Our People
Settle with us
Our team has all the experience you need.
Being the best is more than what we do, it is who we are. The industry-leading reports we produce are created by our team of expert Managers, Occupational Therapists and Forensic Accountants who research, assess, peer review and expert witness every report.
Management Team
Renée Watt LLB
A lawyer with many long years’ experience in the corporate world, Renée brings to Evidex an understanding of the demands of legal practice. Having also worked in Indigenous communities in the Top End and for many pro bono organisations, Renée is experienced in dealing with vulnerable people in difficult situations. As such, she is ideally placed to liaise with both solicitors and their personal injury clients.
Renée manages all Evidex’s Australian offices and is based in Evidex’s Sydney office.
Contact Renée on 1300 11 89 88
Occupational Therapists and Expert Witnesses
Diane Prattley
40 years of Occupational Therapy experience in public, private and community sectors, with extensive knowledge of children and adults in acute and long term facilities and unique experience in medico-legal report preparation. Diane is extremely experienced in ADL reports, Vocational Assessments and Life Care Plans, as well as NDIS access reports. Diane is registered with APRHA, OT Australia and SIRA.
Melissa Sale
With over 17 years experience in injury treatment and rehabilitation management in both public and private sectors Melissa has conducted a variety of medico-legal reports. Melissa specialises in MVA injuries and ADL reports. Melissa is registered with APRHA, OT Australia and SIRA.
Kayleen Engelsman
13 years of Occupational Therapy experience in public, private and community sectors,
specialising in children and adults with burns and plastic surgery injuries. Kayleen has specialist
skills in ADL Assessment, functional education, rehabilitation, assistive equipment, home
modifications and report writing; she also specialises in NDIS access reports. Kayleen is registered with APRHA, COT Australia, SIRA and HPC-UK.
Lucinda Smith
A Senior OT with around 20 years’ experience across the corporate world, with employers, as a consultant, with rehabilitation providers and insurers, and around 15 years’ experience in medico-legal work across ADLs, Vocational Assessments and Life Care Plans. Lucinda is well versed in working with legal firms and vulnerable people from diverse backgrounds, is an excellent communicator and report-writer; and ideally placed to meet the needs of both solicitors and their personal injury clients. Lucinda also specialises in NDIS access reports. She is registered with AHPRA and is a member of OT Australia.
Eleanor Eshel
Eleanor has 18 years of Occupational Therapy experience in public and private sectors, working with employers, rehabilitation providers and insurers, specialising in adults presenting with a range of acute and chronic conditions, including spinal injury, orthpaedics, chronic pain and fatigue. Eleanor is experienced in ADL Reports and Vocational Assessments, and has specialist skills in functional and workplace ergonomics. Eleanor is registered with AHPRA and member of HFESA.
Emma Deighton
Emma has 19 years experience working in adult rehabilitation. She has particular expertise in respiratory and dust diseases including mesothelioma and silicosis, catastrophic injuries and illnesses including traumatic brain injuries, amputations and spinal cord injuries, as well as neurological, orthopaedic and musculoskeletal disorders.
She is a highly experienced personal injury specialist with proven court, joint expert witness and settlement conference experience. Areas of practice include MVA, work injury, public liability, industrial illness, NDIS reports and medical negligence practice.
Emma is registered with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) and NSW State Insurance Regulatory Authority (SIRA).
Forensic Accountants
Alex Wallace
Alex Wallace is a forensic accountant with expertise in damages quantification, modelling and legal writing. Alex strives to make complex accounting issues understandable for clients, and the Court, to assist in expediting resolution of disputes. He is currently completing his studies in law.
Abinash Dhungel
Abinash is a Qualified Public Accountant with 20 years of experience in the provision of Public Accounting services in Australia. He has completed a Master of Commerce with an Accounting major – the professional program of the Institute of Public Accountants, one of the three major professional accounting bodies recognised in Australian legislation – and has attained Fellowship status with the Institute. Abinash also holds a Master of Business Administration (MBA) with a specialisation in financial management, a Graduate Diploma of Applied Taxation Law, and has completed the Forensic Accounting Certificate Program from the American Institute of CPAs .
David Woolf
David is a senior commercial, business partnering finance professional with over 40 years’ experience in retail and manufacturing businesses both SME and multinational. Key roles have been to lead and manage finance, analyse systems and various operational areas while involved in the respective enterprises. He holds a Bachelors’ degree in Accounting.
Jo Hutchinson
Jo Hutchinson holds a Bachelor of Commerce with majors in Accounting and Economics, and is a professionally qualified accountant and member of CPA Australia of over 20 years’ standing. Her background is in public practice, dealing with SME clients in a range of industries; she has also held held senior roles as an external and internal accountant for not-for-profits in community services, health, disability and aged care.
