our team

Our dynamic team of Occupational Therapists at Cairns Occupational Therapy are committed to ensuring our knowledge and skills are as up-to-date as possible and based on scientific research. Our Occupational Therapists are registered with AHPRA and all members of OT Australia, the peak body representing Occupational Therapists. Our therapist, Kerry provides Hand Therapy services and is a full member of the Australian Hand Therapy Association allowing her to be called an AHTA Accredited Hand Therapist. Our OTs Kerry and Rebecca, are members of the Australasian Lymphology Assocation, the peak body for lymphoedema practitioners. We constantly seek opportunities to participate in continuing professional education and maintain our skills in our areas of expertise but primarily to ensure we help our clients as best we possibly can!

Kerry Stingel

Director | Principal Occupational Therapist

Kerry Stingel graduated from the University of Queensland in 1989 and has been working as an OT for more than 35 years. She is an Accredited Hand Therapist with the Australian Hand Therapy Association (AHTA), a Lymphoedema Practitioner under the ALA and has completed post graduate study in pain management and soft tissue injury management.

Her private practice, Cairns Occupational Therapy commenced in 1999. Kerry has trained dozens of therapists and students. Prior to starting private practice she worked in hospitals and community based rehab and aged care in Cairns and Geelong.

Kerry's work includes hand and upper limb therapy, pain management, lymphoedema management, work rehabilitation and supervision of OTs and students.

Kerry loves spending time with her husband and three adult children, grandchild and fur-grandbabies and helping her extended family. She enjoys trying to keep pot plants alive, being around big trees, making Lego creations and reading. Kerry remains a volunteer breastfeeding counsellor and educator with the Australian Breastfeeding Association.

She is passionate about teamwork, supporting local service providers and developing the next generation of health professionals. Kerry seeks mentoring locally from her peers and online from HandSpark and The Connection Co with Amy Geach.

Rebecca Morrison

Senior Occupational Therapist

Rebecca Morrison Graduated from James Cook University in 2008 with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours. She joined Cairns Occupational Therapy in 2012 after working for several years in hospitals and community health in Charters Towers and Tasmania.

In 2013, Rebecca became a lymphoedema practitioner as she was passionate about helping people experiencing chronic oedema and lymphoedema, hoping to provide increased quality of life and empowering self management of this chronic condition.

Rebecca's work includes lymphoedema management, work rehabilitation and home assessments.

Rebecca loves spending time with her family, reading and creative writing. She also thoroughly enjoys long walks (provided it's early in the day - despite being a local, the heat is not her friend!).

Amanda Donald

Senior Occupational Therapist

Amanda Donald graduated from James Cook University with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy with Honours in 2008. Amanda joined the Cairns OT team in 2021.

Amanda has been a practicing OT for 15 years with a focus on supporting people in their own home to address barriers to meaningful activity. Amanda started her career in Community Mental Health and feels this experience has supported a more holistic understanding of clients needs, particularly the impact of stress and trauma on our nervous system.

Amanda then worked in community based therapy in Cairns, Brisbane and Darwin. Supporting clients funded through aged care services, DVA and NDIS. Finding creative solutions to support participation in daily living activities through; prescribing assistive technology, home modification, fall prevention, energy conservation, manual handling training and developing individualised therapy programs.

At Cairns OT Amanda supports participants at home, work and at times in the clinic. Working collaboratively with clients and their support people to identify meaningful and purposeful goals, nurturing strengths and developing a holistic understanding of ‘how and why’ we do ‘what we need and want to do’. Amanda has a passion for supporting clients who experience ‘invisible’ barriers to function (particularly cognitive).

Outside of work Amanda is kept busy with her two small kids enjoying the many family friendly activities in Cairns. Amanda also enjoys reading, spending time with friends, live music and running (well honestly it is a light jog at best)!

Amanda Withers

Occupational Therapist

Amanda Withers graduated from Otago Polytechnic, New Zealand, with a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy in 2017, with further Post Graduate certifications in Vocational Rehabilitation and Mental Health and Addictions in the following years.

Amanda has experienced a broad range of practice settings in New Zealand and Australia including vocational rehabilitation, complex mental health, concussion management, physical rehabilitation, NDIS and remote community work.

Amanda comes to the team with a keen interest in functional recovery and hand therapy. She looks forward to broadening her experience in this area and assisting to achieve meaningful outcomes.

Amanda moved to Cairns in 2025 and is enjoying seeing all the beautiful places the city has to offer. She enjoys spending time with friends and family as well as keeping active and most recently attempting to develop some sailing skills on the weekends!

Jesse Booysen

Occupational Therapist

Jesse graduated from Australian Catholic University (Brisbane) in 2021, and moved to Cairns to begin practicing as an Occupational Therapist. She has experience supporting clients through NDIS, DVA, WorkCover and Aged Care, and has worked across areas such as concussion management, rehabilitation, capacity building, assistive technology and home modifications.

Her main focus is neurological rehabilitation, helping people build confidence, independence and a sense of purpose in their everyday lives. Jesse also provides support with assistive technology and home modifications when needed to help clients live safely and comfortably at home. She values getting to know each person she works with and understands that everyone's journey is unique.

Jesse enjoys spending time with family and friends, volunteering, and losing herself in a book. She's also recently taken up rock climbing and loves the challenge, even if she's still finding her feet.

Lyn Kennedy

Adminstration and Allied Health Assistant

Lyn joined the Cairns OT administration team during 2019 as a part-time Admin & Therapy Assistant.

Prior to this, Lyn and her husband were dairy farmers on the Atherton Tablelands for several decades where they raised three sons. Lyn was very active in the community and wider industry including agri-politics and disaster management where she thrived in the often high pressure and fluid environments. Prior to joining the Cairns OT team, Lyn had worked in an academic research project focused on corruption.

Lyn still owns a good pair of gum-boots and enjoys time outdoors but she is focused on a slower lifestyle more like a “house cat” and living “life in the left lane” to manage life's challenges. Lyn has a tremendous capacity for providing empathy and support for clients who are challenged with and adapting to often life changing injuries or illnesses.

As our Senior Admin & Therapy Assistant, Lyn is affectionately known within our team as our “wrangler” and “MacGyver” for her resourcefulness, ability to work through complex tasks and find a fix for most things.

Outside of her important part-time work at Cairns Occupational Therapy, Lyn enjoys spending time with her companion, her three adult sons and their families. She enjoys music and audio books while resting. Lyn’s spare time is also punctuated by the necessary tasks of supporting aging parents which also helps her assist people she is in contact with at work.

Ruby Cabales

Administration

After moving to Australia in 2019, Ruby completed a Certificate III in Business Administration Medical at TAFE Queensland and started working at Cairns Occupational Therapy shortly after finishing the course in 2021. As part of the CairnsOT admin team, Ruby is responsible for providing day-to-day administrative and therapy assistance to OTs, as well as to clients.

With long and diverse experience as a teacher overseas, Ruby understands the value of good and effective communication at work and is passionate about consistently providing excellent customer service at the front desk.

While Ruby enjoys working in a fast-paced environment, she prefers the peace of home where she looks after her cat, her husband and heaps of plants. She also loves music, movies, food, and short drives around Cairns. When there is plenty of time, she picks up her brushes and does some paintings; otherwise, she’s usually lost in her backyard garden or chats with family overseas.

our Team's thoughts

Occupational Therapy Students

As part of our commitment to the Occupational Therapy profession we voluntarily supervise Occupational Therapy students in their 7-10 week undergraduate clinical placements, Allied health Assistant students and work expereince students. Students appreciate being able to observe and assist with treatment of clients. At the client's discretion, the student may attend and participate in consultations. They will at all times be accompanied by a supervising qualified and experienced therapist.

Our Team.

This is your Team section. It's a great place to introduce your team and talk about what makes it special, such as your culture and work philosophy. Don't be afraid to illustrate personality and character to help users connect with your team.

Kerry Stingel

Director | Principal Occupational Therapist

Deirdre Hill

Occupational Thera

Alexa Young

Product Manager

Robert Rose

Product Designer