A parent’s guide to speech and language development for children aged 3 to 5, and how speech pathology can support your child’s growth. The Importance of Early Childhood Communication The period between ages 3 and 5 is a time of rapid growth in how children communicate. During these years, most children move from short, simple […]
Therapy coordinator
Sabina previously worked with Connect Allied Health before taking a break to pursue a career in property management, where she further developed her organisational, communication, and client service skills. Prior to this, she worked for the Government in a Ministerial Office as a Liaison Officer and Personal Assistant, and has experience across administration, retail, and hospitality. After graduating from high school, Sabina began her career as a Croupier at the Adelaide Casino, gaining experience working in a fast-paced, shift-based environment.
Sabina was born in the Czech Republic and moved to Australia at a young age. She travelled back to her hometown in 2025 whilst travelling around Europe with her friends and fiancé. Sabina has always had a strong love for animals and dreams of owning her own hobby farm in the future.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Sabina enjoys spending time by the river with friends and family, as well as camping and fishing. She also loves spending time with her partner Jordan and their Border Collie Murphy.
Sabina is passionate about helping people and values being part of a supportive team. She is excited to return and contribute to the continued growth of Connect Allied Health.
Animals, pasta, and going on walks
Heights, spiders, and shopping
Occupational Therapist
Sab joined the CAH team in 2026, and is a recent graduate in the Master’s of Occupational Therapy program from Flinders University. Sab has a background of working as an Allied Health Assistant for a multi-discplinary team. Sab is passionate abour supporting clients to build meaningful routines, reconnecting with what matters most to them, and feel more confident in everyday life.
Through placements during the Master’s program and his previous role as an Allied Health Assistant , Sab has worked with a diverse range of clients across the lifespan. He has supported them in engaging in occupations they find meaningful, and values a person-centred and collaborative approach to therapy. Sab enjoys working alongside clients to identify strengths, set goals, and develop practical strategies that support their wellbeing and independence.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Sab has a 17-year-old cat, Ragil, that is very vocal and is still impressively active for his age. In his spare time, Sab enjoys imagining he is an F1 driver on his racing simulator, and out of sheer curiosity, is learning how to do handstands.
Formula One, Badminton, Video Games, Creative Writing, Painting Figures, Lego
Summer
Speech pathologist
Josh completed a Bachelor of Speech Pathology in 2025 from the University of South Australia before beginning his career at Connect Allied Health in 2026.
Josh has gained broad experience working across the lifespan through his university placements, supporting individuals from early childhood through to older adulthood. Throughout these placements, he has developed skills across a range of practice areas, including speech and language development, stuttering, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), swallowing, and cognitive communication. Josh is particularly passionate about delivering a person-centred approach, placing each client’s goals, strengths, and preferences at the centre of therapy. He values client-led sessions and collaborative goal setting, believing these are essential in building positive, respectful, and trusting therapeutic relationships that support meaningful and effective outcomes.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Josh enjoys catching up with his friends, watching movies, playing video games, and going out to eat.
brunch, music, TV
hot weather, salt and vinegar chips
Admin
Dedicated and people focused, I’ve got a real passion for helping others and making sure everything runs smoothly through smart, balanced rostering. I love supporting teams and finding ways to make work easier for everyone.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Kyle has many hobbies on the go, from film photography, gaming, to golf, obviously spending time with family and friends and listening to music as loud as possible when possible!
Cold weather, Music, spending time with partner Liv and their two cats Kimchi and Pippin!
Writing about himself, and Eels
Speech pathologist
Michelle joined Connect Allied Health in 2025, bringing experience across community, school, and hospital settings. She works with individuals across the lifespan, supporting a wide range of communication and swallowing needs.
Michelle is a passionate advocate for person-centred, neurodiversity-affirming care. She prioritises building strong relationships with clients and their support networks, co-creating meaningful goals that reflect each individual’s strengths, preferences, and lived experience. Her clinical interests span complex communication needs, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), and communication and swallowing disorders related to stroke, traumatic brain injury, cognitive impairment, and progressive neurological conditions.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Michelle loves to spend time with family and friends, going on walks and reading books.
Music, restaurants and the beach.
Traffic and spammers
Occupational Therapist
Lauryn joined Connect Allied Health in 2025, after graduating from The University of South Australia with a Master of Occupational Therapy in 2024. She is passionate about supporting individuals of all ages to reach their potential, achieve meaningful goals, and enhance their overall quality of life.
Lauryn has experience across a range of settings, including paediatrics, mental health, and aged care. She has worked with children and adolescents to support challenges in emotional regulation, sensory processing, fine and gross motor skills, social interaction, and daily living activities. Lauryn brings a client-centred and compassionate approach to her practice, always aiming to empower those she works with.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
When she’s not working, Lauryn loves spending time outdoors with family and friends, exploring new places to eat, baking, and playing with her two dogs, Mavrik and Zala.
Trying new foods and spending time with my dogs
Feeling disorganised and enchiladas
Occupational Therapist
Chelsea graduated from the University of South Australia in 2024, joining the CAH in August 2025. Alongside her studies, she gained valuable experience working in the sensory integration space, where she supported children with sensory processing needs, building her interest and skills in supporting children in using their sensory systems to regulate, engage, and participate in daily life.
Chelsea strives to create a supportive, calm, and nurturing therapy environment, making therapy both enjoyable and fulfilling for every child and family she works with. Chelsea holds importance on using a client-centred and holistic approach, working closely alongside families to empower children to engage in activities they enjoy and achieve goals that are meaningful to them. Chelsea has gained valuable experience across areas of paediatrics, community and adult rehabilitation through University placements. Chelsea has supported children and young adults with challenges regarding their fine and gross motor skills, executive functioning, emotional regulation, sensory regulation and daily living skills.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Chelsea likes spending time with friends, exercising, trying out new restaurants and walking her dog, Archie.
Pizza and pasta, running and travelling.
Rainy weather and cucumber!
Speech pathologist
Grounded in his Master’s in Speech Pathology and a Bachelor’s in Linguistics and Japanese, Lewis brings a unique and multifaceted perspective to his work. Lewis also works as a Speech Pathologist within SA Health, where he provides both inpatient and outpatient care across the health network. His clinical expertise covers a wide range of communication and swallowing needs, including dysarthria, dysphonia, aphasia, and dysphagia.
Previously, Lewis worked for just under a year as a paediatric speech pathologist, an experience that strengthened his belief in the importance of holistic health and a collaborative team environment. This foundation allows him to provide significant value, where he contributes to an integrated approach to care that emphasises communication, collaboration, and a deep understanding of each client’s unique needs.
Lewis is also actively involved in the profession, serving as the Student Engagement Co-Lead for the South Australian Speech Pathology Australia Branch, where he facilitates events for students and recent graduates. Lewis aspires to continue his academic journey with a PhD focused on the relationship between language and the brain.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Lewis enjoys exercising, video games, speaking Japanese, learning something new, spending time with his family and church community.
Burgers, music, running and his dog.
Sitting for too long, traffic, not knowing the answer to a riddle.
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Kayla Joined the CAH team in 2025 as a positive behaviour support practitioner and has completed a Bachelor of psychology (honours) degree. Kayla has worked with both adults and children in office settings, school settings, home settings and community environments to support their needs and to assist in improving their overall quality of life.
Kayla has prior experience in working in a range of different settings with a diverse range of people. Kayla has worked as a support coordinator, psychosocial recovery coach and positive behaviour support practitioner for the past 2 years to help individuals achieve their goals. Kayla has experience in supporting people with trauma, autism, intellectual disability, ADHD and various mental health conditions. Kayla is passionate about meeting new people, learning about who they are and helping create an environment where they can thrive.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Kayla loves spending time with her family and friends, enjoys trying new restaurants and travelling to new places.
Cooking, reading and the summertime.
Traffic, running late and mess.
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Sam is recent PBS graduate with a psychology and counselling/crisis support background.
Sam has experience working with people in different stages of life. Sam entered the field of positive behaviour support in 2024, gaining experience working with children living with ASD and continues to use his skills to connect on a meaningful level, working with participants at their own pace to create goals and help them excel.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Outside of the office Sam likes going to the gym, relaxing at home or hanging out with friends.
Gym, music, sports
Cold weather, watching my teams lose
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Chantal has prior experience as a support worker and case manager working in the drug
and alcohol field and crisis response.
Chantal entered the field of positive behaviour support in 2022 working with people of all ages that live with ASD, ADHD, intellectual disability, and brain injury to improve their quality of life. Chantal works to build skills in mindfulness, emotion regulation, interpersonal skills, and distress tolerance by using multiple modalities that are modified to suit the level of the participant.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Chantal enjoys arts and crafts, reading, and movies.
She also enjoys swimming at the beach, camping, and exploring.
Speech pathologist
Laura worked as an allied health assistant throughout 2022 before commencing as a speech pathologist working in a paediatric private practice in January of 2023, and has since transitioned to Connect Allied Health in June of 2025. Laura has worked with children and adolescents aged 12 months to 18 years old across clinic, school and community settings. Laura has supported clients in their journeys with speech, receptive and expressive language, social communication, early language and alternative forms of communication.
Laura is dedicated to empowering her clients and their families/caregivers throughout their therapy journey. She believes in a neurodiverse-affirming approach to intervention, creating a safe space for her clients to celebrate their strengths. With experience in early intervention, speech sound disorders, fluency, language development, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and literacy, Laura loves making learning fun and engaging. She loves to see her clients thrive and gain confidence in their communication skills as well as upskilling and educating those around her client to help support them in all environments.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work you will find Laura at the gym, spending time with her family, friends and her dog Louis, curled up with a good book or at the beach.
Her dog, walks at the beach, daylight savings, and country music.
Cold and wet weather, traffic and running late.
Occupational Therapist
Jaclyn graduated from Flinders University in 2024 with a Bachelor of Health Science/Master of Occupational Therapy. Jaclyn is passionate about supporting people in rural communities to empower clients to live the best quality of life possible. Jaclyn enjoys working with a variety of clients with all different needs and meeting new faces along the way.
Jaclyn gained experience on her clinical placements working with clients across the lifespan. Jaclyn’s experience spans aged-care and paediatrics. Jaclyn has worked with children experiencing challenges with sensory processing, fine/gross motor skills, daily living skills and behaviour. Jaclyn also has experience providing therapy to older persons in the inpatient rehabilitation setting and within rural communities.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Amy enjoys reading, cooking, and taking her dog (Millie) to the beach.
Being on the river and exploring new places.
Pineapple on pizza & coriander
Occupational Therapist
Amy commenced working as an Occupational Therapist in 2024. Through her placements at University and employment experiences, Amy has worked with clients in paediatric, adult and aged-care settings to support their engagement in meaningful occupations. Most recently, Amy worked in an Older Person’s Mental Health acute setting, whereby she supported clients experiencing challenges with emotional regulation, motivation, sleep, routine, and activities of daily living.
Amy strives to provide a calm and empathetic presence for her clients. She is very excited to be a part of the Connect Allied Health team and is looking forward to working in collaboration with her clients to set and achieve goals that are important to them!
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Amy enjoys reading, cooking, and taking her dog (Millie) to the beach.
Warm weather, reading, spending time with family
Cold weather, feeling rushed
Speech pathologist
Mia has completed four university placements, developing strong clinical skills working across the lifespan in articulation, expressive and receptive language, and literacy. She undertook a university research project on infant feeding, which sparked a strong interest in delivering feeding and swallowing support. She is passionate about advocating for every individual’s right to communicate in ways that empower them to express themselves, build meaningful connections, and navigate the world with confidence.
Committed to a neurodiversity-affirming approach, Mia tailors therapy to each person’s strengths and needs, ensuring that intervention supports their autonomy, identity, and participation in a fulfilling life.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Mia enjoys camping, seeing live music, and making art. She loves travel and eating new kinds of foods.
Camping, Music, Painting, Coffee
Littering, Marzipan, Not being able to find a hair-tie!
Occupational Therapist
Joyce is a recent graduate with a Master in Occupational Therapy with a passion for supporting client’s wellbeing. Committed to supporting individuals across the lifespan in overcoming challenges, breaking down stigmas, and enhancing their quality of life. Joyce believes that great care and service can create lasting positive impacts, a value that guides her approach in both professional and personal settings.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Joyce enjoys multiple of activities, including basketball, dodgeball, swimming, crocheting, playing piano and guitar, and drawing.
Travelling and my cat (Aura)
Very hot weather and capsicum
Developmental Educator / PBS Practitioner
Ellie is a dedicated educator with a genuine passion for working with children. With over a decade of experience in diverse educational settings, she has spent the last 6 years as a junior primary teacher in primary schools, and previously worked for 4 years in childcare and Out of School Hours Care (OSHC).
Ellie holds a Bachelor of Early Childhood Education and recently completed a Master of Autism at the University of Wollongong in 2024, further deepening her expertise in supporting neurodiverse learners.
Ellie is committed to a person-centered approach, working closely with children to help them achieve their individual goals. She brings a wealth of experience in working with young people with autism and their families, employing neuroaffirming practices and incorporating play-based learning to foster growth, development, and a sense of belonging. Above all, Ellie is passionate about meeting children where they are, helping them thrive, and creating an environment where they can develop at their own pace.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Originally from Port Lincoln, Ellie now enjoys the relaxed country lifestyle with her family in the Riverland. In her free time, she loves spending time outdoors with family and friends at the river and beach, camping, reading, and making music.
Reading, Taylor Swift and camping
Snakes, peas and balloons
Speech pathologist
Ella joined CAH as an Allied Health Assistant in October of 2024. She will graduate with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) from the University of Adelaide at the end of the year.
Six university placements have provided Ella with opportunities to work with many different people in a variety of settings. She has enjoyed providing speech pathology services in homes, schools and clinics, working closely with families and other professionals to help clients reach their full potential. She is passionate about working in collaboration with clients to set and achieve goals that are important to them in creative and meaningful ways. Ella is eager to learn and embraces opportunities to grow as a clinician, and she is excited to commence her Speech Pathology career with CAH!
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work, Ella likes to travel and explore new places, though she equally loves time spent at home. She enjoys being around her wonderful family and friends, especially when food or a walk is involved!!
live music, tea, the beach
crabs, olives, traffic
Senior Paediatric Occupational Therapist
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Jen is very much a ‘home body’ and will often spend her time on the couch at home with her puppy, watching movies or T.V shows.
Coffee, dogs, and staying at home.
Very cold and very hot weather.
Clinical Lead - Occupational Therapist
Kayla has gained valuable experience by completing placements across paediatric, community, rehabilitation and aged care services. Kayla has worked with children with challenges in fine and gross motor skills, regulation challenges, and daily living skills. Kayla also has experience working with older adults in outpatient rehabilitation with conditions including stroke, lower limb amputations, and Parkinson’s disease. She enjoys using a client-centred and holistic approach with clients.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Kayla enjoys spending time with friends, going for walks, and cooking.
Chocolate, animals, reading.
Cold weather.
Senior Developmental Educator / PBS Practitioner
Hello, my name is Jen. I am rejoining the wonderful team at Connect Allied Health as a Developmental Educator and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner. I have been practicing as a Developmental Educator supporting children, their families and loved ones since 2021 and have loved every minute of it.
I have lots of experience working within the early intervention space and absolutely love working alongside little ones and their families to support their everyday living skills, engagement and participation.
I absolutely love working at CAH, and having the support from the wider multidisciplinary team (Speech Pathologists, Occupational Therapists, Psychology and Physiotherapists) so that our clients are supported in all areas to reach their goals.
I believe I have a very person-centered, play-based approach to therapy that keeps all children’s unique goals, interests and strengths in mind. Some of these areas I support my clients with include the following:
Our brains are all so different, so I try to make sure that my therapeutic approach is unique to each and every individual that I work with so that they are able to do their best learning with the tools and support that help them thrive.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work, Jen loves going on adventures with her family.
Rain, coffee and spending time with my family.
Being stuck in traffic
Senior Occupational Therapist / PBS Practitioner (Advanced/Specialist) / Clinical Manager
Mary joined the CAH team 2019 and has worked as an occupational therapist now for over 10 years. Mary has always held a true passion for assisting and supporting people of all ages increase their independence, achieve their individual goals, and improve their quality of life.
In the adult population, Mary has experience in equipment prescription, rehabilitation, and minor home modifications. In the paediatric population, Mary has experience working with children who have difficulties with fine and gross motor skills, sensory sensitivities, including children diagnosed with Intellectual Disability, learning delays and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Mary loves spending time with her 18 month old daughter, husband and her two cheeky sausage dogs (Kevin and Gary) who keep them very busy. Mary loves reading, good food, travel, music and coffee.
Good food and good coffee.
Traffic and mess (which is now a daily reality with an 18 month old).
Therapy Coordinator
Chelsea joined in January 2024 as a therapy coordinator, with having 6 years in the NDIS industry Chelsea is passionate about helping all clients and families reach their full potential.
Chelsea has a degree in sport science and over the past 10 years has had different roles in the health, fitness and allied health industries.
Chelsea is dedicated to supporting clients and their families to develop and maximise therapy outcomes and achieve their full capacity through the CAH process and policies.
Chelsea upholds a person and family-centred approach and considers the individual needs of clients and their families to help increase their quality of life and achieve their goals.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work, Chelsea enjoys being active (running, cycling and swimming) and spending time at the beach and traveling, seeing the country in her spare time.
Enjoying the company of family and friends with great food
Balloons, sitting still and disorganisation.
Clinical Lead - Occupational Therapist
Daniela commenced working as an Occupational Therapist at CAH in 2024 after graduating from the University of South Australia in 2024. Daniela is passionate about working with clients to support them to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Through her placements at University, Daniela has worked with children and adults of all ages to support their engagement in meaningful occupations. She has worked with children experiencing challenges in fine and gross motor skills, sensory processing, activities of daily living and regulation. She enjoys providing therapeutic support through a client-centered, holistic approach and collaborating with clients and families to build a positive working relationship. Daniela has a passion for providing therapy sessions that are creative and tailored to clients’ interests and goals to maximise quality of life and overall well-being.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Daniela loves spending time with her family, friends and taking her dog Paco for walks. She also loves going on picnics, trying new restaurants and travelling to new places.
Iced latte’s, pasta and going for runs
Slow drivers, Spiders and Disorganisation
Occupational Therapist
Tara has experience working with toddlers, school age children, teenagers, and young adults. Tara is deeply passionate about supporting children to reach their full potential and to have some fun along the way! Tara cannot wait to learn more about working with adults and the elderly in their homes and within the community to support their goals.
Tara loves to watch her clients learn, grow, and increase their independence. Tara loves that OT has no “one size fits all” and everyone is different and possess different skills! 
Outside of work Tara has a young border collie puppy, Luna, who keeps her on her toes! She is a country girl at heart and because of that she loves the outdoors and being down at the river. Tara loves her sport and plays netball and volleyball.
Tara is very excited to be a part of the Connect Allied Health team!
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Dogs, coffee and the River
SPIDERS!
Senior Occupational therapist
As a recent graduate clinician with valuable experience, Daniel has worked with children encountering challenges in sensory processing, motor skills, daily activities, and behaviour. He also brings experience supporting individuals across different life stages to enhance their development, independence, and engagement in meaningful activities.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Daniel loves to spend time with family, go to church, write songs and read books.
Playing piano, singing & drinking coffee
Traffic, losing board games
Clinical Lead - Speech Pathologist
Brooklyn joined Connect Allied Health as a New Graduate Speech Pathologist in early 2024, after graduating from her Bachelor of Speech Pathology degree at the end of 2023. Brooklyn is passionate about working with people across the lifespan to achieve their communication goals.
Brooklyn has had experience at university with clients across the lifespan in areas including articulation of speech sounds, expressive and receptive language, literacy skills, dysphagia (swallowing), voice, fluency, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Brooklyn enjoys working across all areas of Speech Pathology, with a special interest in dysphagia which was the centre of her Honours project at university.
Brooklyn is passionate about working with all clients to help assist with communication of their thoughts, feelings, needs, and wants in day-to-day environments. Brooklyn takes a personal- and neurodiversity-centred approach to therapy, considering the individual needs of each client to best plan goals and activities.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Brooklyn loves to spend time with her dogs and family, travel, and participate in her favourite sport, Calisthenics.
Her dogs, pool days, shopping, and reading
Broccoli, windy weather, and room temperature drinks.
Therapy coordinator
I have just joined CAH as a Therapy Coordinator in December 2023. I have a passion for the health care industry, and I’m looking forward to supporting and fostering growth in this amazing team.
I have had experience in retail & customer service roles, which led to my most recent role as a disability employment consultant. From there grew a passion toward the allied health sector, and wanted to continue to make a difference to support clients, their families and clinicians alike.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
I love to spend quality time with my partner, friends & family. I enjoy travelling, good coffee, sleeping in and curling up next to the fire with a good Netflix series!
Warm weather, live music & fresh linen!
Bad traffic, disorganisation & snakes!
Physiotherapist
Karla is an experienced physiotherapist that started working at connect in September 2022. She enjoys making sure that people can function as pain free and to the best of their abilities through exercises and hands on physio.
Karla has been a physio for 10 years mainly working with the adult population. Karla has worked with range of different ages from footy players to those in aged care facilities. She has done working in rehab to ensure elderly are able to remain in their homes after injury or illness. Her passion is to ensure that everyone from a little child to and older adult is able to function to their full potential and be as Independent as possible.Karla is improving her paediatric skills and taking courses in physio with children with autism to help best support their core strength and engagement physical activities.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
In her time away from work Karla spends time with her partner, 3 kids and 2 dogs.
Dogs and crime shows
Reality tv and birds
Speech pathologist
Annie worked as an allied health assistant at the end of 2021 before she started as a speech pathologist in January of 2022 before transitioning to Connect Allied Health in May of 2025. Annie has worked with children aged 18 months to 21 years old in the office, school, and community settings. She has supported clients with their speech, receptive and expressive language, social communication, early language skills, and alternative forms of communication.
Annie is highly invested in building relationships with her clients and fostering a safe space for her clients to be themselves and achieve success through being their authentic self and builds sessions around their interests and what they engage with most! Annie’s interests are in speech sound difficulties, early language skills, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Annie takes a client-centered approach to therapy with a focus on neurodiversity affirming practice and building functional lifelong skills in collaboration with everyone important to the client.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Annie loves spending time with her husband and two cats. She enjoys watching movies, reading books, and spending time in the kitchen experimenting with a new recipe.
Music, trying a new craft, travelling to new places, and going for walks at sunset.
Summer - especially overheating and mushrooms.
Senior Speech Pathologist
Declan commenced at Connect Allied Healthas a Speech Pathology Allied Health Assistant in 2023 before becoming a fully qualified Speech Pathologist in 2024 after the completion of his Bachelor of Speech Pathology.
Declan is passionate about helping people unlock their full potential through communication, and particularly enjoys working with children. Declan has had experience working in clinics, schools, and hospitals, and has over 3 years’ experience working with children aged between 4 and 13 as an OSHC Educator. Declan implements a person-centred approach and enjoys learning about the things his clients are passionate about so that he can tailor therapy sessions to their interests.During his time at university, Declan had experience providing quality speech, language, fluency, voice, and dysphagia (swallowing) intervention to a diverse range of clients across his four placements. He also has previous experience working with clients on the NDIS.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Declan loves spending time with his partner and going to the cinema tosee the latest movies. He also enjoys late night gym sessions with friends, cooking healthy meals, and listening to music with piano. In summer, Declan likes taking his dog to the beach where they can swim together and share a snack.
Sport, science, helping others, anything with sugar
Hay fever, when someone is baking something good then adds sultanas
Clinical Lead Psychologist
Jonathan is a General Registered Psychologist registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (AHPRA), and he holds memberships with both the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc (AAPi). Jonathan commenced with Connect Allied Health as Clinical Lead Psychology in 2024.
Dedicated to fostering strong working relationships within therapy, Jonathan thrives on collaborative efforts to realize client objectives and aspirations. Central to his ethos is a commitment to personal growth, guiding individuals to overcome obstacles and unlock their potential. Embracing a person-centered philosophy, Jonathan customises each session to address his clients’ unique requirements, drawing from a diverse array of therapeutic frameworks including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-based interventions. With a keen interest in psychological assessment, Jonathan specialises in diagnosing conditions such as ADHD, Autism, and Specific Learning Disorders. He also conducts comprehensive cognitive assessments to ascertain full-scale IQ, educational attainment, and learning styles, as well as executive functioning.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Jonathan’s professional journey encompasses diverse roles, ranging from baking and piloting large-scale drones to personal training and working within the NDIS sector, catering to clients with varied needs. These experiences enable him to connect with individuals of all ages and backgrounds, fostering a nurturing, non-judgmental atmosphere conducive to growth and healing. Beyond his professional pursuits, Jonathan finds joy in watching Formula One, washing his cars, hitting the gym, and cherishing quality time with his loved ones and pets.
Motorsports, drone flying and building, washing my cars, spending time with my family and pets, playing video games and gardening.
Getting stuck in traffic and really hot days
Clinical Manager - Senior Occupational Therapist
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Tara has a young border collie puppy, Luna, who keeps her on her toes! She is a country girl at heart and because of that she loves the outdoors and being down at the river. Tara loves her sport and plays netball and volleyball.
Tara is very excited to be a part of the Connect Allied Health team!
Dogs, coffee and the River
SPIDERS!
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Mishka joined the Connect Allied Health team halfway through 2023- working as a positive behaviour support practitioner. She has degrees in social work and behavioural science and is passionate about improving people’s quality of life.
Mishka has over 6.5 years’ experience working with children and people with disability. She loves working with children and supporting people with trauma and developmental delays. She has extensive experience with autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, complex trauma, and various mental health diagnoses. She is passionate about increasing people’s sense of belonging and connection with the community. She likes coming up with creative solutions and helping people meet their goals.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Mishka enjoys spending time with family and friends, going for walks and curling up with a good book. She likes trying new activities, visiting friends’ interstate and exploring the art gallery.
Good food and coffee, dogs and sleeping in
Spiders, being cold and bad drivers
Senior Finance and Governance Officer
Katie has worked in the finance field for 15+ years and loves learning the in’s and out’s of a business.
Katie is now also working within the governance area for CAH and enjoys keeping this up to date.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Katie enjoys spending time with her husband (Matthew) and her 3 beautiful children (Noah, Jackson and Wyatt)
When she is not at work, she is home with her boys who keep her very busy.
Days at home with the family, spending time in the vegie garden with the kids.
Cold / wet weather and spiders.
Developmental Educator
PBS Practitioner
Oscar Schiblhutis a Developmental Educator at CAH, starting in 2024. He’s dedicated to helping people of all ages develop essential life skills, fostering their independence, and improving their quality of life.
Oscar’s journey in the healthcare field began as a support worker and mentor for a company in the Adelaide Hills, where he worked for 5 years while pursuing his studies at university. With 5 years of support worker experience, Oscar is committed to mentoring individuals and empowering them to reach their full potential. He’s known for his patient and empathetic approach, creating personalized strategies for skill development.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Oscar’s interests outside of work:
Fishing: Oscar finds serenity by the water's edge while pursuing his passion for fishing. Family time: He values quality moments spent with his loved ones.Camping: Oscar enjoys camping adventures in nature, which provide him with a sense of connection and relaxation.His sausage dogs, Squish and Bentley: Oscar's cherished companions keep him active with their playful antics and accompany him on leisurely walks.
Capsicum: Oscar's one dislike is capsicum.
Mishka Social worker / PBS practitioner
Mishka joined the Connect Allied Health team halfway through 2023-working as a positive behaviour support practitioner. She has degrees in social work and behavioural science and is passionate about improving people’s quality of life.
Mishka has over 6.5 years’ experience working with children and people with disability.She loves working with children and supporting people with trauma and developmental delays. She has extensive experience with autism, intellectual disability, ADHD, complex trauma, and various mental health diagnoses. She is passionate about increasing people’s sense of belonging and connection with the community. She likes coming up with creative solutions and helping people meet their goals.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Mishka enjoys spending time with family and friends, going for walks and curling up with a good book. She likes trying new activities, visiting friends’ interstate and exploring the art gallery.
Good food and coffee, dogs and sleeping in
Spiders, being cold and bad drivers
Finance Manager
Debbie joined Connect Allied Health in April 2019 and heads up the Finance department, she brings 30 + years’ experience working within the health industry in a financial role doing end to end accounting including payroll.
Debbie is passionate about working in the health service industry where in the background she can help to support the team by assisting to build a strong financial company.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of the Office Debbie enjoys going to church where she volunteers as the treasurer, she also enjoys reading, walking her dog, and spending time with her family.
Walking, reading, red wine
Spiders and people leaving trolleys in car parks
TC Team Leader
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Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
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Developmental Educator & Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Maria joined the CAH team in 2023 as a Developmental Educator and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner. She loves working and supporting people with diverse backgrounds to meet their needs and achieve their goals.
Maria has prior experience working in a variety of settings with a diverse range of people in various roles such as a support worker/mentor, therapy assistant and student support officer in education settings. She commenced working as a Developmental Educator and Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner in 2021 where she has supported young people and adults to develop social skills, transition/engage in the community, support with activities of daily living, transport training, emotional regulation, basic communication development and support the reduction of behaviours of concerns. Maria has a passion for supporting people to achieve their goals in a person-centred, fun, and creative way that is also motivating to the person and their needs!
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Maria loves spending quality time with friends and family, spending time at the beach and enjoying the outdoors!
Travelling and a good coffee
Heights and early morning starts
Speech Pathologist
Jurida is a multilingual certified practicing speech pathologist and joined our clinic in 2022. She has experience working in a variety of settings and a variety of range of practise areas, including speech, language, Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC), literacy, fluency, social skills, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and paediatric dysphagia.
Juri holds a fundamental belief that the ability to communicate with others and everyday participation in functional activities is an essential right. She uses evidence -based practice, and is passionate about supporting people across the lifespan to improve their communication and everyday participation in functional activities.
Juri is committed to providing holistic and individualised care through a client -centred approach, and enjoys connecting with clients and their families forming positive relationships, for an enhanced contribution to their development through therapy sessions.
Juri is dedicated to ongoing professional development, and has a strong interest in adult dysphagia.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Juri loves to spend time with her family, loves animals, enjoys travelling, art and spending time outdoors.
Animals and being outdoors in the nature
Animal cruelty and single use plastics
Speech Pathologist
Madi joined Connect Allied Health in 2026 with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology from the University of South Australia. Madi has experience in a variety of contexts and enjoys working with clients of all ages with communication and swallowing needs.
Madi grew up in the Riverland and has always loved living and working rurally and she enjoys the diverse client load that this brings. Madi has experience in private practice, health, aged care, and education settings and is passionate about using client interests to build meaningful relationships with her clients. Madi enjoys working with children with language and literacy needs in the school environment and working with key stakeholders for the benefit of her clients.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work you will find Madi spending quality time with family, friends and her border collie, Pippa, and skiing down the river.
Coffee dates with friends, pilates, spending time with family
Feeling rushed or unorganised, rainy weather.
Speech Pathologist
Kasey joined Connect Allied Health in January 2023 as a New Graduate Speech Pathologist following the completion of her Bachelor Degree in Speech Pathology in 2022. Kasey is passionate about working with clients of all ages to support them in reaching their goals.
Kasey has experience working with children for 5 years as a disability support worker and an OSHC educator. Throughout these roles Kasey developed her skills and knowledge of working with and supporting children and their families to reach their goals.
During her final year of study, Kasey completed an honours project looking into the role of speech pathologists in frailty, expanding her knowledge of the adult population as well as the research world.
Kasey travelled to Port Pirie and Mount Gambier during her University studies to complete clinical placements, gaining rich experience while working in the rural setting.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Outside of work Kasey loves to run, travel, and go camping. She also enjoys spending time with family and friends, and visiting new coffee shops and brunch spots.
Sunsets and shopping
Bad traffic and cold weather
Occupational Therapist
Outside of work
Janae enjoys getting out in nature and spending time with loved ones
Beach, gym, animals
Public speaking
Developmental Educator
Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner
Tania commenced as a Developmental Educator in July 2022, and is passionate about working in a role where she can support people with disability to build capacity and independence and to achieve their goals.
Tania brings a wide variety of different experiences to her role as Developmental Educator, previously having worked for 25 years as a nurse and 18 months as a Support Coordinator. She also has lived experienced. As a nurse she worked with a wide variety of people including individuals with dementia and difficult behaviours. Support Coordination has shown her the intricacies of the NDIS funding model and how to get the best supports for your funding. Having personal lived experience brings with it the knowledge of how disability can affect a household and the support lived experience can bring to the therapy process.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Tania loves to crochet, go exploring with family and relaxing with a good book.
Animals, the beach, and long lunches with friends
Brussel sprouts, traffic, and running late
Clinical Mentor – Speech Pathologist
Louisa began working as a Speech Pathologist in 2021 and believes that every individual has a right to communicate and express themselves. Louisa has worked with people across the lifespan in a wide range of clinical areas.
Louisa has the most experience working with children with autism spectrum disorder, supporting their speech and language development, literacy, social communication, play skills and functional communication. She has additional training in early intervention, developmental language disorders and assessment and intervention for children with autism. In addition to working across a broad scope with children, Louisa has experience working with adults who have had strokes, intellectual disabilities, and voice disorders. For all her clients aged 0-99, she enjoys working collaboratively with them, their family and support network to create functional goals that will have the biggest difference to their lives.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Louisa is adventurous and enjoys travelling and new experiences. She is learning to surf, loves swimming and spending time outdoors with her family and friends.
Summer, Harry Potter, finding cafes with the best coffee
Winter, running, pineapple on pizza
Podiatrist
Rosie Haddad graduated from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Podiatry degree with first class Honours in 2005. She is a fully qualified Podiatrist that has worked in various Podiatry settings between South Australia, NSW and Victoria including Private Practices, Community health centres, multi-disciplinary allied health practices, Public Hospitals, outreach clinics and Residential Aged Care Facilities for the past 16 years.
Rosie is a friendly and passionate Podiatrist with extensive experience across all areas of Podiatry. Rosie’s experiences include assessment and management of patients with Diabetes and chronic disease, Paediatric assessments, Sports related injury management, Orthotic therapy, Dry Needling of the lower limb, heel pain management, Ingrown toenail treatment, and General nail and skin care of the feet. She provides home visit treatments to clients with experiencing working with NDIS funded clientele.
Rosie strives to make a difference in her patient’s everyday life. She looks forward to helping her patients achieve their goal whether it is reducing foot pain, improving the way the foot functions, foot injury prevention and generally making your feet more comfortable.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Spending time with family and friends, taking my dog Dotti for walks, watching true crime documentaries on netflix and hope to travel more around Australia especially back to Melbourne to see my nieces and nephew.
Autumn weather, all types of chocolate, sleep ins on a Sunday
Early morning starts, impatient drivers, being unorganised
Clinical Manager - Senior Occupational Therapist
Trent is an experienced occupational therapist and joined CAH in February 2022. Trent is one of our Clinical Managers and is based in the Riverland. Trent spends his time supporting other clinicians and working with people all across the lifespan with a special interest in Complex Home Modifications, Assistive Technology, and helping people develop their skills and independent in activities of daily living.
Trent is a country man at heart and has lived / worked rurally his whole life. Trent startedworking as an OT in 2018 and has since had positions in both private and government roles working in Paediatrics, Acute Inpatients, Community Over 65s, Hand Therapy, and Rehabilitation.
Connect Allied Health describe him as:
Outside of work
Outside of work you will typically find Trent at the river or out camping with friends and family. Anything outdoors suits him!
summer, footy, fishing, water sports, time with family
winter, traffic
Clinical Manager - Senior Speech Pathologist
Jessica commenced as a speech pathologist earlier in 2020 and is passionate about supporting people across the lifespan to improve their communication skills and everyday participation.
Outside of work
Jessica loves animals, spending time outdoors, and living sustainably.
Dogs and the beach
Rain and single use plastics
Clinical Manager
Senior Speech Pathologist
Emily joined CAH in 2021 and is a clinical manager and senior speech pathologist.
Emily brings a wealth of experience working with children as a speech pathologist to CAH. Her work to date has focused on helping children with a diverse range of speech, language, social communication and literacy needs.
She completed a Bachelor of Music at Adelaide University, followed by a Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Flinders University, including a study abroad program at the University of Reading, UK.
Emily prides herself on providing neurodiversity affirming approaches for her neurodiverse clients as well as providing families with honest and clear communication. Emily delivers therapy in a kind and gentle manner to connect with children and their families. She loves being a part of the therapy journey with her clients and watching them reach their goals.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Emily is a mum to two busy school aged children and enjoys being active outdoors.
Bush waking with friends and family.
Traffic and cold weather!
General Manager
Senior Speech Pathologist
Sarah graduated with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology in 2016. Sarah started her carer working in a paediatric private practice and then joined the Connect Allied Health team in May 2019 to expand her skillset and work with clients across the lifespan.
In addition to Sarah’s clinical role at Connect Allied Health, she works closely with Director, Sarah Tilley, and the management team to implement Connect Allied Health’s mission and vision of providing a timely, holistic and person-centred approach that is dedicated to excellence in quality, service, access and support. Sarah is dedicated to supporting the team and thoroughly enjoys seeing clinicians achieve their goals.
Sarah enjoys supporting clients of all ages across different settings including kindergartens, schools, in the community and in their home. Sarah fosters a person-centred approach to therapy and works collaboratively with families and carers to create individualised programs that align with their values and goals.
Sarah has gained diverse experience through working with clients of different age ranges and with different needs and visions and is especially passionate about supporting children with complex communication needs. Sarah is also passionate about learning more about Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and identifying tools to support communication.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Sarah enjoys spending quality time with friends, family and her Cavoodle, Ollie.
Summer, tea and camping
Winter, running late and feeling unorganised
General Manager – Clinical (Regional & PBS)
Senior Occupational Therapist
PBS Practitioner (Advanced/Specialist)
Kara joined the CAH team in 2019 and has been a key part of the expansion of services into the Riverland and into Positive Behaviour Support. As well as her clinical work, Kara’s role as General Manager – Clinical (Regional & PBS) means she supports the team with their complex situations to support participants and families to improve their quality of life. Kara has also supported local allied health students in the Riverland as part of contributing to the growth of the regional workforce.
Kara’s experience ranges across the ages, from small children through to the elderly in both government and private sectors. She is passionate about supporting children and young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder to maximise their independence and reach their full potential. Kara loves the vast nature of OT, with no two days being the same. This includes helping young people navigate their big emotions, supporting teenagers to increase their independence by making their own lunch for school, and supporting access to meaningful activities in the daily lives of those with behaviours of concern to help to reduce and eliminate their occurrence.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Kara enjoys being outdoors, whether this is on the river or at the beach, in the garden or sitting around a campfire with friends. She can’t start her day with a coffee (or 2!).
Skiing on the river and listening to the rain on the roof
Mashed potatoes and doing the dishes
Director
Principal Speech Pathologist
Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostician
PBS Practitioner (Advanced/Specialist)
Sarah is the founder of Connect Allied Health and has around 15 years’ experience as a speech pathologist, working with both paediatric and adult clients across a range of settings including homes, schools, hospitals, early learning centres, residential aged care facilities, clinic, and rural/remote locations
Sarah has extensive experience in dysphagia management (swallowing impairment), rehabilitation relating to speech, language and swallow function, and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) following a range of medical conditions including cerebrovascular accident (stroke), traumatic brain injury, cognitive impairment, neurological conditions, and more.
Sarah is also experienced and passionate about working with children, supporting the development of speech and language, social communication, feeding skills, and more, to help children reach their full potential.
Sarah completes dual Autism diagnostic assessments for both paediatric and adult clients alongside psychologists and is an experienced positive behaviour practitioner. Sarah has also completed the Graduate Certificate in Positive Behaviour Support at Flinders University and supports children and adults who display behaviours of concern to improve quality of life.
Sarah believes in a holistic and client-centred approach, where interventions are tailored to suit individual needs. Sarah enjoys supporting new graduate and early career speech pathologists, positive behaviour support practitioners, and allied health clinicians to further develop their clinical skills and seeing them achieve their professional goals.
Sarah is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist, and current member of both Speech Pathology Australia and Behaviour Support Practitioners Australia.
Connect Allied Health describe her as:
Outside of work
Beach days, adventures, and good coffee
Sarah enjoys spending time with her two beautiful children (Arlo and Isla) and her husband, Shannon. She also enjoys wake boarding, water skiing, and surfing, and has a love of traveling and experiencing new cultures.
Traffic, washing, and mess
