THE GOOD WORK LAB TEAM        

The Good  Work  Lab was founded in 2021 by two passionate work injury specialists.  The Specialist team is:

  • Dr Venerina Johnston, Researcher, Work Injury Prevention and Occupational Rehabilitation Specialist;
  • Donna Valiant, Work Injury Specialist, Ergonomist and Occupational Health Physiotherapist.

As a strong consultative team they want to use their experience and skills to build socially equitable injury prevention and management processes for all through research, collaboration, consultation and education.

Dr Venerina Johnston

Dr Venerina Johnston

Researcher, Work Injury Prevention.

Occupational Rehabilitation Specialist

2020 Commercial CV_JOHNSTON

Dr Venerina Johnston has a PhD in occupational health physiotherapy and post-graduate qualifications in occupational health and safety and work disability prevention. She is an Honorary A/Professor at The University of Queensland.

“My  knowledge and understanding of injury prevention and management has been accumulated from 30 years’ working in roles and industries including as an injury management advisor for workers’ compensation and compulsory third-party insurers and as occupational health and safety officer for large Queensland businesses.

For the last 13 years, my expertise in the health of the working population saw me leading the delivery of ergonomics and occupational rehabilitation content to future generations of health professionals at The University of Queensland.

My research investigates workplace strategies to prevent and reduce the impact of compensable (musculoskeletal and mental health conditions) and non-compensable (eg cancer, brain injury, osteoarthritis) conditions to enhance work participation and prevent work disability and help people lead healthy and productive working lives. A new area of research is identifying solutions to help workers age productively.”

Click here for my Professional Resume
Contact Venerina – venerina@thegoodworklab.com.au

Donna Valiant

Donna Valiant

Work Injury Specialist, Ergonomist and Occupational Health Physiotherapist

2021 Commercial CV_ VALIANT

Donna Valiant is a leading titled Occupational Health Physiotherapist and Ergonomist who has dedicated the last 25 years of her professional career to improving safe systems of work and return to work outcomes for people with injury and illness.  She has worked with Federal, State and Local government organisations and the private sector to effect positive change in the fundamentals of injury prevention and management.

 “ I have worked as a clinician, a rehabilitation provider, an insurance advisor and enjoy positive and strong working relationships with regulators, insurers, professional associations and consumers to actively look for ways to keep people well at work and to return those who have been injured back safely to the workforce.

I know the issues well and acknowledge that sometimes I was almost certainly part of the problem. Because of this very real and practical lived experience I can help consumers, insurers, and organisations to ‘do things better’ to achieve the real benefits of good work. 

I have strong leadership skills, having effectively managed a team of 25 dedicated and efficient allied health and employment professionals, to deliver services that exceeded customer expectations. I have proven myself as an innovative thinker, a person with vision who can clearly identify gaps in service provision and who can create ideas for change that really make an impact to people with disability.   As past Chairperson of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association and the Occupational Health Group of the Australian Rehabilitation Providers Association, I have strong industry connections and have the respect of many leaders in the workplace health, safety and injury management arena. I have been awarded by my peer organisations for her leadership and contribution to the occupational services industry spanning over 25 years.”

Click here for my Professional Resume and list of research
Contact Donna – donna@thegoodworklab.com.au