Programme Accreditation Assessor Panel Biographies Jan Yarrington Bachelor of Health Sciences(Occupational Therapy) Jan Yarrington is one of the newest members of the Assessor Panel. Jan brings 30 years of clinical experience in rural practice, paediatrics, occupational rehab and acquired brain injury to the Panel. She also has 15 years experience in education, training and professional development. Jan is currently working for the ACT Health Directorate as their Occupational Therapy Clinical Educator. Her focus is on developing student placements and supporting new graduates. She is currently undertaking a Graduate Certificate in Tertiary Education at the University of Canberra. Sharon Downie Bach OT (Latrobe), MPH (Monash) Sharon Downie is currently employed as a Senior Clinical (Occupational Therapy) for acute neurosciences at Monash Medical Centre. She holds a Masters of Public Health majoring in Health Services Management, and has had significant involvement in clinical student supervision and sessional lecturing/tutoring in Occupational Therapy and health sciences. Sharon is the recipient of several research scholarships relating to cute neurosciences and is a current member of the Victorian Department of Health s Stroke Clinical Network advisory committee. Dr Katherine Moore B.App.Sc.(Occ Therapy); M.App. Sc.(Occ Therapy); Doctorate in Health Services Management Katherine Moore is the Director of Clinical Governance in the Sydney Local Health District. She has held a number of roles within the professional of occupational therapy including a current member of the National Occupational Therapy Registration Board, a previous president of the NSW Occupational Therapy Association, and a previous member of the overseas qualifications assessment committee. Katherine has worked as an occupational therapist in aged care rehabilitation, and has managed occupational therapy
departments in acute and subacute settings. She has also been a Director of Allied Health and a Community Health Director in the former Sydney South West Area Health Service. Katherine has been an ACHS surveyor since 2002 and has a particular interest in quality and safety in healthcare. Dr Mandy Stanley Dr Mandy Stanley is a senior lecturer in occupational therapy program, School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia. Mandy was appointed to the Assessor Panel in 2005 and has been a member of the Program Accreditation Committee since its inception. Mandy has extensive experience as an educator and is an active researcher. She is known for her interest in contributions to occupational science and qualitative research. Ailsa Gillen MSc, DipCOT, PGCE (post compulsory) CertEd (post compulsory) FHEA Ailsa Gillen is a Senior Lecturer in Occupational Therapy and the Deputy Discipline & Program Lead at the University of the Sunshine Coast where she has worked since 2009. Ailsa qualified in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1986. She began teaching in 1997 and has had numerous academic and management key roles within the university setting including, OT Program Pathway Director, OT Student Recruitment Coordinator, Student Cohort Tutor and Mentor to new staff. Prior to teaching her professional, clinical experience within mental health spanned almost twelve years and two UK countries. Her research interests are around quality assurance in both practice and curricula, mental health and practice competencies. Jeannine Millsteed BAppSc(OT), BAppSc(Psych), PGDip Soc Res&Eval, Med My involvement with Occupational Therapy Australia includes being a member of the National Advisory Committee, an assessor for its Accreditation Panel, and representative on the Overseas Qualifications Assessment Committee of the Occupational Therapy Council (Australia & New Zealand) Inc. My career experiences include work in traditional hospitalbased work, vocational and social rehabilitation, policy development and management of disability programs, workforce planning, and higher education and research. I have an active involvement in applied research in diverse areas of OT practice through my own projects and in partnerships with others.
Sue Betheras Sue Betheras has been an Accreditation Assessor since 1999 and a member of the Program Accreditation Committee since its inception in 2009. In these roles she has extensive involvement in developing and evaluating the systems for program accreditation. Sue is an Occupational Therapist holding graduate diplomas in Management and in Rehabilitation Studies, and has broad experience in disability, community and public hospital sectors. As a department manager she had a focus on quality improvement and standards of practice, and as a consultant she has undertaken service reviews and project management. Rebecca Allen BAppSc (OT); GradDipOrgBeh; GradCertHlthProfEd; MBus Rebecca has taken a leadership role in the development and implementation of program accreditation since the establishment of a national occupational therapy assessment process in the late 1990s. She has been undertaking Accreditation Assessments since 2005. Rebecca has 20 years of experience as an academic in undergraduate and postgraduate occupational therapy and mental health education programs, and past experience as an occupational therapist and case manager in mental health services. She currently undertakes project work in professional education and training. Rebecca is Chairperson of the Program Accreditation Committee which is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the entry-level education program accreditation process and Assessor Panel. Yvonne Thomas DipCOT ( UK ), Med, and PHD Yvonne is a Senior Lecturer and the Occupational Therapy Undergraduate Program Coordinator at James Cook University. She has been employed in academic positions since the 90 s and has been a member of the Accreditation Panel since 2008. Yvonne also holds a position on the editorial board of the Australia Occupational Therapy Journal. Yvonne is committed to the development of the profession and in expanding the boundaries for employment of Occupational Therapists in every area of health and human services. To this end, she has promoted and published on the use of nontraditional fieldwork in both government and non-government organisations.
Dr Jill Hummell Doctor of Philosophy (USyd), Master of Arts (Education & Work) (Macq Uni), Bachelor of Arts (Macq Uni), Diploma in Occupational Therapy (USyd) Jill is currently employed as the Manager, Community Integration Program, Westmead Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Sydney. Previous employment has included as a clinician, manager, academic and researcher, in a variety of workplaces including schools, hospitals, universities and community centres, with government and non-government organizations. Jill has been a member of the Assessor Panel since 2004. Past professional association roles have included: Australian delegate to the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, president of the NSW Occupational Therapy Association and member of the occupational therapy committee for the National Office on Overseas Skills Recognition. Jill is a current member of the Allied Health Advisory Committee, Health Education & Training Institute, NSW Ministry of Health and an Adjunct Research Associate with the Education for Practice Institute, Charles Sturt University, NSW. Kobie Boshoff B. Occupational Therapy, B.Sc. Psychology (Honours), Diploma in Higher Education, M.A. (Augmentative and Alternative Communication), Ph.D Kobie is a lecturer and researcher within the School of Health Sciences at the University of South Australia. Kobie has been actively engaged as panel member since 2010. Kobie has a Masters degree and PhD from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, conducted in collaboration with the University of South Australia. In addition, Kobie has a Diploma in Higher Education. Kobie has worked at UniSA since 2003 and prior to this has worked at the University of Pretoria. She has held two management positions in the past in clinical practice and have been in coordinating roles as Program Director for the Masters of Health Sciences Programs, as Field Practice Coordinator and Honours Coordinator at UniSA.
Lou Farnworth B.App.Sc.(OT), Grad Dip Crim, MA, PhD Lou was appointed to the Assessor Panel in 2004 and has been a member of the Panel since its inception. Initially practicing in forensic mental health and prison based occupational therapy, she has been involved in occupational therapy education since 1982. She has been involved in both sides of professional accreditation having developed the graduate entry masters in Occupational Therapy Practice at La Trobe University and then undertaking the inaugural role as Head of Department to develop the Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at Monash University.