Alison Heller-Ono, President and CEO, Worksite International Inc, Monterey, CA - USA
Alison Heller-Ono is President/ CEO of Worksite International, a licensed physical therapist and Board Certified Industrial Ergonomist as well as a certified disability analyst who has been working with industry for over 15 years to manage and prevent injuries. Alison is the author of numerous articles and most recently, "Your Guide to Developing an Ergonomics Process" and “Your Guide to Office Ergonomic Furniture and Accessories". The process guide has already received rave reviews and is sold throughout the USA, Canada and Europe by Lewis Publishers. Alison has helped hundreds of clients achieve a Return on Investment with her participatory approach to preventing and managing injuries in the workplace. She is both a nationally and internationally recognized speaker on workers' compensation solutions including ergonomics, injury prevention and disability management practices emphasising ADA Title 1. is considered an expert in the areas of Ergonomics Process Development and Management, Ergonomics Program Education Specialist, Management Consulting on Ergonomics and Work Injury Prevention/Management, Ergonomic Worksite Analysis in biotechnology, manufacturing, office and hospitals; workers' compensation program strategies, ADA Title I and II cases for accommodation and accessibility. Alison studied at Arcadia University, Glenside, PA and obtained M.S. in Physical Therapy in 1987, a B.A. in Biology in 1984, and a Master's Thesis: "A Student Physical Therapist's Perception of Industrial Physical Therapy". Holland Study Program obtaining a Certificate of Completion from the International School of Physiotherapy from Nederland in 1990. Management Training Program: Heatlhfocus in 1990 &1991.
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Dr David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor, Occupational Safety Health Administration, OSHA, Department of Labor, Washington, USA
David Michaels is currently the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health for the Department of Labor in Washington, USA. He is a PhD, MPH and is an epidemiologist and a nationally recognized leader in the scientific community's efforts to protect the integrity of the science on which public health and regulatory policies are based. Before joining OSHA, he was Professor of Environmental and Occupational Health at the George Washington University School of Public Health.
From 1998 to 2001, Dr. Michaels served as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environment, Safety and Health. In that position, he was the chief architect of the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program, the historic initiative to compensate nuclear weapons workers who contracted occupational illnesses as a result of exposure to radiation, beryllium and other hazards. The program has provided more than $6 billion in payments to sick workers and the families of deceased workers.
In 2006, Dr. Michaels was awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science's Scientific Freedom and Responsibility Award, and, in 2009, the John P. McGovern Science and Society Award given by Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society, for his work in scientific integrity and for gaining compensation for nuclear weapons workers.
Dr. Michaels is the author of studies examining the health of construction workers, printers, bus drivers and other occupations, as well as of numerous publications on science and regulatory policy, including Doubt is Their Product: How Industry's War on Science Threatens Your Health (Oxford University Press, 2008). He is a graduate of the City College of New York, and holds a Master of Public Health and PhD from Columbia University.
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Graham Dent, Principal, Dent Consulting & Legal
Graham runs his own legal practice, Dent Consulting & Legal, and Dent Consulting & Training. He has practiced in OHS law for more than 30 years (and hopes to stop practicing soon and do it for real!), having commenced as a prosecutor with the forerunner to WorkSafe Victoria in 1981. Since then he has been a lead partner on OHS matters in two national law firms and represented and advised across the spectrum of industry on all aspects of OHS law.
He has occupied senior managerial roles in the public and private sector, including on the board of a major national business, giving him a hands on experience at management and board levels. Graham has lectured in postgraduate courses at both Monash and Melbourne Universities and owns one of the largest on-line OHS forums in Australia, focussed on the Harmonisation process, its members include representatives from all OHS regulators.
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Robin Shaw, Manager, Self Insurers of South Australia Inc and Chair, National Council of Self Insurers Inc
Robin has been Manager of SISA since 2006. He was elected Chair National Council of Self Insurers May 2007. Robin has nearly 20 years in statutory insurance - 12 years with WorkCover, 2 years with the Motor Accident Commission and 5 years at SISA. He has experience in:
Claims management, self insurance, legislation and policy, scheme design, internal audit, risk management & disaster recovery programs, reinsurance, relationships with authorities, professions and stakeholders. Robin has served on Ministerial advisory committees on workers compensation and related matters. He represents self insurers and employer associations on a range of State and Federal committees and advisory groups. Robin’s outlook on WH&S and workers compensation is influenced by the injuries he suffered while operating unsafe machinery in the 1970s.
Robin holds a Certificate in Management from Adelaide University, a BA from Flinders University and qualifications in training, OH&S, rehabilitation and injury management.
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John Walsh, Partner, Donaldson Walsh Lawyers
John Walsh is the Managing Partner of Donaldson Walsh Lawyers and a founding partner of the firm. John heads the firm's Self Insurance, Workers Compensation and Workplace Law practice. John has practiced almost exclusively in the workers compensation area for nearly 20 years and counts amongst his clients some of the largest and best known national and state based employers. John also assists companies in their transition to becoming self insurers in the state-scheme.
John's experience in managing workers compensation claims encompasses many industries and all claim types. He has represented the WorkCover Corporation and self insurers as counsel in many scheme critical cases relating to the interpretation of the Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Act and assisted employers with levy related disputes. John also advises employers on their rights and obligations, and represents them in OH&S investigations and prosecutions.
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Graham Cowan, International Speaker, Author, Consultant, Director, RUOK? Day
Having spent most of his life as a senior executive for organisations like Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Morgan & Banks and AT Kearney, Graeme Cowan's life hit a seemingly insurmountable roadblock in 2000, when he was diagnosed with severe depression. Five years and numerous hard setbacks and decisions later, Graeme emerged not only with the bestselling book BACK FROM THE BRINK to his name, but also with a new attitude towards the traditional ways that companies and individuals approach adversity. His second book won a national mental health award, and he is also the author of the report “Best Practice in Managing Mental Health in the Workplace” which shows the quantitative benefits of building corporate resilience.
His knowledge is based on interviewing over 3000 people to understand their bounce factor, combined with exhaustive evidence based research. This confluence of practice and theory has changed the paradigm on how to turn adversity into an inspired and meaningful life.
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Denise Fishlock, Manager, Workers’ Compensation, Asciano Ltd
Denise Fishlock joined the Asciano Group in May 2008 and was appointed to the role of National Workers Compensation Manager in July 2008. Denise has 20 years experience in senior administration roles in local government and in the last 13 years worked in the specific area of Self Insurance within the Workers Compensation Industry, state and federal.
Denise holds a Masters in Business Administration and Cert IV in Workplace Assessment and Training. She has been on the Executive Committee of the NSW Self Insurers Association for the past seven years, being elected Chairperson in October 2006 and currently in her sixth term. She is also the Secretary and NSW Delegate on National Council of Self Insurers and Secretary of SRCLA (Safety Rehabilitation Compensation Licensees Association Inc - A self insurance association representing Comcare Self Insurers). As Chair of NSW, Denise also sits on the WorkCover NSW Provider Services and Case Management Forums.
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Dean Stone, President, SRCLA, Manager, Workers’ Compensation and Governance, NAB
Dean Stone is the President of Safety Rehabilitation and Compensation Licensees Association Inc & Manager, Workers Compensation and Governance, NAB, Advisory Board Member, Self Funding Employer Association (Self Funding employers of the USA). Having represented the Australian Region at 2 conferences in Los Angeles and in 2010 presenting to the International Workers Compensation Symposium in Munich Germany, Dean's reputation as an international speaker has grown rapidly in recent years. Having worked across most Workers' Compensation jurisdictions in Australia, Dean is well versed on the current issues in the Australian market and the challenges that the future may bring.
With over 16 years in the Workers' Compensation industry, Dean has worked for some of Australia's biggest Self Insured employers and Insurance companies. With experience in Banking, Finance, Retail, Government, Logistics and Tele-communications, Dean has a wide range of industry knowledge. Specialising in the containment of Claims Costs and the development of systems that reduce Workers' Compensation Premiums, Dean has achieved success in minimising disputes and reducing the overall cost of claims.
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Dr Peter Cotton, Director of Psychology Services, Medibank Health Solutions
Will be updated shortly...
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Stephen Carey, Chief Commissioner, Workers’ Rehabilitation Compensation Tribunal
Stephen Carey is a legal practitioner who practiced over many years in the area of personal injury litigation and workers' compensation and was Senior Crown Counsel (Civil) for the State of Tasmania before appointment as a Commissioner of the Tasmanian Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation Tribunal in 1996 and then as Chief Commissioner in 2000. He has extensive experience in the dispute resolution process via both conciliation and arbitrated hearings.
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Ken Baker, Chief Executive, National Disability Services
Will be updated shortly...
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Peter Perry, CEO, Spinal Cord Injuries Australia
Peter Perry has been the CEO of Spinal Cord Injuries Australia since 2008. He is passionate about leading an organisation whose role is to create a society without barriers for people with a spinal cord injury. These barriers - Physical, financial, attitudinal - should not exist in a modern society. Spinal Cord Injuries Australia works to remove these barriers through providing information, advice and services to individuals, and advocating for broader change in society.
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Tony Stante, Alliance Project Manager, Ballina Bypass Alliance
Tony has worked as a Project Manager / Area Project Manager for Leighton Contractors in NSW for over twenty years. During this time he has worked on various major civil construction projects including the signature projects; F5 Tollway, Eastern Distributor, M7 Motorway and more recently he has been the Alliance Project Manager on the Ballina Bypass Alliance as part of the Pacific Highway Upgrade program.
The Ballina Bypass team was formed between the RTA, Leighton Contractors, AECOM, SMEC and Coffey Geotechnics. The team has consistently championed its key Alliance principle of "Safety First Every Time" resulting in industry leading safety performance.
A strong safety system and culture has been built around the key foundation areas of leadership, training and mentoring, communication, continuous improvement, collaboration and innovation. The team's safety system has been recognised as industry leading through awards received from both WorkCover NSW in 2010 and Safe Work Australia in 2011.
For the Safe Work Australia award for "Best Workplace Health and Safety Management System" the team was selected ahead of all individual 2010 state Workcover award winners. This award across all industries has demonstrated that construction teams can match it when it comes to excellent safety performance.
The Alliance team is proud to be setting the benchmark for others in the industry to follow along with being able to share their learnings.
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Derrick McManus, Inspirational Speaker, Motivator, Sergeant, SA Police
Derrick was a member of the SA Police 'Special Tasks And Rescue (STAR) Group' with specialist skills including Sniper, Diver and trained by the Aust. Army SAS as a Counter Terrorist Operative. In 1994 he was shot 14 times with a high-powered rifle and left lying on the ground for 3 hours before he could be rescued. When Doctors first got to him they thought he was already dead but a last gasping breath sent medical staff into a life saving frenzy. From there no one ever believed he walk properly again nor recover from the psychological scarring that should normally go with this sort of traumatic event.
However, Derrick defied all predictions and two and half years later returned to the physically, mentally and emotionally demanding STAR Group without any restrictions. Derrick now speaks at conferences around Australia, runs two leadership programs - one is "Inside Your head - The place of true power" and has authored the book "Fighting the Fear Factory - The secret to achievement".
More information is available about Derrick at www.derrickmcmanus.com Show/hide Bio
Vince Scopelliti LLB, BSc, Managing Director – LKA Group
Vince Scopelliti is the Managing director and founder of the LKA Group a national risk and investigations service provider. Since 1990 Vince has transformed the LKA Group into one of Australia's largest and leading professional investigation service providers with over 220 investigators nationally and a substantial international network providing a truly global factual and surveillance investigation service.
Vince's background as an insurance lawyer and his study of psychology and business managementalong with his passion for investigations has been instrumental in delivering innovative and effective investigative and risk management services for major insurers, employers, lawyers and government agencies.This innovation has included the development of unique training programs, collaborative service team models, Specialist investigation units and technology solutions to meet the needs of the industry.
Over the past 20 years he has worked closely with all of the major WorkCover Insurers in Australia along with the Agents in identifying new ways of responding to the changing nature of workers compensation insurance management. He has also authored and had many papers published in journals covering various aspects of investigation and has presented at many previous insurance conferences.
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Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson, Founder, Work Injured Resource Connection, "Bags of Love" emergency food project, Advantage SA Community Leader 2011
Rosemary McKenzie-Ferguson is the founder of the Work Injured Resource Connection Inc, an association that supports, advises and advocates for injured workers in their dealings with the South Australian workers compensation scheme. Rosemary became a community advocate for injured workers as a result of her own experiences, firstly with the workplace death of her brother and then her own workplace injury and the experience of being a claimant. She is a passionate advocate for the rights of injured workers and is well known in the industry in South Australia. Rosemary has recently been named Advantage South Australian 2011 Community Leader of the Year"
Rosemary recognises that her work is sometimes not well received in some circles, but she goes by the motto "if they are shooting at you, you must be doing something right". She is a staunch advocate of the need to address the family and social impact of workplace injury, and believes that at present, they are not properly addressed by the system, which is too focused on the financial cost at the expense of the human cost.
Rosemary was one of the driving forces behind the first Memorial Pillar for Deceased Workers that was unveiled in Adelaide in 2000; she then followed that with the Deceased Workers Memorial Forest in 2003. Rosemary has more recently initiated the 'Bags of Love' emergency food project, which delivers bags of donated essential supplies to injured workers and their families who have fallen on hard times as a result of their compensable claim.
Work Injured Resource Connection is a not for profit volunteer association.
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Managers Hold Positive Outlook For Harmonisation
