Brooke Williams

Brooke graduated some 20-odd years ago, embarking on her Physiotherapy journey in the public health sector, before venturing over to the UK when the travel bug hit. Working in both the NHS and private sectors, saw her gain a vast array of experience before landing a role in the field of Continence and Pelvic floor Physiotherapy. With her interest piqued, an returning to Australia, she completed further Post Graduate Qualifications in this field and has been practising ever since. Brooke is a practice Director in a Melbourne CBD clinic, and spends her days looking after her team of 7, and treating clinically.

Brooke looks forward to sharing her knowledge on all things Pelvic Health related including; the peri-natal period, facilitating long term pelvic floor health, the post-menopausal woman, and Osteoporosis management. She has experience in treating all incontinence related issues, managing prolapses, chronic pelvic pain and is passionate about long term pelvic health and how this can impact one’s participation in exercise, and quality of life. We have a great opportunity as Physios to help these clients, and in most cases make life changing improvements. With the pelvis and its function playing such an important musculoskeletal role for the body, learning how to ensure all aspects are working well could be the final piece of the puzzle you’ve been looking for to help give your patients exceptional outcomes.

Kent is a clinician and clinic director who leads a team of physiotherapists in private practice.

Kent has been a clinical mentor since 2017 across two large private practices, has been a clinical supervisor of physiotherapy students undergoing university placements in private practice and has been a member of The Second Visit since its inception in 2020.

Kent understands the challenges early career physiotherapists have in adjusting to private practice, and the difficulties navigating the often conflicting advice that inexperienced physiotherapists are given or can find online. He believes critical thinking, clinical reasoning and a thorough understanding of the basic skills of physiotherapy lay the foundation for a successful career.

Areas of interest:

• The development of early career physiotherapist
• Improving the transition to private practice
• Building self efficacy and self awareness of physiotherapists
• Avoiding burnout
• Clinical reasoning
• Improving the delivery of client education

Mustafa Kagdi

Since graduating from my Masters in Manual and Sports Physiotherapy in 2008, I have been working in private practice physiotherapy. I am an APA titled Musculoskeletal and Sports & Exercise Physiotherapist presently a Clinical Educator with the Back in Motion Health Group in Adelaide, an Affiliate Lecturer at the School of Medicine at the University of Adelaide and a Mentor with the APA Graduate Mentoring Program . In addition, I am a Clinical Supervisor to physiotherapy students on their placements.

Providing ongoing education to physiotherapists to improve their skills and accelerate their development as clinicians is my passion. Areas I like to focus on during mentoring are communication skills, clinical reasoning and improving core competencies

Areas of interest:

• Lower limbs
• TMJ
• Elbows
• Hands

Tim Shackleford

Tim is the Clinical Supervisor of a large practice and has vast experience in employing and transitioning physiotherapists from limited to full registration. His attention to detail is second to none, and he has helped many practice owners already in navigating the limited registration process.  If you are looking to save a lot of money and your valuable time, he will be happy to review your paperwork and methods of practice supervision to facilitate approval from AHPRA

Tom graduated physiotherapy from Sydney University in 1994. He ran a successful private practice in Melbourne from 2001 before joining the Back In Motion network in 2007. Within Back In Motion he has built and sold multiple practices and has recently sold his share in his main practice, Back In Motion Bayswater. He has sat on the BIM Group Advisory Panel and currently sits on Healthia’s Clinical Advisory Committee. While at Back In Motion Tom ran team workshops around the BIM network nationally, and has been involved with graduate and early career mentoring.

Tom is the immediate past president of the APA Victorian Branch having served 8 years on the Branch, with 4 years as president. He is currently active in the APA Physiotherapy Business group and sits on the APA National Professional Standards Panel.

Topics that I can speak on include:

Ashan Weerakkody

Ashan’s expertise lies across all neurological conditions, including acquired brain injuries (stroke, TBI), vestibular disorders and dizziness, functional neurological disorder, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating conditions. He is also a PhD candidate through Edith Cowan University, investigating the implementation of evidence-based upper limb rehabilitation after stroke.

Ashan developed and delivers the APA Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy (CIMT) course nationally, and is a WA state presenter for the APA Neurology Level 1 and Level 2 courses. He runs several other evidence-based training courses for physiotherapists and occupational therapists.

Ashan’s clinical and teaching passion is on addressing the challenges associated with providing best practice neurological rehabilitation. His research has recognised that often clinicians lack the knowledge, skills or confidence to deliver evidence-based practice, or that interventions need to be adapted to suit the local service context to be feasible within time and resource constraints.

Tess has been working as a physiotherapist for over 10 years. Her neurological journey began in London when she worked at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery and was fortunate to be a part of a great organisation providing specialised neurological management to patients coming from across the UK. Upon returning home to Melbourne, Tess started working in a private neurological clinic in Melbourne in 2019. Tess is primarily a clinician who enjoys treating a wide variety of neurological conditions in the community. Her special interests including the diagnosis and management of vestibular conditions, education and exercise in the management of Parkinson's disease, physiotherapy management of functional neurological disorder and rehabilitation in conditions such as stroke, Multiple Sclerosis and spinal cord injury.

Tess is passionate about providing holistic and collaborative care to clients in order to maximise function and quality of life. She also enjoys educating on the physiotherapy role in neurological and vestibular rehabilitation and she is involved in upskilling clinicians both within her clinic and externally.

Jonathan Wray FACP

Jonathan has completed the rigorous Specialist training program with the Australian College of physiotherapists and is one of less than 100 Specialist Musculoskeletal Physiotherapists in Australia.

Jonathan has a special interest in treating neck, shoulder and spinal disorders using manual therapy, dry needling techniques and exercise prescription. 

Jonathan was a clinical tutor for 7 years on the Post Graduate Masters of CIinical Physiotherapy for Curtin University. Currently he facilitates physiotherapy registrars going through the specialization process with the Australian College of Physiotherapists and teaches Integrative Acupuncture and Dry Needling for the Australian Physiotherapy association.

In the U.K. Jonathan worked in the public health system and provided Physiotherapy for Welsh Premiership rugby. In Perth he had extensive experience in the private sector before starting his own practice, Next Wave Therapy.

Outside of work, Jonathan enjoys spending time with his wife and young family. As a keen surfer, kite surfer and scuba diver, he likes to be in the water as much as he can.

Gemma is a paediatric physiotherapist and mentor with nearly 14 years of experience. She began her career in musculoskeletal physiotherapy before moving into paediatrics, where she now supports children aged 0-18 with physical disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, genetic disorders, and neurodivergence. She specializes in helping children build exercise tolerance and develop play skills for social growth, with a focus on infants with congenital conditions like torticollis, metatarsus adductus, and plagiocephaly.

For eight years, Gemma successfully developed and managed a multidisciplinary clinic, Therabees, supporting professionals across physiotherapy, speech pathology, and occupational therapy. She has also worked as a clinical educator and university tutor in clinical reasoning, biomechanics, and hydrotherapy.

In 2025, Gemma will be available for one-on-one or group mentoring and workshops. Based in Adelaide, she offers in-clinic sessions, virtual mentoring, and interstate workshops. Contact her at [email protected] to learn more.