Our Team
Amanda Johnson
Amanda has been practicing as a physiotherapist since 1998 and specialising in hand therapy since 2000. During her initial yrs of practice, Amanda worked in the public system mostly treating neurological conditions, such as stroke and spinal cord injuries.
Amanda has held various roles within the Hand Therapy Association; Wellington Regional Representative for seven years and she is currently a member of the ACC committee.
Amanda has the following qualifications and memberships:
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (1997)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Sciences – endorsed in Musculoskeletal Management (2002)
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Registered Member in 2004)
Member of Physiotherapy New Zealand
ADRIENNE WALTON-JONES
Adrienne has an Occupational Therapy background, graduating from Otago in 1993. Adrienne worked at Wellington Hospital on the New Graduate Rotation before heading to Hutt Hospital in 1995 to take up a Role as the Occupational Therapist and Hand Therapist for the Burns and Plastics Unit, where she worked for 11 years. Since then Adrienne has been working in private Hand Therapy Clinics, in Taupo and Whangarei. Adrienne has an interest in scar management, CRPS and pain patients.
Adrienne has the following qualifications and memberships:
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy – Otago 1993
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Registered Member since 2001)
Member of Occupational Therapy NZ – Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa
Registered Member of the Occupational Therapy Board.
EMILY FLOWERDAY
Emily is currently on maternity leave.
Emily has been practicing as a physiotherapist since 2010. She completed her Physiotherapy degree in London and initially worked in the National Health Service (NHS) in the UK. This included working in a variety of different specialties including intensive Care Unit and cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, orthopaedics and hand therapy, and the assessment and management of musculoskeletal injuries.
She moved to New Zealand in 2015 where she specialised in Hand Therapy and has been working in private practice since this time.
Emily has the following qualifications and memberships:
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (2010)
Post-Graduate Diploma in Health Sciences (2021)
Member of the Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand
Member of Physiotherapy New Zealand
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Registered Member in 2021)
Simone Szeto
Simone has been practicing as a physiotherapist since 2000. Her initial interest was in burns injury management and plastic surgery. In 2004, she began specialising in Hand Therapy.
Simone has the following qualifications and memberships:
Bachelor of Physiotherapy (2000)
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Registered Member in 2008)
Member of Physiotherapy New Zealand
SARAH HARNAN
Sarah has been practicing as an occupational therapist since 2018, after graduating from Otago. She initially worked in paediatrics, before specialising in Hand Therapy from 2019, working in private practice. She became a fully registered Hand Therapist in early 2022.
Sarah has the following qualifications and memberships:
Postgraduate Certificate in Health Science - 2021
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Distinction - 2017
Bachelor of Music (Performance) - 2009
Member of Occupational Therapy NZ - Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Registered Member in 2022)
Registered with Occupational Therapy Board
THOMAS ORR
Thomas is the newest member of our Working Hands whanau. He completed his Occupational Therapy degree in 2012 from James Cook University, Townsville and has worked in various private practice settings across Queensland, specializing in Hand Therapy since graduation. Thomas relocated to New Zealand in early 2024 taking up a position at Working Hands. He has a keen interest in acute trauma, wound/scar care, and the management of sporting injuries and the return-to-play process.
Thomas has the following qualifications and memberships:
Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (2012)
Post-graduate Certificate in Soft Tissue Injury Management (2015)
Associate Member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association
Certified Hand Therapist (via HTCC, 2023)
Member of Hand Therapy New Zealand (Associate Member 2024)
Member of Occupational Therapy NZ – Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa
Registered Member of the Occupational Therapy Board
THERESA VAUGHAN
Our lovely Theresa retired at the end of September 2022 to spend more time with her beautiful family and loved ones.
We already miss her dearly but are eternally grateful for the time she has spent with us and happy for her new exciting chapter ahead.