2024 conference speakers

Susan Biggar is the National Manager, Regulatory Experience and Engagement at Ahpra where she has led the work to improve the experience of practitioners and the public who engage with the organisation. She has an extensive history in consumer health and has trained over 4000 health professionals in patient centred care.

A writer by background, with degrees from Duke and Stanford universities, Susan has published extensively in Australia, including writing for The Age, Sydney Morning Herald and Good Weekend. She is also a Councillor for the City of Boroondara in Victoria. Susan has 25+ years’ health system experience across 6 countries, supporting two of her adult children who live with a serious chronic illness.

Associate Professor Michael Buckland is a senior neuropathologist and the Head of the Department of Neuropathology at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Head of the Molecular Neuropathology Program at the Brain & Mind Centre, University of Sydney. Michael is the Director of the Australian Sports Brain Bank, leading the research on the first cases of CTE in Australian contact sport athletes and the first case in the world on female athlete with CTE. Michael is also the director of the Australian Veterans Brain Bank and Co-Director of the Multiple Sclerosis Research Australia Brain Bank.

 

Martin Fletcher is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra) which implements the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme regulating more than 900,000 health practitioners across 16 professions, in partnership with 15 National Health Practitioner Boards.

Prior to joining Ahpra, Martin was Chief Executive of the National Patient Safety Agency in England. From 2004-2007, Martin worked with WHO to establish a global patient safety program.

Martin holds a Master of Management degree in public sector management, an Honours degree in behavioural sciences and an undergraduate degree in social studies.

Martin holds an honorary appointment as adjunct Professor with the School of Health and Biomedical Science at RMIT University. He is also a co-Director of the WHO Collaborating Centre for Health Workforce Regulation in the Western Pacific Region which is hosted by Ahpra.

Gary Fryer is an Associate Professor and Course Chair in Osteopathy at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia. Gary completed his osteopathic training in 1990 and practiced osteopathy in Melbourne, Brisbane, and rural Victoria. Gary has been extensively involved in osteopathic education and research, having taught osteopathic principles, technique, and research methods at Victoria University since 1997. His research interests have been diverse and include the reliability of palpation, the use of osteopathic techniques by the international profession, muscle energy technique, the biomechanical effects of spinal manipulation, and the neurophysiological mechanisms of manipulative treatment.

Gary has been an advocate of an evidence-informed approach to teaching and practicing osteopathy. After completing his PhD in 2007, Gary moved to Kirksville, Missouri, for a two-year period where he conducted research with the A.T. Still Research Institute and taught osteopathic manipulative medicine at Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. He has authored over 60 articles in peer-reviewed journals, many book chapters, and has been an invited speaker at osteopathic conferences in Australia, the United States, United Kingdom, Europe, Korea and Brazil.

Jason Haxton, MA, DO (h.c.) has been the director of the Museum of Osteopathic Medicine since January 2001. Besides managing the only Osteopathic Museum created in 1934, he makes multiple international trips each year. He is active with Continuing Medical Education credits (CME) for physicians too.  He provides lectures, historic research materials and promotes the principles of osteopathic medicine through exhibits in the USA and abroad.  At A.T. Still University in Kirksville he keeps busy as Advisor to SAHOPs (Society for the Advancement of Historical Osteopathy and Philosophy Organisation), along with teaching medical students and welcoming guests from around the world to the museum.

Jason worked on a variety of documentaries which includes the Historical Emmy award PBS 2017: “The Feminine Touch”   Spanish 2019: “The Science of Osteopathy”; German 2020: “Osteopathie Heilen mit den Handen” and French 2024 “150-years of Osteopathic Medicine.”

He authored “Andrew Taylor Still – Father of Osteopathic Medicine” a biography for young readers (10-12 years). This is the first book of its kind approved for school curriculum in social studies. 

Jason received several Library and Museum grants all totaling 1/2 a million dollars to process and put online the Museum’s 100,000 artifacts and to create K-8^th grade health curriculum.  The Museum just received a $50,000 grant to organise and preserve the textiles in the collection.  His leadership at the Museum was recognised as an American Osteopathic Association (AOA) Shining STAR organisation for its work promoting the osteopathic profession worldwide.  In 2022, the Museum was recognised with National American Alliance of Museums Accreditation, the highest standard in the Museum profession.

Andrea Miles is from Melbourne and along with her prior expertise as an osteopath and the research she was conjointly involved with at the Australian Sports Brain Bank, Andrea draws on her lived experience of a loved one passing away with chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).

Andrea is passionate about discussing CTE and the impact that this neurodegenerative disease has not only on the individual themself but also the ripple effect of CTE on family and friends. Andrea aims to increase awareness and understanding of CTE through the osteopathy community.

Adjunct Professor Alan Pearce is a clinical neurophysiologist of 25 years experience. For the last 15 years, Alan has been focussed on the pathophysiology of concussion and those with suspected CTE following exposure to repetitive neurotruama. His techniques to measure the integrity of the central nervous system involved brain stimulation techniques. Alan has currently over 260 publications, including 15 book chapters and is currently working on his 3rd research textbook. He is also research manager of the Australian Sports Brain Bank.

Robert G.G. Piccinini, DO, is an AOA board-certified osteopathic psychiatrist in private practice.

Outside of his involvement with the AOA, Dr. Piccinini is the past president of the Michigan Osteopathic Association. He also is past president of the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists, the Macomb County Osteopathic Medical Association and the Michigan Osteopathic Service Corporation.

Dr. Piccinini did a forensic psychiatry fellowship at the Medical College of Wisconsin. He received the Distinguished Fellow award from the American College of Osteopathic Neurologists and Psychiatrists in 2007. Dr. Piccinini has given numerous presentations on domestic violence, violence in the workplace and physician wellness.

Dr. Piccinini earned his osteopathic medical degree from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine in East Lansing. He completed an internship at Genesys Regional Medical Center followed by residency training at Henry Ford Health Systems. ​

Frank Willard, Ph.D. received his doctoral degree in Anatomy and Neurobiology from the College of Medicine, University of Vermont and did three years of post-doctoral training in the Department of Anatomy, at the Ohio State University College of Medicine.  He joined the Anatomy Department at the University of New England, College of Osteopathic Medicine in 1983, where he holds the rank of Professor.  Currently, he is the Discipline Director for Anatomy, the Course Director for Osteopathic Medical Anatomy, taught to the Year-One Osteopathic Students, and the Course Director for the Medical Neuroanatomy and Neurology, taught to the Year II Osteopathic Medical Students.  He is ranked as a Master Instructor in the International Pain and Spine Intervention Society.  He has served as the Basic Science Editor for the Foundations of Osteopathic Medicine text.  His research has focused on spine anatomy and spine of spinal origin.

Danielle Baxter is a registered osteopath with over a decade of clinical experience in private practice. Danielle has worked at RMIT University as an academic since 2014 and recently completed her PhD evaluating the feasibility of adjunctive manual therapy for COPD. Her PhD project involved implementing a clinical study in a metropolitan hospital in Melbourne, working within a multidisciplinary team to deliver manual therapy alongside a structured exercise program for patients with COPD. Danielle's research interests include the non-pharmacological management of chronic diseases, and the role and scope of osteopaths in the management of older people in various settings.

Dr David Birley (Osteopath) has over 20 years experience and has owned several clinics in Australia & New Zealand. He was the first osteopath in Australia to undertake clinical pilates training, and now focuses on providing care to clients by helping them incorporate functional medicine protocols and sleep health to assist with musculoskeletal recovery. 

Raymond Blaich B Appl Sc, M Appl Sc, PhD, is a lecturer in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University, Lismore and Gold Coast Campuses, where he teaches in the undergraduate and postgraduate osteopathic programmes. Outside of his role as a lecturer, Raymond works part- time in a private osteopathic practice.

With 25 years of experience in education, Christie commenced her career as a secondary school health and physical education teacher. Over the past 20 years, her professional focus has centred on creating and implementing risk management education resources and programs tailored for diverse professional audiences. As the Risk Services Manager for Guild Insurance, Christie possesses a keen interest in the role that education plays in risk management by contributing to heightened awareness and behavioural change.

Ana Christina is a D.O. osteopath, a member of the Brazilian register of osteopaths (RBrO) and a member of its board of advisors. She completed her Masters and PhD in rehabilitation sciences at UNISUAM RJ in 2016 and 2022, respectively. She graduated in physiotherapy in 1991. Her master's research involved evaluating the autonomous effect of the 4th ventricle compression technique in men with grade 1 hypertension and normotensive men. In her PhD, the aim was to evaluate OMT in patients with fatigue and functional incapacity in long covid.

She currently teaches osteopathy at the Brazilian Institute of Osteopathy, works in a private osteopathic clinic and is implementing an osteopathic outpatient clinic for women's health at Rocha Maia Municipal Hospital in Rio de Janeiro.  Ana Christina has a particular interest in osteopathic research, interdisciplinary approaches and the role of osteopathy in public health.

Tomas Collin is an osteopath with a broad interest in health promotion, especially the osteopathic community’s role in contributing to patient health education and building healthy public policies. He is currently studying a MSc programme in clinical practice. Tomas is the elected president of the Norwegian association of Osteopaths, combining this role with clinical work in Færder, south of Oslo. Tomas is heavily involved with the Nordic Osteopathic Association and the European Forum and Federation for Osteopathy, currently chairing the Education Committee.

Amy has been in private practice in the Inner West of Sydney since graduating from RMIT University in 2001. Her focus on helping patients living with persistent pain and passion for Women's health led to Amy joining Professor Thierry Vancaillie and the team at the Women's Health and Research Institute of Australia (WHRIA) in 2010. 

At WHRIA Amy became aware of the widespread demand for experienced practitioners in treating complex pelvic pain and has devoted her professional learning to this area. Amy provides osteopathic care and pain education for patients with pelvic nerve pain including pudendal neuralgia, chronic pelvic pain from endometriosis, pelvic girdle pain and pregnancy related pain. She also sees men with pelvic and perineal pain. Amy stays abreast of new research, medical management including surgical interventions and is committed to providing evidence based practice. 

Amy has been an active member of Osteopathy Australia spending several years as part of the NSW state council and National CPD committee. She has presented at the Osteopathy Australia National Conference, GP education evenings, RANZCOG and AGES meetings for Gynaecologists and Obstetricians on the role of musculoskeletal management of pelvic pain. 

Amy regularly travels to Moree with WHRIA gynaecology colleagues to provide osteopathic services at PIUS-X Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre.

Roger Engel is an osteopath with over 40 years’ experience in private and hospital-based practice in Australia, the US and Indonesia. He currently holds appointments as an Adjunct Associate Professor at Southern Cross University and Honorary Senior Research Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine Health and Human Sciences at Macquarie University. Roger is a clinician scientist involved in clinical research. His research interests cover several fields including the non-pharmacological management of chronic respiratory disease, paediatric and maternal care, and more recently post-concussion syndrome. In 2012, Roger was appointed as an Honorary Clinical Research Fellow at an Australian public hospital, the first osteopath to receive such an appointment. He has published over 70 papers in peer-reviewed journals and supervises PhD and Masters students.

Michael brings 15 years of hands-on clinical experience, 40+ publications, and a passion for empowering fellow clinicians and students through innovative education. As a lecturer at Victoria University and a Fellow of the International Osteopathy Research Leadership and Capacity Building Program, he strives to bridge the gap between theory and practice by championing evidence-based approaches and inspiring the next generation of healthcare professionals to follow. With degrees in both education and osteopathy, Michael is dedicated to advancing osteopathic and healthcare research by fostering a vibrant learning environment where knowledge is transformed into real-world impact.

Michael's current focus is on exploring the clinician-scientist nexus and identifying the most effective research methods to enhance this vital connection.
 

Jack Feehan is a Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow at RMIT University, with additional honorary positions at Victoria University, and the University of Technology, Sydney. He completed his osteopathic training at VU in 2017, before completing a Ph.D. in geriatric immunology at the University of Melbourne in 2021. He is an emerging leader in chronic disease and healthy ageing research, with research spanning from basic science innovation to clinical intervention, and public health policy. In particular, his research focusses enabling older adults to live healthy fulfilling lives, through disease prevention and treatment, community and engagement, and equity in aged care. 

Joel Friedlaender is a software developer and the founder of Cliniko, which he started in 2011. For the past 13 years, Cliniko has provided practice management software to allied health professionals and currently has more than 100,000 users around the world. In line with Joel’s founding vision, Cliniko continues to be a company with a strong ethical underpinning—it is completely carbon neutral and donates 2% of its revenue to charity. Joel is also a strong advocate for digital security and privacy and often gives educational talks on these topics to help raise awareness of them in the healthcare industry.

Rudi Gerhardt studied Sports-Physiotherapy in Munich, graduating in 1984, and Osteopathy in Belgium (IAO) graduating in 1999. He moved to Australia over 20 years ago and while waiting for his qualifications to be recognised in Australia gained his B.Sc. Anatomy/Neuroscience at UNSW, graduating in 2002. He is a registered Doctor of Osteopathy.

Rudi considers study of the human body and mind a life-long task and tries not to specialise. But if he had to choose it would be Neuroscience. He has a special clinical interest in Dizziness & Balance and has done extensive education in this field including a ‘Certificate in Vestibular Rehabilitation’ and a ‘Certificate of Concussion Management.

He has spent 18 years self-employed in his own clinics in Sydney and in Murwillumbah (Life Quality & Health). His previous employment included 7 years Hospital employment (Germany), 1 year in Orthopaedic Rehabilitation (Germany) and 5 years self-employed in his own clinic (Germany). In his capacity as a Sports-physiotherapist in Germany he was often called in to support international events like Marathons and Triathlons throughout Europe.

Rudi has been teaching part time for 19 years including 1 year tutoring Anatomy at UNSW, 5 years at UWS lecturing Neuroanatomy, Clinical Reasoning and 6 years at SCU lecturing Neuroscience, Histology, Embryology, and Osteopathy skills. He has also taught Master classes and presented at conferences and CPD seminars for more than 25 years.

Leo graduated from Victoria University in 2017 and has worked in private practice in Queensland and Victoria and in aged care and policy advocacy since he returned to Victoria.
He is passionate about broadening the work settings and opportunities graduates have. He strongly believes osteopaths need to work in many fields and healthcare systems to secure the future of osteopaths in Australia’s health care system.
 

Sandra Grace is a Professor in the Faculty of Health Southern Cross University. She is a health services researcher with extensive experience in integrative medicine, models of primary care, program evaluation, practice-based education, and interprofessional education and practice.  Her research has employed a number of qualitative methodologies, including phenomenology and critical realism. Sandra has supervised PhD and Masters by Thesis students from a range of disciplines, including osteopathy, nursing, chiropractic, naturopathy, yoga therapy, occupational therapy and parenting training. Under her supervision, they have sought ways to improve the quality and safety of healthcare, the quality of the education that prepares graduates for future practice, and the health and wellbeing of the specific populations on whom their investigations are focused.

Doctor Kirsty Greenwood (Osteopath) graduated in 2004 from Victoria University with a Masters in Clinical Science. She has 19 years of clinical experience in the paediatric care of infants and is a PhD candidate at Southern Cross University. Kirsty is a director of ASTOT (Australian Society for Tethered Oral issues).

Amanda graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Human Biosciences in 2000, a Masters Degree in Osteopathy in 2002 and she achieved a graduate diploma in Applied Acupuncture in 2004. As well as being a registered board examiner, Amanda was a university lecturer for senior students in osteopathy for five years. In 2014, Amanda founded Restore Health & Wellness in St Leonards, a renowned multidisciplinary health clinic.

Although Amanda has built a reputation for caring for patients with all manner of tissue restriction and pain, she began to develop her skills in assisting breast cancer patients in the management of her sisters side effects during her treatment from 2001- 2010. In 2019, following her own breast cancer journey, Amanda became aware that there was a widespread need for experience in managing induration, scars and capsular contraction in the care of these patients.

Amanda then proceeded to apply a new approach to the treatment of soft tissue trauma in other breast cancer patients, and for this, she was a finalist in the Australian Osteopath of the Year Awards in 2022. 

Amanda is a member of the team at Northern Beaches Breast Clinic where she works alongside the Breast Surgeons, Breast Physicians, and Lymphoedema physiotherapists. She also practices at the Kay Van Norton Centre for Wellbeing at the Mater Hospital, where a wide range of support services for breast cancer patients in their recovery is offered.

In 2021 Amanda developed a CPD training program for osteopaths and other health practitioners in the care of soft tissue trauma in breast cancer patients, and she teaches and lectures regularly throughout Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Elizabeth is an osteopath with 25 years’ experience in the treatment and management of pain. She has a special interest in holistic pain education, breast pain, pudendal neuralgia, pelvic girdle pain and pregnancy-related pain.

Elizabeth graduated in Melbourne in 1996 with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Clinical Science) and a Bachelor of Osteopathic Science. Since her Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) (2015 USYD) she assists Prof Vancaillie with his pelvic pain practice. Elizabeth was awarded the title Advanced Pain Management Osteopath by Osteopathy Australia in 2020. Her passion is to help create greater awareness of pelvic pain and conservative options to treat it. She does this via teaching practitioners throughout Australia and more recently Ireland, Sweden and New Zealand.

Her roles include osteopathic care, pain education for all Professor Vancaillie’s pain patients, clinical research, programming sacral neuromodulation and facilitating group education for pelvic pain. Elizabeth was integral to helping manage the women suffering with pelvic pain after mesh surgery for prolapse or incontinence.

Her teaching experience ranges from lectures and technique in Undergraduate and Master’s Osteopathic programs, currently at Southern Cross University (previously at University of Western Sydney), clinical supervision of osteopathic students (Sydney, Lismore, Mumbai), ANZ Neuromodulation Society, Osteopathy Australia National Conference, Pelvic Floor Seminars, GP education evenings and Allied Health events via Bower Bird CPD.

Liz travels to rural Moree with the WHRIA gynaecology team to provide osteopathic services at PIUS-X Aboriginal Corporation Medical Centre.

Don graduated in 2003 from the University of Western Sydney and has been an osteopathic clinician for more than 20 years, ten of which were spent running his own practice in Newcastle, and the last three years as a solo practitioner in Tamworth, regional NSW.

Don’s osteopathic journey has included the undertaking of many courses in biodynamics and osteopathy in the cranial field and since 2013, he has been conducting research in the Department of Physiotherapy at the University of Newcastle, investigating the relationship between thoracic posture and shoulder impingement syndrome.

Don’s 2022 thesis, The relationship between thoracic spine and shoulder impingement syndrome, which was a nine-year commitment on top of running his own practice, saw Don graduate from the University of Newcastle with a PhD. Don is a current member of the Osteopathy Australia Board and is the Chair of the Osteopathy Australia Research Committee.

Sam Kayll is a PhD Candidate at The Centre for Health Exercise and Sports Medicine at The University of Melbourne. His research is focused on the effect of foot-based interventions on knee biomechanics in people with patellofemoral pain. For his research, Sam received the Dean’s Award for Excellence. Sam also works as an osteopath at Balwyn Sports and Physiotherapy Centre in Melbourne, sits on the Victoria State Council for Sports Medicine Australia, and is on the Osteopathy Australia CPD Working Group.

Hyungsuk Kim is a Korean medicine doctor at Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital, as well as an assistant professor in the department of Korean medicine at Kyung Hee University, Seoul, South Korea.

Hyungsuk’s work includes treating spinal cord injury, stroke, gait disturbance problems, and musculoskeletal pain with acupuncture, cupping, moxibustion, Chuna (Korean manual therapy), and herbal medicine. Further to his clinical practice, Hyungsuk has translated the following books, Mike Dow’s [Healing the broken brain] and John Gibbon’s [The vital nerves] from English to Korean.

Amy Lawton is a PhD candidate and a registered osteopath with over a decade of clinical experience. Amy has been an academic at Victoria University since 2020 and has a special interest in the development of clinical reasoning and interprofessional care practices. Amy's current PhD work has her investigating falls prevention for community-dwelling older adults. Her project explores the role of osteopathy and other allied health professions in community falls prevention screening and intervention, capabilities required for improving interprofessional care and current practices in the Australian healthcare and education systems.

Kylie McWhirter is a PhD candidate in the Australian Research Consortium in Complementary and Integrative Medicine (ARCCIM) at UTS and a practicing advanced paediatric osteopath in Northern Sydney.

With over 20 years of clinical experience treating children, Kylie has developed an interest in further understanding child development including factors influencing the attainment of developmental milestones and how these impact future developmental outcomes. Her PhD study investigates the use of primitive reflex assessment in clinical practice and explores the relationships between primitive reflexes, motor function and executive function in preschool children.

Kylie’s research strategy is to develop the profile of osteopathy within the paediatric space through producing high quality research that benefits clinical decision-making and informs best practice.

Dr George Michael (Osteopath) is the founder of the Centre for Musculoskeletal Medicine, specialising in the treatment of acute injuries and rehabilitation. As a practising osteopath for over 20 years, he has a keen interest in helping patients achieve an improved quality of sleep alongside a decrease in musculoskeletal pain.

Antonio Pilotto graduated with degrees in physiotherapy in 2009 and in osteopathy in 2016. Since January 2010, Antonio has been working with musculoskeletal disorders, both at chronic and acute stages, starting from the initial assessment until the return to sport in case of athletes, or recreational activities in case of amateurs. From 2020 to 2024, Antonio worked in Qatar in Hamad Medical Corporation, where he oversaw the designing of CPD activities for the Scientific Planning Committee.

In February 2024, Antonio completed his MSc in Medical Education at Warwick University (UK). Antonio is currently a member of the Osteopathy Australia CPD Working Group.

Dr Alison Sim (Osteopath) graduated from Victoria University in 2001.  She has worked in clinical practice for 23 years in a variety of settings, more recently in the chronic pain space.  She has a Masters degree in pain management and is currently finalising her PhD through the University of Sydney in the area of pain management and early intervention.  Alison has taught at universities in Australia in the USA on topics of pain science and frequently teaches communication skills to clinicians in workshop settings. 

Dr Andrew Timos (Osteopath) exemplifies how extensive work experience, such as his 12 years in the health sector, has complemented his academic pursuits, having graduated from RMIT University with a double bachelors degree as well as completing his masters degree in exercise science at Edith Cowan University in 2022.

Along with osteopathic practice, Andrew is a strength and conditioning coach and he has developed strength and conditioning programs for many types of athletes, particularly combat sports, and more recently, long-distance runners.

Andrew’s passion for education and research saw him nominated for the award of the Rising Star Allied Health Professional in 2020, due to his educational presence he shares on social media.

In 2023, Andrew became the first osteopath to get a published paper in the Journal of Australian Strength and Conditioning (JASC) for his research, Looking at the relationship between knee valgus and patellofemoral pain injuries in active females.

Alongside Andrew’s clinical expertise is his teaching prowess, which sees him not only teaching certificate III and IV in fitness around Melbourne, but also utilising his digital expertise by developing his own online course, The physiological adaptations to resistance training. Andrew’s course is now being used by coaches and practitioners, wanting to gain a deeper understanding to the adaptations that occur from resistance training.

An accomplished Founder and Director, Brett brings a wealth of expertise in the health, wellness, and fitness industries. With a background in governance, strategy, and digital health, he is dedicated to harnessing the therapeutic potential of medicinal cannabis to promote health and well-being across different demographics. Holding a Masters in Osteopathic Medicine, Masters of Applied Positive Psychology, and recently completing the AI in Healthcare course at MIT in the United States, Brett's passion lies in creating sustainable value in the healthcare system to enhance systemic health outcomes.. His entrepreneurial spirit drives him to explore innovative healthcare education and business development initiatives. With a focus on the Anti-Fragility Mindset, he is committed to empowering others through proactive, effective, and self-protective approaches to giving to others, whilst leaving a positive wake and contribution in everything he says and does.