Kelly Davison

Director

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Dip Physiotherapy, PGD HSc (Manips)

Kelly is a co-founder of Hands On Rehabilitation and has been practising as a Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist for more than three decades. Her career in hand therapy began at Middlemore Hospital and grew into private practice, teaching, clinical supervision, and mentoring, with a particular focus on growing the number of hand therapists in New Zealand. She has served on both the Hand Therapy New Zealand and Physiotherapy New Zealand executive committees.

What Kelly enjoys most is the variety of her patients and the connections she builds with them. Alongside the clinical work, she has always been focused on making the hand therapy journey as easy as possible for patients to navigate. Hand injuries come with a lot of unknowns, and her goal is that every patient leaves each appointment feeling clear about where they are and what comes next.

Together with Tania, Kelly has built a team of hand therapists who take real pride in delivering expert, individualised care to every patient they see.

Outside the clinic, Kelly is kept busy with family. Her children are now adults, and she has recently become a grandmother, which she is thoroughly enjoying. US College basketball features heavily on the calendar when it comes to supporting her youngest son. She keeps up with Pilates, still makes time for sewing, and travels when she can.

Tania Stephenson

Director

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Dip Physiotherapy, PGD HSc (Manips), MHSC

Tania is a co-founder of Hands On Rehabilitation and has spent more than 30 years building both the practice and the profession. Her background spans public hospitals and private practice in New Zealand and overseas, with postgraduate training in manipulative therapy, hand therapy, and Western acupuncture, and a Master of Health Science completed in 2002. She has served on the Hand Therapy New Zealand Executive and Education Committee and contributed to a number of working groups.

The trust patients place in their therapist has always mattered to Tania. People come in when something is affecting nearly every part of their daily life, and she takes that seriously. She brings the same care to training and supervising the next generation of Hands On therapists, and watching someone grow from uncertain to genuinely skilled and confident is one of the most satisfying things about her work.

Together with Kelly, Tania has built a team of hand therapists who take real pride in delivering expert, individualised care to every patient they see.

Outside the clinic, Tania can often be found on the sidelines cheering on her children, back on the hockey turf herself, or making the most of any chance to head to the beach with family and friends.

David Beattie

Shorecare Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Dip Physiotherapy, PGD HSc (Manips), PGC (Rehab)

David joined Hands On Rehab in 2017 and leads the Shorecare clinic team across our Smales Farm and Greville Road sites, splitting his time with our Akoranga Drive clinic. Before joining Hands On Rehab, he built his expertise in acute sports injury management as physiotherapist for the North Harbour NPC team, Blues Rugby, and Yamaha Rugby in Japan. More recently he has been the physiotherapist for the Tuatara Basketball NBL team.

David specialises in acute upper limb injuries and draws on his sideline and sports medicine experience to help patients return to the field, court, turf or life safely and quickly.

David is also a regular presenter for the Sports and Exercise Physiotherapy Special Interest Group, teaching sports physiotherapists how to manage acute on-field injuries and how hand, wrist and elbow injuries can be managed collaboratively alongside hand therapists, an area of collaborative care he is genuinely passionate about.

Outside the clinic, David is a keen cyclist, enjoys watching sport, spending time with family, and keeping on top of the lawns.

Johanna Baumann

Akoranga Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

B.AppSc (Physiotherapy), PGD (Rehab)

Johanna has been with Hands On Rehab since 2011, making her one of the most experienced members of the team. Now leading the Akoranga clinic as Team Leader, she brings a depth of clinical knowledge built across hand therapy practice in both New Zealand and Australia, with a specialised interest in post-operative treatment and rehabilitation of complex hand injuries.

Her background in musculoskeletal physiotherapy gives her a broad clinical foundation, and over more than a decade of specialising in hand therapy she has developed a thorough, considered approach that patients consistently find reassuring. Johanna is also fluent in German, making her a valuable point of contact for German-speaking patients navigating their rehabilitation.

Outside the clinic, she loves exploring the New Zealand coastline and spending time with family.

Tom Mason

Albany Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGDip (Musculoskeletal)

Tom has been a physiotherapist since 2011, building a decade of musculoskeletal and sports experience before joining Hands On Rehab's Albany clinic in 2021. He holds a post-graduate diploma in musculoskeletal physiotherapy and stepped into the role of Albany Team Leader in 2025. His background working with football teams gives him a practical, hands-on approach to problem solving that carries through into his hand and upper limb rehabilitation work. Alongside his Hands On role, Tom also maintains a shoulder physiotherapy role, which keeps his broader upper limb perspective sharp.

Tom works with patients who want to get back to work, play, and everyday life. He takes a patient-centered approach, basing each treatment plan around what the person in front of him wants to achieve, and particularly enjoys working with younger patients.

Outside the clinic, Tom is usually exploring somewhere in New Zealand or keeping up with his young family.

Sarah Te Whare

Drury Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Grad Dip Physiotherapy

Sarah leads Hands On Rehab's Drury clinic. Her physiotherapy career began in London, but it was a move to New Zealand and a role at Waitakere Hospital that introduced her to hand therapy, and it stuck immediately.

Sarah is passionate about the challenge and creativity involved in treating complex injuries, with a particular interest in multi-trauma and wrist injuries. She has a particular interest in designing and making customised splints for multi-trauma patients, where precision and problem-solving make a real difference to recovery. Her commitment to the profession extends beyond the clinic: she has served as secretary for Hand Therapy New Zealand and has been involved in examining on the Hand and Upper Limb Training programme at AUT.

Sarah is committed to working alongside each patient to build a tailored approach to their rehabilitation, with the goal of achieving the best possible outcome. She has recently completed He Papa Tikanga bringing a deeper grounding in tikanga Māori to her practice.

Outside the clinic, Sarah enjoys cycling, tramping, and keeping bees.

Tony Faulkner

Manukau Clinic Team Leader & Papakura Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Tony is a senior hand therapist who joined Hands On Rehab in 2006 and has since become one of the most experienced members of the team. He began his career in hand therapy at Middlemore Hospital before travelling abroad to gain experience at several prestigious London hospitals, including a senior role at the St Andrews Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery, one of the UK's leading specialist centres for complex hand and upper limb conditions.

After a decade leading the Akoranga clinic, one of the practice's largest and busiest hubs, Tony went on to establish the Hands On Rehab clinic in Manukau. His breadth of experience across complex hand and upper limb conditions makes him a trusted clinician for patients with challenging injuries who need someone who has seen it before.

Kirsty Neal

Surgical Services Team Leader Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), BSc (Sport Sci), PGD (Teach)

Kirsty has been a hand therapist since joining Hands On Rehab in 2010 and has led the practice's post-operative hand therapy care since 2016, working alongside respected local Hand and Upper Limb Orthopaedic Surgeons. Her role sits at the intersection of surgery and rehabilitation, ensuring patients move from the operating table into recovery with expert guidance at every stage.

As a senior therapist, Kirsty has also taken on clinic management responsibilities. Her background in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, combined with a degree in Sports and Exercise Science, means she brings both clinical precision and a performance-focused mindset to her work.

Outside the clinic, Kirsty likes to keep active and spend time with family.

Brierley McCarten

Red Beach Clinic Team Leader

Occupational Therapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Occupational Therapy), PGC (Rehab), PGC (Western Acupuncture)

Brierley has been part of the Hands On Rehab team since 2011 and has led our Red Beach clinic since 2022, bringing a depth of experience that is genuinely hard to match. An Occupational Therapist and Registered Hand Therapist, her career began at Middlemore Hospital before six years working across hospital and private settings in London. On returning to New Zealand she took on the role of Section Head Therapist for Occupational and Physiotherapy for Burns, Plastics and Paediatrics at Middlemore, a senior position requiring clinical depth and leadership across a complex patient group.

Brierley has since completed post-graduate training in Western Acupuncture and is also available for ergonomic workplace assessments. She has built a particular passion for treating traumatic injuries, complex paediatrics, and a wide range of hand and upper limb conditions.

What drives her is simple: figuring out what makes each patient tick and using that to get the best gains in rehabilitation.

Outside the clinic, Brierley is busy with her young family, keeping fit for masters swimming and surf lifesaving.

Lindsay Egbers

Westgate Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Lindsay leads Hands On Rehab's Westgate clinic, and his clinical focus is post-traumatic hand and upper limb injuries particularly those that have required surgery and multi-trauma presentations. He trained at Waikato Hospital, spent two years gaining experience in the UK, and built his hand therapy expertise across our Albany and Akoranga clinics before taking on the Westgate team leader role in 2022.

For patients recovering from surgery or complex injuries, Lindsay's combination of specialist focus and leadership experience means they are in capable hands. He also has a strong track record with paediatric patients, and is currently undertaking further postgraduate study.

Outside the clinic, he enjoys spending time with his young family, cycling, fishing, and getting outdoors.

Rachel Atkinson

Whangarei Clinic Team Leader

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Dip Physiotherapy

Rachel has been Hands On Rehab's Whangarei Clinic Team Leader since 2020. Originally from Whangarei, she graduated from Auckland Institute of Technology in 1987 and went on to gain experience at Waikato Hospital, in the UK, and at Middlemore Hospital, where an introduction to the Burns and Plastics unit sparked a lasting passion for hand therapy.

Rachel gained Registered Hand Therapist status in 2001 and has since contributed to the profession as secretary on the Hand Therapy New Zealand executive committee and in a sales and education role within the hand therapy field. In 2005 she opened her own practice, Moving Hands in Drury, before joining Hands On Rehab in 2018 and returning to her home town of Whangarei.

Rachel particularly enjoys treating multi-trauma injuries and relishes the problem-solving involved in designing and fabricating alternative splints for unusual presentations.

Rachel's approach is friendly, welcoming and inclusive. She enjoys seeing patients complete their hand rehab by achieving their goals of getting back to the things they love.

Outside of work, Rachel enjoys walking in nature, volunteering with her pet therapy dog at rest homes, pilates classes, crafts and travelling.

Aaron Bank

Red Beach Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Aaron joined Hands On Rehab in 2022, bringing three years of musculoskeletal physiotherapy experience across sporting injuries, work-related conditions, and post-operative rehabilitation. He trained at AUT and made the move into hand therapy because it brought him the more complex patients he was looking for, beyond what typical musculoskeletal practice offers.

At our Red Beach clinic, Aaron is building particular expertise in finger and wrist fracture management and in planning a safe, well-paced return to sport, alongside a wide range of other hand and upper limb conditions.

What patients notice most is how organised and thorough Aaron is. He takes the time to liaise with surgeons, GPs and other health providers to make sure every patient is on the right treatment course, and patients consistently comment on how well he explains things, making sure they understand their injury and feel involved in their own treatment plan.

Outside the clinic, Aaron enjoys playing golf, skiing, and walking his dog.

Alesha Brokenshire

Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PG Cert (Rehab)

Alesha is part of our Akoranga team, having joined Hands On Rehab in early 2022 to focus on hand and upper limb rehabilitation. She trained as a physiotherapist at AUT and spent time in musculoskeletal private practice, building a broad clinical foundation before bringing that experience into the specialist world of hand therapy.

What sets Alesha apart is her thoroughness. She is meticulous about gathering the right information from the outset, making sure every treatment decision is well-founded and nothing gets missed along the way.

Outside the clinic, Alesha enjoys spending time with family and friends and staying active. When the chance arises, you will find her on the ski slopes or exploring somewhere new in the world.

Amish Singh

Manukau & Papakura Clinics

Occupational Therapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (OT)(, PGC (Rehab)

Amish joined Hands On Rehab's South Auckland clinics in October 2025, bringing a background that bridges two important areas of rehabilitation. Having trained as an Occupational Therapist at AUT, he gained experience in vocational rehabilitation before focusing on hand therapy from 2021, working with a wide range of hand and upper limb conditions in Wellington before relocating to Auckland in 2024.

His vocational rehabilitation background gives Amish a strong understanding of the practical, everyday impact that hand and upper limb injuries have on people's ability to work and live fully. Getting patients back to those things is what drives him.

Outside the clinic, Amish is passionate about his 4x4 truck, spending time with friends, and travelling.

Becky Masters

Drury Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGD HSc (Western Acupuncture)

Becky has been part of Hands On Rehab's Drury clinic since 2018. Her interest in hand therapy started during her physiotherapy training, sparked by a research project that gave her an early insight into the specialty. After building experience in musculoskeletal physiotherapy, she returned to study with a focus on hand and upper limb rehabilitation.

Becky enjoys treating a wide range of conditions, from sporting injuries through to post-operative rehabilitation. She has also completed post-graduate training in Western Acupuncture, which she uses in practice to support tissue healing and pain management.

Outside the clinic, Becky keeps active with Les Mills workouts and spends time with her young family.

Bhavisha Patel

Akoranga & Westgate Clinics

Occupational Therapist and Registered Hand Therapist BHSc (Occupational Therapy), PGC (Rehabilitation)

Bhavisha joined Hands On Rehab's Akoranga team in 2024, bringing a background as an Occupational Therapist with several years of hospital experience at Christchurch Hospital across medical and orthopaedic surgical wards. That grounding in orthopaedics sparked her interest in the upper limb, and in 2022 she made the move into hand therapy, drawn by the depth and specificity of the specialty.

Bhavisha has a particular interest in post-operative cases and acute finger lacerations. She brings careful attention to wound and scar management in the early stages of recovery, where precision makes a real difference to long-term outcomes, and is continuing to develop her expertise in this area.

Patients find her warm and approachable, and she takes real care to listen and understand what each person needs before working out the best way to help.

Outside the clinic, Bhavisha enjoys keeping active, spending time with family and friends, and travelling.

Courtney Wilkinson

Westgate & Shorecare Smales Farm

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BPhty, PGCert (Rehab)

Courtney joined Hands On Rehab in 2023 and works across our Westgate clinic and Shorecare, an acute accident and medical centre where she spends two days a week in the acute hand therapy space. Her work there has focused on improving the pathway for acute hand injuries, helping ensure patients are seen by the right person at the right time, whether that means conservative management or onward referral to a surgeon.

She has been working in musculoskeletal and hand therapy since graduating from Otago University in 2013, with experience across London, the Waikato, and pitch-side for rugby teams throughout New Zealand. Courtney has presented at hand therapy conferences on acute pathways and regularly supervises students, bringing that same clarity of thinking into every patient interaction.

Patients describe her as someone who listens, explains things clearly, and leaves them feeling confident.

Outside the clinic, Courtney loves to travel, gets out for a surf whenever she can, and is an avid sports fan.

Daniel Mackey

Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Associate Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Daniel has been part of Hands On Rehab's Akoranga team since early 2025, and in that time has established himself as a thorough, hard-working clinician who takes on a full and varied caseload with impressive capability. He graduated from AUT with a background spanning hand therapy, musculoskeletal physiotherapy, and burns and plastics, and is now well into the academic pursuit of his Hand Therapy registration.

His path to physiotherapy is not a conventional one. Before retraining, Daniel qualified as a commercial pilot, and the precision, systematic thinking, and calm attention to detail that profession demands are qualities that show up clearly in how he works with patients. His connection to hand therapy is also personal: his interest in the specialty grew after experiencing treatment at Hands On himself, giving him a genuine understanding of what patients go through and what good care actually feels like from the other side.

Patients are drawn to Daniel's warmth and find real comfort in his careful, considered approach. It is the kind of care that brings people back.

Outside the clinic, Daniel is most at home outdoors. You will find him on a mountain bike, out hiking, running, or fishing, and when he is not in the hills or on the water he is spending time with family and friends.

Erin Goad

Albany Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGdip (Sports Management)

Erin joined Hands On Rehab's Albany clinic in 2021, bringing a background that few hand therapists can match. A former Black Sticks player, she knows first-hand what it means to be sidelined by injury and what it takes to get back. That experience shapes how she works with every patient.

She works part-time at Albany, taking a thorough, considered approach to assessment and treatment, making sure every patient leaves with a clear plan, the right support, and an understanding of what to expect from their recovery.

Patients consistently describe her as warm, professional, and easy to talk to, and regularly remark on how quickly they are back to their normal routines.

Outside the clinic, Erin is kept busy with her young family, and when she gets the chance you will find her competing on the hockey field, out on a hiking trail, on the snowboard, or somewhere with a fishing line in the water.

Felicity Stevens

Maternity Leave

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGC (Rehab)

Felicity splits her time between our Albany & Drury clinics.  She has a strong musculoskeletal physiotherapy background with a keen interest in sports physiotherapy. Prior to joining Hands On in 2018, she worked in private practice  and with several rugby and AFL teams. She is also trained in Pilates and PINC and STEEL cancer rehabilitation. Following her own injury, Felicity developed an interest in hand therapy.

Harry Long

Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Harry joined Hands On Rehab's Akoranga clinic in 2020, bringing experience from musculoskeletal private practice across work with rugby teams, pain management, and return-to-work rehabilitation. That background gives him a broad clinical perspective on hand and upper limb injuries, with a particular understanding of what it takes to help people get back to work and daily life.

Harry also speaks Mandarin, making him a valuable point of contact for Auckland's Mandarin-speaking community who prefer to navigate their healthcare in their first language. Patients consistently describe him as thorough and a genuinely good listener who takes real time to understand what a person is going through before working out how to help.

Outside the clinic, Harry consistently pushes himself. He is working on ice skating, has set his sights on single-leg squats, plays badminton, and keeps active alongside his Border Collie.

Imogen Campbell

Papakura Clinic

Physiotherapist and Associate Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Imogen joined Hands On Rehab's Papakura team in June 2025, bringing ten years of musculoskeletal physiotherapy experience and post-graduate training in Western Acupuncture. That depth of clinical background gives her a strong foundation as she develops her specialist hand therapy skills.

She has a particular interest in acute trauma presentations and finds the most rewarding part of the work is helping patients get back to the activities they enjoy.

Outside the clinic, Imogen enjoys spending time with her family, cycling, and skiing.

Janine Manga

Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGC (Rehab), BSc, BA

Janine has been part of Hands On Rehab's Akoranga team since 2019, bringing a varied clinical background that spans neurological and hospital-based rehabilitation in New Zealand. That breadth of experience has shaped her into a genuine problem solver, someone who is comfortable working through complex presentations and finding the right path forward for each patient.

Janine's approach centres on working alongside her patients to figure out what matters most to them, and building treatment around those priorities. She has also completed post-graduate study in rehabilitation, adding to a broad academic foundation that supports her clinical decision-making.

Outside the clinic, Janine keeps busy with family, football, and staying active.

Josh Heatlie

Albany Clinic

Physiotherapist and Associate Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy), BSc (Human Physiology)

Josh joined Hands On Rehab's Albany clinic in 2025, bringing a dual academic background in Physiotherapy and Human Physiology that gives him a strong scientific grounding to build on. Originally from South Africa, he built his early experience across sports and musculoskeletal physiotherapy, and is now turning his attention to hand and upper limb therapy, currently working towards a Post-graduate Certificate in Hand and Upper Limb Therapy.

Josh brings a genuine enthusiasm for learning to every patient he sees. He takes a real interest in people, and likes to understand what matters to someone before working out the best way to help them get there.

Outside the clinic, Josh is a keen sports fan, plays rugby for Auckland University, and gets out for a surf or a round of golf whenever he gets the chance.

Joanne Covacich

Albany Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

Dip. Physiotherapy, PGD HSc (Rehab)

Jo is one of Hands On Rehab's longest-serving therapists, having joined the practice at the original Forrest Hill clinic and remained part of the team ever since. The foundation of her hand therapy expertise includes specialist work at a burns and plastics hospital in the UK, experience that is genuinely rare and that she draws on in her work at our Albany clinic.

After several decades in practice, Jo brings a clinical depth in complex hand and upper limb conditions that is hard to match. Patients with post-surgical or complicated presentations consistently find her careful, unhurried approach exactly what they need.

Outside the clinic, Jo's children are now grown, and she enjoys hiking, keeping active with her family, and holidaying around New Zealand with her adult children.

Jelena Nasmith

Westgate Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy), MHPrac (Rehab)

Jelena has been part of the Hands On Rehab team for over 10 years, working at our Westgate clinic. She graduated from AUT in 2005 and began her career in general musculoskeletal physiotherapy on Auckland's North Shore, including sideline support for rugby teams, where she gained early experience assessing and managing sporting injuries.

Driven by a passion for rehabilitation, Jelena went on to complete a Master of Health Practice in Rehabilitation through AUT and has worked exclusively in hand therapy since 2012. That depth of focus, more than a decade dedicated entirely to hand and upper limb conditions, gives her a level of specialist insight that is hard to match.

For Jelena, understanding an injury is central to recovering from it. She takes the time to make sure her patients understand their condition, know their treatment options, and feel supported at every stage of their recovery.

Alongside her clinical work, Jelena has held operational and management roles within healthcare, giving her a broader perspective on service delivery and patient care.

Jelena currently works part-time, balancing her professional life with family life.

Jodee Parker

Akoranga Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGD (Musculo), PGC (Rehab)

Jodee is part of the Akoranga team at Hands On Rehab, bringing more than 20 years of physiotherapy experience to her hand therapy work. She built an extensive musculoskeletal background in New Zealand and abroad, working with sports teams from club to national level before joining Hands On in 2017 to pursue her longstanding interest in hand therapy.

That depth of experience means Jodee approaches hand and upper limb injuries with a broad clinical perspective, and patients benefit from the kind of confidence that only comes from having seen a great deal.

Outside the clinic, Jodee keeps busy with her two school-age children, plays competitive hockey, and is a recent and enthusiastic convert to paddle-boarding.

Kate Osborne

Red Beach Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physio), PGCert (Rehab)

Kate joined Hands On Rehab's Red Beach clinic in 2018, bringing more than 18 years of physiotherapy experience with a particular focus on orthopaedics and paediatrics. Alongside her clinical work, she has contributed as a writer to numerous sports and health publications, a background that gives her a very clear way of explaining injuries and treatment. Patients will understand what is happening with their hand or wrist, they will be able to follow their treatment plan and reach their goals.

Outside the clinic, Kate keeps active, is busy with her family and is always working on something new.

Katie Northfield

Red Beach Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Hons), PGC (Acupuncture), MHSc

Katie has been part of the Hands On Rehab team at Red Beach since 2008, making her one of the longest-serving therapists at the clinic. She completed her physiotherapy training in the UK and came to New Zealand in 2007, initially working in musculoskeletal private practice on the Hibiscus Coast before joining Hands On.

Since then, Katie has invested significantly in her expertise, completing post-graduate hand and upper limb training, gaining a Masters in Health Science, and qualifying in acupuncture. The result is a clinician who approaches each patient with both deep specialist knowledge and a broader toolkit for treatment.

Outside the clinic, Katie is involved in netball, swimming, cycling, and sailing, and is kept busy with her young family.

Karine Dellow

Red Beach clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGD (Sport & Exercise)

Karine is a Registered Hand Therapist at Hands On Rehab's Red Beach clinic, with a clinical background shaped by years in sports rehabilitation, including work with local and regional rugby teams. That background gives her a practical, performance-aware approach to hand and upper limb injuries, she understands what it takes to get back to sport, work, or an active life, and it shows in how she builds treatment plans.

Her seniority within the team is reflected in another way: Karine has taken on the supervision of an associate hand therapist through to their full Hand Therapy registration, a role that signals both her clinical depth and the trust the team places in her.

Outside the clinic, Karine lives locally at a rural property with her young family, where life is kept busy with active kids, renovations, and DIY projects.

Khushali Shah

Westgate & Manukau Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGDip Health Science (Rehabilitation)

Khushali joined Hands On Rehab's Westgate clinic in 2020, having spent three years in private musculoskeletal physiotherapy after graduating from AUT in 2016. Her growing interest in hand and upper limb injuries led her to focus on the specialty, and in 2023 she completed a Post-graduate Diploma in Health Science specialising in Rehabilitation.

Khushali works between both the Westgate and Manukau clinics. She is fluent in Hindi and Gujarati, making her a valuable point of contact for patients from Auckland's South Asian community who prefer to navigate their healthcare in their first language.

Outside the clinic, she enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outdoors, and exploring her creative side through watercolour painting.

Kirsty Cocks

Albany & Shorecare Greville Road

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Hons) Physiotherapy

Kirsty joined Hands On Rehab's Albany clinic in 2022, bringing specialist experience in plastics and hand trauma that sets her apart from the typical physiotherapy pathway. She trained at Coventry University in the UK, graduating in 2013, and went on to work full time in plastics hand trauma in the south west of England before making the move to New Zealand.

She also brings experience working in an acute setting alongside paediatric hand surgeons, and has a particular interest in complex presentations, drawn to the challenge of piecing together the right treatment plan and helping patients get back to the activities they love.

That breadth of experience means Kirsty has seen a wide range of complex hand injuries and brings a confident, specialist perspective to the work she does at Albany and Shorecare.

Outside the clinic, she makes the most of what New Zealand has to offer: running, hiking, skiing, or in the water depending on the season.

Louise Moore

Red Beach Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGC (Rehab), MHPrac

Louise is based at our clinic in Red Beach. As a physiotherapist she has worked predominantly in musculoskeletal private practice in Auckland, London and Melbourne. She has also completed post graduate studies in musculoskeletal physiotherapy. On her return to New Zealand, Louise chose to focus on hand and upper limb therapy and she joined the Hands On team in 2013.

Mark Lanigan

Albany & Shorecare Smales Farm

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy), PGDip Health Science, MHPrac (Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy)

Mark joined Hands On Rehab in 2019 after a career spent building a broad clinical foundation. He has worked in Australia, the UK, and spent time in Wanaka as a ski field triage physio, a role that demands quick, accurate assessment under pressure. For 10 years he ran his own private clinic in Warkworth before choosing to focus on hand and upper limb injuries and joining the Hands On Albany team, he also works at Shorecare Smales Farm. He has since completed his Masters in Health Practice.

That range of experience, from ski slopes to running his own practice to specialist hand therapy, gives Mark a perspective on injury and recovery that is hard to replicate.

Outside the clinic, he stays active with his young family, surfs, competes in Masters water polo, and fits in the occasional DIY project.

Niamh Bothwell

Red Beach & Shorecare Greville Road Clinics

Physiotherapist and Assoc. Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Niamh joined Hands On Rehab's Red Beach clinic in 2023, shortly after graduating from AUT. Her interest in hand therapy is personal: as a young netball player, she attended sessions herself for finger injuries, and that early experience gave her a first-hand understanding of what good hand therapy can do. It stayed with her.

Niamh is currently completing a Post-graduate Certificate in Hand and Upper Limb Therapy, building on that passion with the formal expertise to back it up.

Patients find Niamh thorough, knowledgeable, organised, and structured, qualities that come through in the careful, considered way she approaches each person's treatment.

Outside the clinic, she enjoys reading, exploring new restaurants, and spending time with family and friends.

Pam Hewitt

Albany & Red Beach Clinics

Physiotherapist and Registered. Hand Therapist

Pam joined Hands On Rehab in 2024, bringing one of the most distinguished hand therapy careers in New Zealand. A fifth-generation New Zealander of Whakatohea descent, she began her career at Waikato Hospital and went on to work in the United States before returning home.

Pam has held Certified Hand Therapist (CHT) status since 1996, one of the first to hold New Zealand Registered Hand Therapist status at the time of its inception. She co-directed and led Hamilton Hand Therapy as primary clinician, has presented on the National Hand Therapy Training Programme, delivered a workshop on Mirror Imaging at the international IFSSH/IFSHT Congress in 2013, and holds Advanced Practitioner status through Waikato Hospital and the New Zealand College of Physiotherapy.

For Pam, all of that experience exists for one purpose: helping people achieve their goals in hand injury recovery, with both the expertise and the empathy to see them through.

Outside the clinic, Pam is busy and active with her family. She is a keen gardener and sailor, and an enthusiastic baker who loves making cakes.

Pauline Adviento

Albany Clinic

Physiotherapist and Assoc. Hand Therapist

BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Pauline joined Hands On Rehab's Albany clinic in July 2025, bringing a strong musculoskeletal and sports medicine background built across New Zealand and Australia. She has worked in hospital settings including Waikato Hospital and Middlemore Hospital, as well as private sports medicine clinics in Melbourne, and brings that breadth to her hand and upper limb rehabilitation work.

Pauline is focused on helping patients return to the things that matter most to them. That outlook, combined with her sports medicine background, makes her well placed to support people through post-operative and sports-related upper limb recovery.

Outside the clinic, Pauline leads an active life with CrossFit, running, Pilates, dance, and surfing all keeping her busy.

Robynne Armstrong

Manukau & Drury Clinics

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist Dip Physiotherapy

Robynne graduated from Otago Polytechnic in 1979 and has worked doing both musculoskeletal physiotherapy and hand therapy throughout her career.

Robynne has joined Hands On Rehab February 2025  at the Manukau practice, part-time, as she still has a passion for treating hands and elbows.

Outside of work her other passions are overseas travel and wine tasting.

Sonja Yang

Manukau Clinic

Physiotherapist and Associate Hand Therapist BHSc (Physiotherapy)

Sonja joined Hands On Rehab's Manukau clinic early 2026, bringing a dual clinical background that is unique. As well as her physiotherapy training at AUT, she holds a Masters degree in Acupuncture with eight years of clinical experience, a combination that gives her both specialist hand therapy knowledge and an additional therapeutic tool that many patients find valuable.

Sonja speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese, making her an important resource for South Auckland's diverse communities and for patients who find it easier to navigate their healthcare in their first language.

She is passionate about helping people move better and return to the activities they love. Outside the clinic, she enjoys Pilates and spending time with her family.

Susan Fromm

Whangarei Clinic

Physiotherapist and Registered Hand Therapist

BPHTy, MHprac (Rehab)

Susan graduated from Otago University in 1996 and has spent the decades since building a hand therapy career that has taken her from Waikato Hospital to the Middle East and back again. Her early career included a rotational role covering hands, burns, and plastics at Waikato Hospital, followed by six years working in hospital physiotherapy in the Middle East, where she returned to hand therapy and found her professional home.

Back in New Zealand from 2007, she completed the Hand and Upper Limb training at AUT and finished her Masters in Health Practice in 2014, before building a hand therapy private practice in the Waikato. Northland had been calling for years, ever since an introduction to scuba diving in the early 1980s, and she finally made the move north, joining the Hands On Whangarei team officially in February 2024.

When she is not helping patients get the best results for themselves, Susan can be found underwater photographing fish, in the garden, or making progress on a DIY project.