Our Board

B.Sc.(Clin.Sc.), M.H.Sc.(Osteo.)

Matt has been a practicing Osteopath for a little over a decade and is the director and owner of Melbourne Osteopathic Clinic Docklands. Matt has worked in an elite sports clubs and was thrilled to be part of the medical team at the Western Bulldogs during their drought-breaking premiership in 2016. Matt has spent the last number of years mixing clinical work with teaching at Victoria University. Matt is a husband and father to two fantastic little ones. Matt thrives on mentoring young practitioners and helping with their transition into practice. He hosts a podcast called PracReady with Osteopath Craig Taylor, which has the primary focus on helping the future of our profession to be “PracReady” from day 1.

B.Sc.(Clin.Sc.), M.H.Sc.(Osteo.), MAPP. 

Brett is a proud husband, father and director at the Sports and Spinal Group in Melbourne. He has a history in the health, wellness and fitness industry, with experience in sports injuries, pain management, positive psychology, entrepreneurship and strategy, holistic health and fitness. He has a strong business development mindset and holds a Master’s of Applied Positive Psychology from Melbourne University. His thesis focused on the art of giving as a medical practitioner proactively, effectively and self-protectively. As a leader, he believes in creating a psychologically safe environment that facilitates three basic human needs: autonomy, competence and relatedness. By focusing on these three core elements, he has been able to mobilise and empower both individuals and groups to flourish. As an experienced Founder with a demonstrated history of working in the health, wellness and fitness industry, Brett is skilled in governance and strategy, digital health, entrepreneurship, healthcare education and business development. He is a strong business development professional with a Masters in Osteopathic Medicine and a Masters Of Applied Positive Psychology focused in Applied Psychology from the University of Melbourne. He has a keen interest in Clinician Well-Being and the art of giving proactively, effectively and self-protectively to others.

Julia is a recent graduate having completed her studies at Victoria University in 2020. At university she was valedictorian for her undergraduate degree and received the most outstanding clinical student award upon graduating from her Masters. She has also previously completed a Bachelor of Science with a Major in Psychology from the University of Melbourne.

Julia is currently working as an osteopath and a sessional educator at Victoria University. She also teaches sports training at Sports Medicine Australia.

Julia joined the Osteopathy Australia Board of Directors in mid-2023 as the association’s first Early Career Director. Diagnosed with Ankylosing Spondylitis early in her career, Julia has harnessed this experience to advocate for the importance of the hands-off component of osteopathy, emphasising the prevention of physical and mental burnout. She is also passionate about improving ergonomic practices and fostering connections within the osteopathic community, as well as helping to educate people on how to manage their pain.  

EMBA BPharms (Hons) MRPhamS MPS

Joey Calandra has over 20 years of healthcare and leadership experience. Ranging from frontline roles as a pharmacist, to executive management, board directorships, innovation consulting and, currently, as the Head of Virtual Health for Medibank. 

Joey has expertise in strategic partnerships, collaborating and working with multiple stakeholders, including State and Federal Governments, Universities, Boards, Primary Health Networks, Private Health Insurers, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Companies. His experience also spans advocacy, membership growth, increasing scope of practice, developing models of care, new funding mechanisms, continuing professional development, including competency standards and accreditation as well as managing national and internal conferences as General Manager at the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. 

Joey spent five years as a board director of the Victorian Pharmacy Authority and as a consultant for the Royal Australasian College of General Practice, Bayside Medicare Local, Australian Health Practitioner Registration Authority, National Asthma Council of Australia, Heart Foundation of Australia, Wandsworth and Hammersmith and Fulham Primary Care Trusts in the United Kingdom.

As an innovation consultant, Joey developed bespoke innovation and productivity capability training for Government, Health, FMCG, Pharmaceutical, Insurance, Banking, Law, Accounting, Entertainment, Charities and Software Industries.

Joey has completed the AICD Not-for-Profit Governance Program, has a Bachelor of Pharmacy with Honours and an Executive MBA with awards in Strategy, Financial Management, International Business (China) and Silver medal for the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation innovation program.

BSc(ClinSc), MHSc(Osteo), GradCert(Neonatal and Inf Paeds for Man Ther)

Tink Gee is an enthusiastic and accomplished osteopath with 20 years of experience. Her private and professional life has been underpinned by a desire for leadership and contribution to her community and the osteopathic profession. 

Tink has an established clinic in Hobart called Rockhopper Osteopathic Clinic, where she not only provides care to the local community but mentors young osteopaths to provide the same high level of care that she offers.

Tink’s passion for treating paediatric patients led her to gain a Graduate Certificate in Infant and Neonatal Paediatrics for Manual Therapists and is titled by Osteopathy Australia as an Advanced Paediatric Osteopath (tertiary). 

Tink was a member of Osteopathy Australia’s Paediatric Clinical Practice Group from 2014 until it ceased in 2020. Tink is the current president (since 2020) and has been a faculty member and an Executive Board Member for the not-for-profit organisation the Sutherland Cranial Teaching Foundation of Australia & New Zealand (SCTFANZ) since 2014. She was also the Vice President of the Tasmanian branch of Osteopathy Australia from 2009 until the state branches ceased in 2011.

Tink has an active family of four boys and loves getting out in the beautiful Tassie wilderness, bushwalking, paddling, playing hockey, and regularly practising yoga and pilates.

Outside of Osteopathy Tink is very active in her community, she has volunteered on the Building Management Committee Galleria Salamanca since 2019. She was the public officer and committee member of Queenborough Little Athletics between 2014-2017 and organised and coached the South Hobart Primary School Soccer Association in 2015 and 2016.

Simultaneously contributing to numerous boards and community organizations while building the profile of Rockhopper Osteopathic Clinic and being a busy mother has given Tink an incredible insight into the challenges and successes of many of her osteopathic colleagues. She wants to see Osteopathy continue to build its profile and respect in the public forum to pave its way for a bright future. She feels it is imperative that all of the states of Australia are equally represented and will endeavour to work together to help this happen. The vision and planning required as a team of Board Directors inspire her to contribute to help this happen.

B.App.Sc. (Osteo), M.Ost. UWS

Don graduated in 2003 from the University of Western Sydney and worked in Newcastle for over 15 years, founding Beech Health Osteopathic Clinic in January, 2008. He continued his osteopathic journey by undertaking many courses in biodynamics and osteopathy in the cranial field. 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, and recently submitted his PhD. Donald is passionate about playing his part to promote working in rural Australia and the value and benefit research can offer the profession.

BAppSc, GradDipSportBus, MBA, MAICD

Cris is the Director of Saint George Consulting, a consulting agency specialising in strategy, management, governance, membership and allied health. His career has focused on service-based organisations across a variety of sectors including healthcare, finance and professional sport. Cris has held senior positions at the Bob Jane Corporation, St Kilda Football Club, CPA Australia, Australian Physiotherapy Association and Advent Health.

He is the current Chairman of BMS Risk Solutions (Affinity), current non-executive Director of Early Childhood Intervention Australia (Vic) and an independent member of the Exercise & Sports Science Australia Standards Council. He was recently appointed as the first public board member of the American Physical Therapy Association. He is the former Chairman of the Allied Health Professions Australia.

Cris holds a Bachelor of Applied Science, Graduate Diploma in Sport Business, and an MBA. He has completed the AICD Company Directors course, and the Executive Program in International Management at the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

I am honoured to stand before you as a newly appointed Board member, poised to contribute to the growth and excellence of our esteemed profession. Allow me to express my heartfelt gratitude to former President Dr Michelle Funder and former Board member Dr Georgia Ellis for their invaluable contributions during their six-year term, shaping the trajectory of our organisation. I'm very much looking forward to working with the new Board members.

Beyond clinical practice, my roles as a critical care nurse, quality improvement nurse and Veterans’ Liaison Officer have significantly broadened my perspective. This diverse background, spanning hospitals to private practice across Australia, reinforces my deep conviction in the immense value of osteopathy.

Having had the privilege of working in clinics across Canberra, Far North Queensland and Darwin, I bring a rich and varied perspective to the board. My journey has been one of continuous learning and unwavering dedication to advancing osteopathy. While I have contributed to clinics across Australia, calling Perth home fills me with joy as I am committed to furthering the goals of Osteopathy Australia.

As an adopted member of the Kuku-Yalanji clan, I acknowledge the importance of fostering inclusivity within healthcare. Recognised by the Golden Key Society for academic excellence, I hold a Bachelor of Nursing, Post Grad in Clinical Nursing, Bachelor of Clinical Science, and a Master of Osteopathic Medicine. I eagerly anticipate collaborating with members of Osteopathy Australia as we collectively shape the future of osteopathy.

OAM FAHMS GradDipManipTher USyd MBiomedE UNSW PhD UNSW

Kathryn Refshauge, a physiotherapist, is currently Professor of Allied Health (Strategic Partnerships), University of Sydney, and immediate past Dean of Health Sciences. 

She is a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Health and Medical Sciences and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course. She is a Director of the Board of the International College of Management Sydney (ICMS) and of other governing boards, as well as a member of Clinical Council, Central and Eastern Sydney Primary Health Network and various professional and research bodies nationally and internationally.

She has previously held many positions in the health sector, such as Chair of South West Sydney Research, a NSW Health hub, and executive member of other health hubs and committees in the health sector in NSW. She has served on the executive of the Australian Physiotherapy Association, Sports Medicine Australia, and human research ethics committees, and was involved in the Excellence in Research for Australia initiative. 

Her research focuses on integrating her physiotherapy, biomedical engineering and physiology backgrounds to improve health outcomes, particularly for musculoskeletal conditions. She has published extensively in the area of musculoskeletal health and developed guidelines and position statements for best practice in diagnosis and management of various musculoskeletal conditions. 

She holds several honorary professorial appointments internationally and has been a member of the editorial board of international journals. Her education excellence has been recognised through three awards for outstanding teaching, including a national award for Outstanding Contribution to Student Learning by the Australian Learning and Teaching Council, and the Vice-Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research Student Supervision.