2024 ARPA NT Award Ceremony Program

Find out about our award and finalists

Outstanding Consultant Awards 

Best New Starter 

Outstanding Student 

Exceptional Leadership

Outstanding Achievement in Return to Work Awards

Innovation in Return to Work 

Length of Service

ARPA NT President's Award

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The 2024 ARPA NT Excellence in Workplace Rehabilitation Awards would not be possible without the valued and generous contributions of our sponsors.

Outstanding Consultant Awards

About the award: Nominations in the Outstanding Consultant category included outcomes achieved by the consultant, evidence of employer and worker satisfaction, showing

  • how the Health Benefits of Good Work were implemented and 

  • how the consultant’s achievements contributed to the business and the wider industry

Sponsored by: Nautilus Orthopaedics

Finalists:

Outstanding Consultant Award - New Employer

🔹 Alexandra Barnard - Rehab Management (WINNER)

Alexandra is a reliable, adaptable, proactive, genuine and empathetic consultant, deserving of all the amazing feedback she has received. She is a strong supporter of the Health Benefits of Good Work and she has positively influenced many clients’ lives through her unwavering support, innovative thinking and dedication to empowering lives.

🔹 Hoi Sang Keung - WorkFocus Australia

Hoi’s dedication to helping his workers get well and working is evident in his successful return to work outcomes despite working in a unique and complex landscape. Hoi is dedicated and hardworking, and shows a compassionate but evidence-based approach to rehabilitation which positively impacts all those around him.

🔹 Joanne Crerar - Rehab Management

Joanne has an exceptional ability to understand stakeholders’ needs, consider all strategic options and develop effective solutions to achieve RTW goals in significantly complex environments. She is pragmatic, compassionate, hard-working, reliable, proactive and passionate about empowering lives together.

Outstanding Consultant Award - Same Employer

🔹 Amy Wight - WorkFocus Australia (WINNER)

Amy’s success in achieving positive return-to-work outcomes for employers and workers is evidenced by frequent direct referrals, positive feedback from all stakeholders, and an impressive 100% Same Employer return-to-work rate. Amy provides high quality, comprehensive, empathetic services, positively impacting all employers and workers she has worked with.

🔹 June Macfarlane - IPAR Rehabilitation

In delivering pain education for this client showcased June’s exceptional active listening skills, patience, and genuine engagement. June’s passion within the area of persistent pain but specifically in this clients journey, it was evident as she took the time to truly understand and engage.

🔹 Kaitlin Talbot - Procare Group

With a strong focus on client centred, fair but firm, healthy work balance values, Kaitlin walks alongside the injured worker on their journey providing support and encouragement to achieve positive goals and outcomes that benefit workers, employers and the broader community.

Best New Starter Award

About the award: Nominations in this category included details of successful case management and professional development undertaken, as well as a statement of management support and how the nominee promoted the Health Benefits of Good Work.

Finalists:

🔹 Alexandra Barnard - Rehab Management (WINNER)

Alexandra is a reliable, adaptable, proactive, genuine and empathetic consultant, deserving all the amazingly feedback she has received. She is a strong supporter of the Health Benefits of Good Work and she has had such a positive influence on the lives of many clients through care, dedication and innovative thinking.

🔹 Amy Wight - WorkFocus Australia

Alexandra is a reliable, adaptable, proactive, genuine and empathetic consultant, deserving all the amazingly feedback she has received. She is a strong supporter of the Health Benefits of Good Work and she has had such a positive influence on the lives of many clients through care, dedication and innovative thinking.

🔹 Joy Crespo - Altius Group

With her empathetic approach, dedication, and commitment to individualised care, Joy exemplifies the essence of a Best New Starter, demonstrating skill beyond her years of rehabilitation consultancy experience to support a range of individuals across WorkSafe, Motor Accident Commission, and Department of Veterans Affairs schemes.

Exceptional Leadership

About the award: For demonstrated leadership in the provision of workplace rehabilitation or return to work services. 

Nominees were measured on an assessment of their leadership impact on consultant outcomes and provider performance, and also how they incorporated the Health Benefits of Good Work.

Sponsored by: CGU

Finalists:

🔹 Donna-Lee Mewburn – APM

In their 20-year OR career, Donna-Lee has supported thousands of injured workers to safely return, and stay at work. Her involvement with industry bodies such as ARPA, OT Australia, NT WorkSafe and supporting student placements demonstrates their commitment to the future of the OR industry.

🔹 Jemma Thacker - Altius Group

Jemma revolutionises psychological injury management with precision and empathy, achieving remarkable return-to-work outcomes at minimal costs. Her expertise in evidence-based practices and empowering leadership not only restores well-being but sets new industry standards, making her an exemplary and transformative leader in the personal injury industry.

🔹 Phoebe Jones - IPAR Rehabilitation (WINNER)

It speaks volumes that every member of Phoebe's team expressed a desire to nominate her for this award - she has not only created a stable respected high-performing consultant group but she has completely shifted the reputation and perspective of our business in the NT through her leadership.

Outstanding Achievement in Return to Work Awards

About the award: Nominations were considered on the merit of a return to work outcome on a particularly complex or unique case, requiring:

  • explanation of the case background and any complex elements
  • and how the consultant overcame barriers and difficulties implementing the Health Benefits of Good Work.

Finalists:

Outstanding Achievement in Return to Work Award – Physical Claim

🔹 Isabella Cross - WorkFocus Australia (WINNER)
After excelling as a consultant in 2023, they started their role as Team Leader in late 2023. Servicing the Alice Springs region, they dealt with a complex cohort of clients, using their ability to build rapport and providing a tailored, culturally sensitive approach to achieve positive outcomes.
🔹 Joy Crespo - Altius Group
Joy’s dedication to personalised rehabilitation consultancy embodies excellence in return-to-work initiatives, fostering empowerment and recovery with a person-centred ethos, making her a deserving candidate for the Outstanding Achievement in Return to Work – Physical award.
🔹 Lucia Mtetwa – Konekt
Lucia has made a significant impact on the lives of the clients they have assisted throughout their career, and three years working in the NT. Lucia services clients across the Territory and is skilled in identifying innovative solutions to support independence and function, even in remote circumstances.
🔹 Rebecca McEvoy – APM
Rebecca has committed nearly two decades of their career supporting clients of all ages, backgrounds, injuries throughout remote NT and Australia. She is driven by a passion to help people which sees her achieve incomparable RTW outcomes on the most complex cases that would see most lose hope.

Outstanding Achievement in Return to Work Award – Psychological Claim

🔹 Jake McNamara - Procare Group
Jake is a worthy recipient of this award as they lead with integrity, are compassionate, assist workers to regain confidence and resilience. Jake consistently enables workers to step outside their comfort zones and challenges themselves to recover and RTW.
🔹 Lily Shilkin - Altius Group (WINNER)
Lily’s transformative interventions and unwavering support have facilitated the successful return to work for individuals overcoming psychological injuries, embodying excellence in rehabilitation and deserving recognition for outstanding achievement in the field.
🔹 Rebecca King - IPAR Rehabilitation
This complex claim was referred in August 2023 and successfully closed by December 2023. This demonstrates a timely and effective response to the client’s needs. Proactive measures were taken to mitigate against aggravation of the individual’s condition during the RTW process, helping to prevent setbacks and ensuring a sustained outcome.

Innovation in Return to Work Award

About the award: Awarded to an individual or a group that has developed an innovative approach to a challenge in the workplace rehabilitation industry.

Details of the initiative and the stakeholders involved were considered, and nominees were assessed on how the innovation has improved return to work outcomes or service provision.

🔹 Jemima Thomas - WorkFocus Australia

Our EI program has proved to be a cost-effective, reliable way to provide professional, proactive support without relying on full rehabilitation. This service has resulted in earlier access to RTW support for injured persons and Employers, promoting the HBOGW and resulting in reduced claims costs and earlier, positive re-engagement.

Length of Service

The Length of Service recognitions are presented to individuals nominated by their organisation who are currently working for an ARPA member and who have worked in the workplace rehabilitation provider industry for over 10 years (aggregate).

🔹 Rebecca McEvoy - 17 YEARS

🔹 Angela Pilcher - 19 YEARS

🔹 Donna-Lee Mewburn - 20 YEARS

ARPA NT President's Award 

About the award: No nominations are accepted for this award. It is presented to an individual who has demonstrated continuous contribution to the workplace rehabilitation industry over a 5 year or greater period.

🔹 Donna-Lee Mewburn, APM