“It’s been a privilege, for more than 35 years, to watch the paths of so many wonderful physiotherapists and administrators as they forge their careers at Active. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts, and we work with this truth daily. We’ve been privileged to work with the strengths of so many people. Nurturing those strengths has built our team and the extensive physiotherapy services we offer today.”
– Nicole Fitzgerald
Nicole is a long-standing member of Active Rehabilitation Physiotherapy’s Executive Leadership Team and works closely with her husband, John Fitzgerald, Active’s Founder and CEO. After many years as Director of Business Services and Quality, Nicole now serves as Business Consultant, supporting Active’s leadership team in overseeing business operations, integrated patient-centred systems, and a holistic approach to care.
Nicole’s leadership is defined by her commitment to quality, her strategic insight, and her gift for bringing together intelligent, compassionate people who genuinely care for one another and for their patients. Her background as an Occupational Therapist allows her to blend clinical understanding with business acumen, ensuring Active’s services consistently uphold the highest standards of patient-focused care.
With over 40 years of experience in both public and private health care, Nicole has contributed extensively to education, business systems, and leadership development. Earlier in her career, she served as a Lecturer and Tutor in the University of Queensland’s Occupational Therapy Department, where she played a key role in establishing the Occupational Therapy Work Assessment and Rehabilitation Unit and in developing a new Functional Capacity Evaluation Testing Instrument.
At Active, Nicole has led major initiatives including the development of a comprehensive administrative training framework, the automation of learning and development programs, and the Leadership Training Program for emerging leaders. She has also collaborated on quality systems that enhance clinical communication and has helped deliver workshops for University of Queensland physiotherapy students on customer service and communication.
“I’m passionate about supporting our team with strong business systems and procedures, and ensuring our patients and partners receive the best care from highly skilled physiotherapists and administrators who are supported by wise and compassionate leadership. This foundation allows us to truly deliver excellence in customer and physiotherapy services.”
“I’m proud that we’ve built a team who do what they do because they believe in and care about people — a team hungry to grow, committed to excellence, and above all, humble and people-smart.”
Nicole’s favourite quote:
“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” – Aristotle