Dr Joanne Lewis

Program Coordinator, Senior Lecturer
PhD; M.Health Law; B. App.Sc.(OT) Hons; FHEA

Email: joanne.lewis@nd.edu.au

  • Biography

    Jo is the Program Coordinator for the Occupational Therapy program at the University of Notre Dame Australia’s Sydney campus. With 18 years of experience in academia and 27 years as an occupational therapist, she brings extensive expertise in curriculum development, clinical education, clinical governance and workplace rehabilitation. She plays an active role in the development and sustainability of the clinical education program, supporting high-quality practice education and the preparation of practice-ready graduates. Jo holds a PhD and Master’s degree in Health Law from the University of Sydney, and is a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA).

    Jo’s clinical experience spans NSW Health, workplace rehabilitation, management and consultancy. She also works as a Clinical Program Consultant with Osara Health (TIME’s World’s Top HealthTech Companies of 2026 list for the second consecutive year), designing digital health programs to support cancer survivors, caregivers and employers through innovative telehealth delivery.

    Jo contributes to occupational therapy leadership at state, national and international levels. She is a member of the World Health Organization’s World Rehabilitation Alliance, serves on the NSW State and Territory Advisory Council for Occupational Therapy Australia, and is Deputy Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Occupational Therapy Practice Educator Academics (ANZOTPEA).

    Her research focuses on cognitive changes following breast cancer and their impact on work participation and return-to-work outcomes. Jo has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national and international conferences, delivered a webinar for Breast Cancer Network Australia, and contributed to World Health Organization publications and media. Her work connects research, education and clinical practice to advance occupational therapy and improve health, participation and employment outcomes.

  • Teaching areas

    • Workplace Rehabilitation
    • Ergonomics
    • Cancer Rehabilitation
    • Cognitive Assessment and Rehabilitation
    • Health Law and Ethics
    • Occupational Therapy Theory
    • Clinical Education

  • Research expertise and supervision

    • Workplace Rehabilitation
    • Cancer Rehabilitation
    • Occupational Therapy
    • Clinical Education

  • Book chapters

    Mackenzie, L., Lewis, J., Ranka, J., & Angelou, K. (2026). Core business: Occupation analysis, activity analysis and task analysis. In T. Brown, H. Bourke-Taylor, S. Isbel, L. Gustafsson, Y. Thomas, & E. Tokolahi (Eds.), Occupational therapy in Australia and Aotearoa New Zealand: Professional and practice issues (3rd ed.. Routledge.

  • Journal articles and proceedings

    • Lewis, J., Mackenzie, L., Chapparo, C., & Ranka, J. (2026). Evaluating the suitability of the Perceive, Recall, Plan and Perform System of Task Analysis (PRPP-A) for assessing work-related cognitive difficulties in women after breast cancer: A comparison with Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB). Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 73(4), e70114. https://doi.org/10.1111/1440-1630.70114
    • Luo, J. J., Gray, F., Di Michele, L., Blackford, J., Ball, S., Johnson, R., Lewis, J., & Jimenez, Y. A. (2026). Health science clinical educators’ self-reported knowledge and skills in supporting students-of-concern. International Journal of Work-Integrated Learning, 27(2), 341–363.
    • Lewis, J., Wang, S., Jue, T. R., Atkins, T., Irwin, S. A., Nanda, P., Sangar, D., Mackenzie, L., & Murali-Ganesh, R. (2026). Evaluating a telehealth coaching and mobile-based digital engagement intervention for people with cancer using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Global Health: Pilot questionnaire study. JMIR Cancer, 12, e72647. https://doi.org/10.2196/72647
    • Sellar, B., O'Brien, L., Bevitt, T., Lewis, J., & Fossey, E. (2025, June). Revisiting reasonable adjustments to foster inclusion and diversity in occupational therapy education [Workshop presentation]. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 72(Suppl. 1). Occupational Therapy Australia 31st National Conference and Exhibition, Adelaide, Australia.
    • Campbell, B., Mackenzie, L., & Lewis, J. (2024). Beyond breast cancer: An exploration of the experiences of middle-aged female breast cancer survivors in Australia. Maturitas, 188, 108089. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.maturitas.2024.108089
    • World Health Organization. (2023). Package of interventions for rehabilitation: Module 7: Malignant neoplasm. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240071254. (Peer reviewer and contributor)
    • Lewis, J., & Mackenzie, L. (2022). Cognitive changes after breast cancer: A scoping review to identify problems encountered by women when returning to work. Disability and Rehabilitation, 44(18), 5310–5328. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638288.2021.1919216
    • Markovic, C., Lewis, J., & Mackenzie, L. (2021). Working with cancer: A pilot study of work participation among cancer survivors in Western Sydney. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 68(1), 58–68.
    • Lewis, J., Mackenzie, L., & Black, D. (2020). Workforce participation of Australian women with breast cancer. Psycho‐Oncology, 29(7), 1156–1163.
    • Lewis, J., Chapparo, C., Mackenzie, L., & Ranka, J. (2016). Work after breast cancer: Identification of cognitive difficulties using the Perceive, Recall, Plan, and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 79(5), 323–332.
    • Smidt, K., Mackenzie, L., Dhillon, H., & Lewis, J. (2016). Oncologist perceptions of cognitive changes in cancer survivors. Supportive Care in Cancer, 24(11), 4679.
    • Lewis, J., & Scanlan, J. (2014). Critically appraised paper: Universally delivered workplace interventions made a small but significant contribution to reduced depressive symptoms in employees. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 61(6), 465.

  • Conference papers

    • Lewis, J., Wang, S., Atkins, T., Jue, T. R., Irwin, S. A., Sangar, D., Mackenzie, L., & Murali Ganesh, R. (2025, October). Pilot study to evaluate a telehealth coaching and mobile-based digital engagement intervention for people with cancer using PROMIS-10 [Poster presentation]. PROMIS Health Organization 2025 International Conference, Milwaukee, WI, United States.
    • Lewis, J., Wang, S., Atkins, T., Jue, T. R., Irwin, S. A., Sangar, D., Mackenzie, L., & Murali Ganesh, R. (2025, August). Pilot study to evaluate a telehealth coaching and mobile-based digital engagement intervention for people with cancer using PROMIS-10 [Poster presentation]. NSW Health Cancer Summit, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
    • Lewis, J. (2022, June). Digital and Health Coaching Return to Work Program for Cancer Survivorship. Paper presented at the OT Exchange 2022 Conference, Melbourne, Victoria.
    • Lewis, J. & Mackenzie, L. (2019, July). Cognitive Changes After Breast Cancer: A Scoping Review to Identify Problems Encountered by Women When Returning to Work. Paper presented at the Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference, Sydney, New South Wales.
    • Lewis, J. & Mackenzie, L. (2018, May). Workforce Participation of Australian Women with Breast Cancer. Poster presented at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress, Cape Town, South Africa.
    • Lewis, J. (2018, March). Work after Breast Cancer: Identification of Cognitive Difficulties Using the Perceive, Recall, Plan, and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis. Poster presented at the International Cognition and Cancer Task Force Conference, Sydney, New South Wales.
    • Lewis, J. (2017, July). Workforce Participation of Australian Women with Breast Cancer. Paper presented at the Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference, Perth, Western Australia.
    • Lewis, J. (2016, November). Work after Breast Cancer: Identification of Cognitive Difficulties Using the Perceive, Recall, Plan, and Perform (PRPP) System of Task Analysis. Poster presented at the VCCC Psycho-Oncology Conference, Melbourne, Victoria.
    • Lewis, J. (2015, July). Work after Breast Cancer: Identification of Cognitive Difficulties Using the PRPP. Paper presented at the Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference, Melbourne, Victoria.

  • In the media

    • World Health Organization. (2023, March). Did you know that rehabilitation is needed for all people with acute or chronic health conditions? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTXgtmW3ygU
    • Lewis, J. (2022, December). Ask the Expert: Returning to work after breast cancer. The Beacon, (93). Breast Cancer Network Australia. Retrieved from https://www.bcna.org.au/news-events/the-beacon-magazine/issue-93-december-2022
    • Lewis, J. (2022, October). Managing cognitive changes related to breast cancer treatments [Webinar]. BCNA Consumer Webinar Series. Breast Cancer Network Australia. Retrieved from https://www.bcna.org.au/resources/webcasts/ask-the-expert-managing-cognitive-changes-related-to-breast-cancer-treatments-with-jo-lewis
    • Lewis, J. (2021, May 4). How can employers support a return to work after serious illness or injury? Salesforce ANZ Blog. Retrieved from https://www.salesforce.com/au/blog/how-can-you-support-a-return-to-work-after-serious-illness-or-injury
    • Hamde, M. (2019). ABC Life:‘How to Work from Home (and do it well). Retrieved from https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-02-25/working-from-home/10725956
    • Lewis, J. (2017, July). Workforce participation of Australian women with breast cancer [Media release]. Occupational Therapy Australia National Conference, Perth, Western Australia. (Link not publicly available)
    • Lewis, J. (2016, June). Ask the Expert: Chemo-brain and work. The Beacon [Archives]. Breast Cancer Network Australia. (Archived issue; link not currently available online)

  • Professional affiliations

    • Ahpra Registered Occupational Therapist
    • Member of Occupational Therapy Australia
    • Fellow of Higher Education Academy

  • Community engagement

    • Member of the World Health Organization (WHO), World Rehabilitation Alliance (WRA) Primary Healthcare Stream
    • Deputy Chair of Australia New Zealand Occupational Therapy Practice Education Academics (ANZOTPEA)
    • Occupational Therapy Australia NSW State Advisory Council

  • Awards

    2020: Occupational Therapy Australia Judith Marsham Farrell Grant