Strive has over 18-years’ experience in the provision of return to work services and delivery of training for organisational development, with its Principals and many of its consulting team having delivered return to work services and training as a core capability over their working career. Strive Principals, Chris Foley, Director and Sharon Darmody, Clinical Director each bring more than 25-years occupational rehabilitation experience to the opportunity. Chris Merrilees, Principal Consultant – General Manager also brings over 9 years’ occupational rehabilitation experience.
Strive currently employs over 25 staff across five geographical locations (Cairns, Townsville, Toowoomba, Brisbane – Milton and CBD, and the Gold Coast). The median number of years’ experience of Strive staff is 9 years. The experience held within the Strive team has been gained by working with a number of government organisations in the development and delivery of return to work and training services that identify ways better to manage an employee’s health and wellbeing.
Over the past three financial years, Strive has provided over 35,000+ hours of return to work support and training services on over 3500 cases. During this time Strive’s return to work/stay at work percentage is 93%.
Traditionally Strive is known for providing complex psychosocial case management, and of the 1000 to 1300 referrals we receive each year, approximately 60% have a psychological condition, conflict component or a complex injury exacerbated by a psychological condition. Strive is also widely considered to be an expert in the field of managing complex physical injuries or complicated worksite / functional assessments to support a return to work.
Our Key People
Leadership Team

Chris Foley
Managing Director
– Principal Consultant

Sharon Darmody
Clinical Director
– Principal Consultant

Chris Merrilees
General Manager
– Principal Consultant

Trisha Reaston
North Queensland Team Leader – Senior Consultant – OT

Jason Darbyshire
Toowoomba Team Leader
– Senior Consultant – OT

Angela McNamee
Toowoomba – Principal Consultant – OT
Southeast Queensland Team

Brian Neave
Senior Consultant
– Physiotherapist

Megan Kelly
Senior Consultant
– Occupational Therapist

Jeaneen McMahon
Senior Consultant
– Rehabilitation Counsellor

Kellie Woodgate
Senior Consultant
– Provisional Psychologist

Elle Balchin
Senior Consultant
– Occupational Therapist

Fiona Corbett
Senior Consultant
– Physiotherapist

Nathan Beagley
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Exercise Physiologist

Rick Hoefnagels
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Exercise Physiologist

Lome Heyns
Rehabilitation Consultant – Exercise Physiologist

Anna Webby
Gold Coast Team Leader – Senior Consultant
– Occupational Therapist

Ainsley Childs
Gold Coast – Rehabilitation Consultant
– Occupational Therapist
North Queensland Team

Laura Huygens
Acting NQ Team Leader – Senior Consultant
– Occupational Therapist

Annaliese McCarthy
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Provisional Psychologist

Chloe Dart
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Occupational Therapist
Toowoomba Team

Tahlia Gladman
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Exercise Physiologist

Nadine Luhrs
Senior Consultant – Psychologist

Akash Rooney
Rehabilitation Consultant
– Occupational Therapist
Business Support Team

Tracey Crowther
Business Support Supervisor
– EA to the Managing Director

Hannah Hartmann
Business Support

Paris Sugden
Receptionist