Welcome to our Staff Biographies page, which includes profiles for staff at all of our clinics.

Dr. Neki Patel - Chiropractor

Dr. Neki Patel trained at the Anglo-European College of Chiropractic. Neki is a member of the New Zealand and British Chiropractic Associations and the New Zealand Academy of Sports. Neki has worked with building a well rounded family orientated clinic. Neki uses chiropractic techniques not only to fix backs, but also to help improve patient’s range of movement and their levels of comfort with all joint and soft tissue injuries. He has worked on various high profile rugby players, worked with the Australasian PGA since 1999. He was the chiropractor for the New Zealand Commonwealth Games team to Manchester. He has treated various international ski teams and ice hockey teams. His main aim is the integration of treatment for the patient’s best possible benefit.

Mary-Francis Bewley - Office Manager

Mary-Frances is an experienced office manager with an extensive background in the clerical health sector over a period of 24 years. Before she joined the Queenstown Chiropractic Clinic her previous positions included medical information officer at a hospital, medical secretary / PA to two consultants and prior to moving to Queenstown she was the office manager at a medical laboratory. She prides herself in being a people oriented person and enjoys working in an integrated clinic and being a member of such a professional and enthusiastic team.

Connor Brennan - Physiotherapist

Conor comes from County Tipperary in Ireland and graduated from University of Limerick with an honors degree in Physiotherapy in 2007.

Since graduating he has worked in the private practice setting in Limerick and more recently Dunedin. He has also worked with a number of sporting teams from basketball at international level to rugby teams at club and provincial levels. Working with specialists in sports medicine has fueled his interest in musculoskeletal and sporting injuries. He focuses on manual therapy in addition to restoring muscle imbalances and joint stability incorporating core strengthening and Pilates in the rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries.

He is also a keen sportsman with interests in hurling, football, rugby, running, surfing and snowboarding.

Rosana Jadue - Massage Therapist

Rosana is originally from Chile and has studied in both Europe and South America. Her treatment style is a fusion of deep-tissue massage and trigger point therapy.

Rosana specialises in Quiromassage, which improves the lymphatic system and increases circulation. As well as having 6 years general practice as a massage therapist, she also has experience working with top international sports people including the All Blacks and Australian PGA Tour golfers.

Yvonne Plunkett - Physiotherapist

Yvonne Plunkett is from County Westmeath in Ireland and she graduated from the University of Limerick in 2006 with an Honours degree in Physiotherapy. After graduating, Yvonne worked as a rotational physiotherapist at the Midland Regional Hospital in Mullingar, gaining extensive experience in musculoskeletal, orthopeadic, medical and neurological areas, before setting off on her travels through Asia and Australia at the end of 2008.

Keen to continue her development, Yvonne has undertaken courses in areas such as soft tissue release and spinal manipulation and integrates these techniques into her treatments.

Yvonne is interested in all sports that get the adrenalin pumping, with a special fondness for watersports and snowboarding. She has worked with many sports teams at both local and inter-county level and has a particular interest in sports injuries and rehab. Since coming to New Zealand in March 2009, Yvonne has immensely enjoyed working in an active community where clients are as motivated in their recovery as she is in assisting them achieve their goals.

Mel's background is in Marketing and Event Management. She spent 8 years in the UK and Europe managing global conference and incentive programmes before becoming Events and Marketing Manager on the World Rally Championship. A job that satisfied some of her career aspirations and her love of world travel!

Finally returning to New Zealand she joined Motorsport New Zealand as Marketing Manager, before taking time off to be mum to Toby.

Now back where she started, in Central Otago, Mel is enjoying her varied role working across all of the clinics as well as working with Neki on the health portion of 82football.com.

Daniel Judd - Acupuncturist

Daniel graduated with the National Diploma of Acupuncture at the start of 2000. He is a graduate of the New Zealand School of Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine and a current member of the New Zealand Register of Acupuncturists.

Being an ACC treatment provider since his graduation, Daniel has dealt with musculoskeletal injuries caused by stress and accident for over ten years. He has worked therapeutically with a range of people and physical complaints including serious sportspeople, hobbyists, everyday accidents, the elderly and the disabled.

Acupuncture is also excellent for other conditions of external, internal and emotional dis-ease and Daniel has diagnosed, treated and created treatment plans for many maladies at his private and community clinics during this time. These years of experience have provided Daniel with a skilled and multi-leveled approach. He employs the full scope of treatment methods including Acupuncture, Heat Therapy/ Moxibustion for nourishing, Cupping for reducing pain in stagnant muscles, Herbal Medicine for internal problems, Blood letting for varicose veins, SuJok Microsystems, Ear acupuncture and Tai Chi for rehabilitation and maximising the healing potential.

Daniel always makes it his business to know other practioners in the community and maintains a good rapport to help the patient with an integrated approach. He sees this holistic method as being the way forward within todays medicine. In his private clinic he has referrals from Chiroprators, Physiotherapists, Osteopaths, Naturopaths, Homeopaths and Cranial Sacral Therapists. Daniel is committed to community health and has created clinics and seminars for community initiatives like the “Be Well” health initiative, Fall Prevention Tai Chi and Maori health hui. He has also organised and held workshops for midwifes and pregnant mothers on “how to use acupressure for pain relief for birthing mothers,” as well as being an on-call support person for labouring mothers.

Daniel practices Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong and has learnt a lot about the energy of the body through this study. He will gladly offer classes and/or lessons to help people strengthen and realign any body disharmony.

Daniel has gained level 4 Certificates in Te Reo Maori (Maori Language) and Te Matauranga o Nga Waka (the knowledge of paddling canoes). He has a deep respect for the rich culture of this land, its people and those of the Pacific. One of his passions is to one day build a boat and navigate it traditionally throughout the pacific region. He is also a keen snowboarder.