Meet the team
Your feet are in good hands! You can be confident that Local Podiatry will provide you with the best possible care. We work as a team and leverage each other’s skills, so you get the benefits from a combined wealth of knowledge.
Indika Warusevitane - B.App.Sci (Podiatry)
Member Australia Podiatry Association (NSW/ACT)
Member Sports Medicine Australia
Indika studied at the University of Western Sydney, graduating in 2005. Originally from Canberra, and with a background and keen interest in athletics, cricket and basketball, he chose podiatry due to his interest in shoes and the mechanics of the feet and legs. He has worked with the leading podiatrists in Canberra and Brisbane and has further increased his knowledge. He is currently involved in all aspects of podiatry and has a special interest in nail surgery and sports podiatry.
Thomas Ang- B.Podiatry
Member Australia Podiatry Association (NSW/ACT)
Member Sports Medicine Australia
Tom graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2015 and has since worked in both country and city-based clinics. He is experienced in all areas of general and sports podiatry with a particular interest in diabetic and high risk foot care and the treatment of ingrown nails, including the use of nail bracing and surgery.
Ben Balthazaar (Retired)
Ben has retired from seeing and treating patients, and is involved in mentoring our podiatrists.
Ben received his degree from the University of Western Sydney and worked in his own private practice in Beverley Hills and then the Running Clinic in North Sydney. Ben moved to Canberra in 1990 and joined Andrea Cleland at Footcare Associates and established a successful family orientated private practice. In 2021 they teamed up with Local Podiatry.
A background in distance running and a skiing enthusiast, Ben Balthazaar has a special interest in the field of sports podiatry, paediatrics, biomechanics and has forged strong relationships in Canberra with the AIS, medical and allied health professionals, shoe manufacturers and retailers.
Ben is involved with various learning institutions, providing clinical placements for podiatry students and lecturing to interest groups. He is highly regarded by his peers and many health professionals not only in Canberra but throughout Australia. Ben often has interstate patients visit him when they travel to the Canberra area and also has international patients who continue to return when their travels permit.
Ben chose podiatry because of the rapidly developing nature of the profession and the personal satisfaction derived from relieving a patients’ pain and improving their quality of life. Outside the office, Ben is a keen rower who has participated in the Head of the Tweed and Head of the Yarra Races and can often be seen rowing at 5.30am on Lake Burley Griffin. Ben is also an avid skier enjoying the slopes in Thredbo and Japan. Ben has enjoyed seeing his patients grow and have families of their own, many of whom now also come to see him, or other members of the Footcare and Local Podiatry team.
Ben works specifically in the area of biomechanics, paediatric biomechanics, orthoses, sports shoe evaluation, and sports podiatry and is more than happy to assist new and continuing clients.
Andrea Cleland (Retired)
Andrea has retired from seeing and treating patients, and is involved in mentoring our podiatrists.
Andrea chose podiatry as an exciting profession, in which the hands-on approach to care meant satisfaction in helping people achieve foot comfort.
Andrea studied podiatry in New Zeland and came back to Australia to work in Victoria in 1980. In 1981 she returned to Canberra and opened her private practice Footcare Associates in Woden and has loved working in Canberra ever since. Seeing clients and their families grow with the practice over the years has been one of the most rewarding aspects of professional practice.
Along with her husband and co-director of Footcare, Ben Balthazaar, they joined forces with Local Podiatry in 2021. Andrea values the teamwork that sees Footcare and Local Podiatry being a happy and efficient podiatry practice.
All aspects of podiatry are attended to at Local Podiatry and Andrea has a great talent for tailoring treatment to suit your specific needs. She has a special interest in footwear design and education.
Andrea has personal interests in fitness and a love of skiing around the world, but her professional interest is all about keeping people comfortable on their feet for everyday activities and lifelong enjoyment.
Andrea has always attended local, National and International conferences and kept up with new ideas within the profession.
“Comfort is King” has always been her motto.
Ashlini Phillips
Member Australia Podiatry Association (NSW/ACT)
Member Sports Medicine Australia
Ashlini has been working as a podiatrist since she graduated in 1994.
She previously worked in Sydney, running her own Podiatry Clinic for many years before moving to Canberra to join the team at Local podiatry.
Ashlini is involved in all aspects of podiatry with a special interest in the advancing area of Biomechanics, functional movement, and soft tissue treatment.
Ashlini is intrigued by the health profession in its entirety, and places emphasis on a patient centred approach, treating the patient as a whole. She makes a conscious effort to further educate herself with new innovative developments within varying health and allied health fields to ensure her clientele receive the best service for their personalized needs.
In her spare time Ashlini enjoys movies, reading, gardening and is a keen skier.
Mel Bingley
Mel graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2014 with a Bachelor of Podiatry.
Originally from Narooma on the South Coast, Mel now resides in Sutton and enjoys the country life, which fits in well with her main sporting interest; equestrian riding.
Mel is dedicated to improving her skills and building knowledge to continue to provide excellent podiatric care to all her patients. Focussing on evidence-based practice and integrating this to develop individual treatment plans for patients in order to provide the best possible care
Mel is involved with all aspects of podiatry with special interests in biomechanics, sports medicine and nail surgery.
Mel is thoroughly enjoying being part of the Local Podiatry team, and looks forward to assisting you with your concerns now, and into the future.
