Recently, our very own Donna-Lee Mewburn was recognised with the ARPA Northern Territory’s President’s Award.
It’s a huge honour.
The award acknowledges a person who has continuously contributed to the workplace rehabilitation industry for over five or more years.
Making it all the more special is the fact that the award was voted on by the Northern Territory Council earlier this year without her knowledge.
Donna-Lee is undoubtedly a deserving winner with an impressive contribution to the industry as a highly sought-after occupational therapist and mentor, and for her active participation in the wider community.
She is an industry veteran, dedicating over 20 years to the industry, 15 of those in the Northern Territory, with a passion for ensuring equitable access to services in remote areas of the State.
Donna-Lee arrived in Darwin in 2006, after a rapid rise up the ranks with APM in Perth, to lead the Darwin team. Since then, she has built a reputation for pioneering best practices in cost-effective, outcome-driven workplace health, return to work, and rehabilitation services.
One thing Donna-Lee is especially known for is her friendly and approachable personality.
It’s what’s helped foster highly successful professional relationships with injured workers, employers, medical professionals, colleagues, and clients, enabling her to efficiently gather and manage information to achieve positive outcomes.
The award confirms what those who work with Donna-Lee know – she is a natural leader.
On top of managing a business unit and supporting a team, she still maintains a caseload of 20 cases, taking a 'lead by example' approach.
It’s why insurers, employers, and local practitioners often seek her out to work across their most complex cases where psychosocial or industrial factors hinder a return to work pathway.
Her experience and deep knowledge, coupled with empathy and compassion, help her to successfully take on the most challenging of cases.
Her leadership is perhaps best seen in her role as a mentor and educator.
She plays a key role in nurturing new staff members, teaching and developing their technical skills, and, most importantly, instilling the values of compassion and dedication towards clients.
Donna-Lee’s leadership has helped create a team that not only exceeds performance outcomes, such as positive return to work outcomes and consistent requests by customers, but that is empathetic and knowledgeable towards the rehabilitation needs of injured workers.
It’s not all work for Donna-Lee.
When she’s not handling the most complex of cases, she likes to unwind by doing something less challenging and relaxing.
She loves living in the NT.
During the dry season, she loves nothing better than heading out to see the waterfalls in Katherine.
And when it’s netball season, you’ll see (and hear) her on the side-lines coaching her daughter’s netball team and supporting the athletes of the local Netball Association.
It's a great example of how Donna-Lee’s commitment and care for people, whether professionally or personally, is making the Darwin community a better place for everyone.
We couldn’t be more proud of her for winning this award.