Speakers

Alex Terrill is a podiatrist, mechanical engineer, PhD candidate in biomedical engineering, and lecturer in podiatry at Queensland University of Technology. His multidisciplinary PhD research applies 3D scanning, computer-aided design and engineering, materials science, and 3D printing to create effective, affordable, and accessible personalised offloading treatments for people with diabetes-related foot ulceration.

Blake Withers is a Sports Podiatrist working in a leading multidisciplinary sports medicine clinic, combining clinical expertise with academic and research excellence. A PhD candidate and published author in the Journal of Sports Sciences, Blake is a recognised thought leader in biomechanics, orthotic design, and sports podiatry.

A lecturer at the University of Newcastle, Blake teaches biomechanics and podiatric skills across orthosis, diabetes care, and sports podiatry. He is a regular speaker at the National Podiatry Conference, Sports Medicine Australia, and Sports & Exercise Podiatry events, and has presented internationally in Singapore and the UK.

As co-host of The Sports Medicine Project podcast—ranked in the top 5% globally—Blake shares evidence-based insights to engage clinicians and students alike. In addition to contributing to Stride, the national podiatry magazine, he serves on the Board of the National Podiatry Association’s MSK Special Interest Group and the Research in Podiatry Network (RIPN).

With a deep passion for evidence-informed care, Blake spends most of their time researching, learning, and testing the latest in footwear innovations. They are also a business owner dedicated to bridging clinical practice and academic knowledge.

David Sutton is a senior Pedorthist at Melbourne based Pedorthic clinic Bilby shoes. He is also a clinical advisor for Victorian state government funding body SWEP and clinical advisor to Tekscan (USA). David often runs training events for Podiatrists and Pedorthists.

David has a strong history in embracing the science of objective data collection and a longer history in Pedorthics, starting his journey as an apprentice shoemaker in 1979.

Professor Ashad Kabir is a distinguished scholar in applied artificial intelligence and smartphone technologies. He leads the Imaging and Sensing Research Group at Charles Sturt University (CSU). He has authored over 140 scholarly articles and secured more than $7.1 million in research funding. His work reflects a sustained commitment to leveraging AI and data-driven approaches for transformative healthcare solutions. His contributions have earned him numerous awards, including the Vice-Chancellor's Researcher of the Year and the Editor’s Choice Article of the Year.

Klaas is a retired professor in Rehabilitation Medicine at the University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands. His first contacts with pedorthics was in 1977. He became interested in the topic and never lost that. Next to pedorthics his interests are into gait analysis with the biomechanics of gait, orthotics and prosthetics. He is author of more than 130 articles and edited two books about pedorthics. The last one is: "Pedorthic footwear; Assessment and treatment”, in which different Australian pedorthists contributed.

Dr Sayed Ahmed is a foot healthcare professional, entrepreneur, researcher and accomplished leader in Pedorthics and medical device innovation. He became the first PhD in Pedorthics in Australia. He completed his PhD from Southern Cross University, focusing on diabetic foot care and personalised footwear prescriptions.

Dr. Ahmed began his career with a B.Sc. Engineering & Tech. in Footwear from the University of Dhaka, and later earned an MBA in Management Information Systems. His professional journey includes significant roles as founder and CEO of Foot Balance Technology and OrthoGenix, where he developed innovative solutions for foot health challenges, particularly for individuals with diabetes. His innovation focuses on enhancing the patient experience through the use of 3D and digital technologies, including scanning, CAD design, additive manufacturing, and AI integration for decision-making and process improvement in clinical practice.

Dr. Ahmed has secured and managed notable grants, including the "National Industry PhD Program," which focuses on AI-powered clinical decision support systems (CDSS) and has collaborated extensively with Australian universities. His research, widely published, encompasses topics such as footwear design for diabetic foot ulcers and AI-driven medical device prescriptions. Dr. Ahmed is dedicated to advancing foot health through interdisciplinary collaboration, mentorship, and innovative research

Dr Schleimer commenced orthopaedic training in Queensland in 2010 and worked at Gold Coast University Hospital as part of her training rotations. After successfully passing her orthopaedic fellowship exam, she commenced work as a staff specialist at Logan Bayside Hospital before embarking on her overseas foot and ankle fellowship at the Charité Hospital in Berlin, Germany. During her fellowship, she took part in a number of advanced foot and ankle courses, including MIS foot surgery and later travelled to France to fasten her knowledge in this techniques from one of the founders of Minimally Invasive Foot Surgery.

Since returning from her fellowship, she has been subdividing her time between working as a staff specialist at Gold Coast University Hospital and operating privately at Gold Coast Private and John Flynn Hospital.

Dr Schleimer is an involved member of the Australian Orthopaedic Association, Australian Ankle and Foot Orthopaedic Society and Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Sonja organizes training courses for Orthopaedic registrars and has been invited as an international speaker at overseas Orthopaedic meetings. She has a strong interest in research to improve surgical techniques and outcome from foot and ankle surgery.

Dr Susan Nancarrow is a health workforce researcher, strategist and futurist. With over 25 years’ experience advising governments, professional bodies, and health organisations across Australia, the UK and globally, she has published more than 120 peer-reviewed works on health workforce planning, interdisciplinary team effectiveness, and professional role redesign.

Susan is the founder of HealthWorX Futures, where she helps organisations navigate the opportunities and risks of AI-enabled healthcare. Her work spans from high-level governance innovation to practical workforce tools, and she is known for her ability to make complex, system-level trends tangible for practitioners on the ground.

A surfer, systems thinker and relentless challenger of outdated professional boundaries, Susan brings a unique, engaging perspective on how emerging technologies like AI are reshaping what it means to be a health professional in the 21st century.

Elisha is a podiatrist who works in private practice as well as in Training and Education for iOrthotics, a 3D Printing lab in Brisbane, Australia.

Ernest Tye is a Certified Pedorthist Custom Maker (Pedorthic Register of Australia) and a Level 3 Medical Grade Footwear Practitioner with over 40 years of combined clinical and technical experience in pedorthic services. His expertise spans medical grade footwear, foot orthotics, ankle-foot orthoses, and partial foot prostheses. He holds a Certificate IV in Surgical and Orthopaedic Bootmaking and Workplace Training and Assessment. Ernest is also an Endorsed F-Scan User and has completed advanced training and certification in medical grade footwear (2004) and pedorthics (2006).

He commenced his career in 1979 with a four-year apprenticeship and has since held leadership roles in both education and professional advocacy. He currently serves as Professional Experience Leader for Pedorthics at Southern Cross University's School of Health Science and is the former President of the Pedorthic Association of Australia, a role he held for 10 years. Ernest has also directed Masonwood Pty Ltd since 2000.

Katrin Wegener commenced her training to become a qualified orthopaedic shoemaker and orthotic specialist in Germany in 1994.
Katrin received an award for second place in the 1999 State graduate competition. In 2006, she passed the supplementary exam at the state-approved Ralph GROTSTOLLEN School of Podology to achieve the status of a German state-certified Podologe (Podiatrist).

Katrin arrived in Australia in 2009 and qualified as an Australian Certified Pedorthist (CM). She has been involved in providing training as part of the Australian Pedorthic Certification Course Program. She has participated on the certification panel for the Australian Pedorthic Register and has published several articles for a German local newspaper as well as professional articles for a German pedorthic and podiatry magazine. She has presented at several national and international conferences and is the current President of the Pedorthic Association of Australia.

Katrin continues to reside in Australia while further developing her successful career with an established client base within the profession.

Kent is a podiatrist who has worked in a broad range of settings including private practice, research, teaching and running a commercial orthotic lab. He's published in peer-reviewed journals and spoken at local and international conferences. Kent is a contributor to Brukner and Khan's Clinical Sports Medicine textbook. He served as president of the Australasian Academy of Podiatric Sports Medicine for 5 years and worked at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in the polyclinic. For the last 13 years, Kent has owned and run Queensland Orthotic Lab. He also still continues to practice 1 day/week in his clinic Performance Podiatry & Physio.

A passionate and innovative Lecturer in Computer Science, with extensive experience in higher education and a deep commitment to advancing intelligent technologies. Currently pursuing a PhD at Charles Sturt University, where my research focuses on the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) into clinical decision-making—specifically in the prescription of offloading footwear for diabetic foot care. I bring a strong foundation in distributed systems, software engineering, databases, data warehousing, business intelligence, and machine learning, combined with a growing specialization in healthcare informatics.

My academic journey includes a Master of Information Technology from The University of Fiji, with concentrations in machine learning, database administration, and programming. I am driven by a vision to bridge the gap between advanced computing methods and real-world healthcare challenges, using AI to develop intelligent, data-driven solutions that can improve clinical outcomes and patient care.

Markus Kerkering began his study in Germany in 2011 to become a licenced orthopaedic shoemaker and orthotic expert. He received his German Meister degree in 2018.

Markus has presented at national and international pedorthic conferences and has written professional articles for both a German Pedorthic and Podiatry journal and an English Pedorthic magazine.

He relocated to Australia in 2020 to further develop his career and currently works at the Sydney-based pedorthic clinic: Footpower.

Sophie McKenzie is an Associate and Regional Partnership Specialist at Maurice Blackburn. She practices in personal injury law, representing injured claimants. Sophie is particularly passionate about sexual harassment and third party assaults, having authored submissions to the Australian Law Reform Commission’s Inquiry into Justice Responses to Sexual Violence in 2024. She was recognised as an Injury & Compensation Law Rising Star in the prestigious Doyle's Guide in 2022. Sophie also leads partnership initiatives across the Brisbane region, working closely with the allied health community to provide legal education and support. She is passionate about making the law accessible to everyone.