The Joyworkz Team

Dr Kathryn Owler (Company Director)

BA, MA (hons), PhD (UNSW), Perf. Cert. (Trinity)

Kathryn is one of the founding Directors of Joyworkz. In her twenties she lived by the ‘Girls Can Do Anything’ motto and traveled the world, living for a time in London, San Francisco and then Sydney. She also completed three degrees including a B.A. in Sociology and Music an M.A. in Sociology at the University of Auckland; and a PhD in Sociology at the University of New South Wales Sydney. Today, Kathryn encourages kiwis to have fun at work as a Joyworkz facilitator, training in New Zealand workplaces. She is also a freelance writer and an Associate Research at Auckland University of Technology (AUT), completing research on ‘fun at work'.

Ross Thomson (Company Director)

NZCE, Diploma Therapeutic Massage (NZCM)

Ross is also one of the founding Directors of Joyworkz. Ross has over 30 years experience in a range of industries and workplace environments, including Telecommunications and Industrial Automation enginerring as well holding Sales and Management positions. Then ten years ago he decided to retrain in the Health Industry, gaining qualifications in therapeutic massage. During his first few years practicing massage it became obvious (through his client's conditions) that if you let it, work can negatively impact on one's health.

Ross currently delivers preventative solutions to workplace wellness issues through his work as a Joyworkz facilitator, writer and a Joyworkz workstation assessor. He also continues his remedial soft tissue massage work, at Bodyneed Massage Clinic in Auckland.

Ailsa Leonard-Smith (Occupational Health Nurse)

Ailsa is a registered nurse qualifying in England in 1980. Since arriving in New Zealand in 1992 Ailsa worked for 12 years in Operating Theatres at Auckland City Hospital. She then successfully made the switch to Occupational Health working in a variety of industries. Ailsa's extensive nursing experience and passion for Workplace Health gives her the depth and width of knowledge to provide the very best in Workplace Health Services.