (PhD, BPhty, GCMgmt(QH)) is Deputy Head of the School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, and convenor of physiotherapy programs at Griffith University (Gold Coast). She graduated from The University of Queensland in 1981 with First Class Honours. Liisa has worked for over 20 years across the spectrum of clinical practice including private and public sectors (in 2 states). Her PhD was conferred in 1995.

Liisa has served on numerous APA committees over almost 30 years of continuous membership. Currently she is involved in 25 national and international Boards, committees and organisations including APA representative on the Australian Physiotherapy Council Accreditation Committee, the Menzies Foundation Board of Directors, President-elect of the World Association for Laser Therapy, and the Executive Committee of the International Society for Electrophysical Agents in Physical Therapy.

Dr Laakso is a former Menzies Scholar in the Allied Health Sciences (1991) and was awarded the Australian Physiotherapy Association (Qld) Contribution to Physiotherapy Research Award in 2001.

Phil Calvert

Phil Calvert graduated in 1997 from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy). He completed a Masters Degree in Physiotherapy in 2002 and a Graduate Certificate in Health Administration in 2006 from Flinders University.

Phil is the Regional Manager of Physiotherapy for the Women's and Children's Health Network in Adelaide, a role that incorporates the Women's and Children's Hospital and community paediatric physiotherapy services. His is an Adjunct Lecturer with the School of Health Sciences, University of South Australia, and consults in private paediatric physiotherapy practice in Adelaide. His clinical experience spans tertiary and community paediatric physiotherapy as well as private practice.

Most recently, Phil has been the National Advisory Council representative for the Physiotherapy in Leadership and Management Group (PLMG). He is a member of both the PLMG and National Paediatric Group, and has been a previous Branch Councillor in South Australia.