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Developmental education for children

Connect Allied Health

developmental education for children

Developmental Education For Children

Our Developmental Educators are members of Developmental Educators Australia Incorporated (DEAI). For more resources, visit our Useful Links page.

How We Support Developmental Education For Children

  • Promote the physical and emotional well-being of children with disabilities.
  • Undertake developmental and functional behavioural assessments.
  • Develop and implement positive behaviour supports.
  • Teach functional life skills including social, communication, self-care, daily living, etc.
  • Work and liaise with families, service providers, allied health professionals, and other key stakeholders to enhance the choice, social inclusion and quality of life for children with disability.
  • Supporting children to access meaningful activities and develop meaningful relationships.
  • Support families, caregivers and key stakeholders to understand the impact of disability on a person’s daily functioning.

For more information or to make a booking, please feel free to contact us on 08 8337 8770.

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Contact

Contact our friendly team on
(08) 8337 8770
initial discussion

Initial discussion

Discuss preferred supports, services and funding options
Commence on-board process

Commence on-board process

Conduct assessments, plan supports, and finalize agreements.
Determine clinical team

Determine clinical team

Participant paired with appropriate clinician/s based on individual needs and goals
Set goals

Set goals

Discuss goals with clinician
Schedule

Schedule

Appointments coordinated and confirmed

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Our Services for Children

Access your preferred allied health services in the community, in one of our clinics in Norwood, Modbury or Berri, or via Telehealth. We tailor visits to suit your individual needs and goals.

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Kayla

Developmental Educator & 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.

About Chantal

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:

Professional, compassionate, and creative

Outside of work

Kayla loves spending time with her family and friends, enjoys trying new restaurants and travelling to new places.

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Cooking, reading and the summertime.

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Traffic, running late and mess.

sam

Sam

Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner

Sam is recent PBS graduate with a psychology and counselling/crisis support background.

About Sam

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:

Professional, diligent, and supportive

Outside of work

Outside of the office Sam likes going to the gym, relaxing at home or hanging out with friends.

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Gym, music, sports

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Cold weather, watching my teams lose

chantal

Chantal

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.

About Chantal

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:

Conscientious, resourceful, and empathetic

Outside of work

Chantal enjoys arts and crafts, reading, and movies.

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She also enjoys swimming at the beach, camping, and exploring.

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laura

Laura

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.

About Laura

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:

Professional, motivated, and compassionate

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.

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Her dog, walks at the beach, daylight savings, and country music.

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Cold and wet weather, traffic and running late.

jaclyn

Jaclyn

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.

About Jaclyn:

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:

Flexible, diligent, and calm

Outside of work

Amy enjoys reading, cooking, and taking her dog (Millie) to the beach.

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Being on the river and exploring new places. 

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Pineapple on pizza & coriander 

Amy

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.

About Jen:

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:

Professional, empathetic, and kind-hearted

Outside of work

Amy enjoys reading, cooking, and taking her dog (Millie) to the beach.

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Warm weather, reading, spending time with family

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Cold weather, feeling rushed

mia

Mia

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.

About Ella Liddy:

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:

Creative, empathetic, and resourceful

Outside of work

Mia enjoys camping, seeing live music, and making art. She loves travel and eating new kinds of foods.

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Camping, Music, Painting, Coffee

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Littering, Marzipan, Not being able to find a hair-tie!

Joyce

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.

About Jen:
Joyce has gained diverse experience as a recent graduate, working with individuals across brain injury rehabilitation, community health, paediatrics, and aged care. Her roles have involved conducting assessments and programs to support clients’ wellbeing and independence in various settings. 

Connect Allied Health describe her as:

Adaptable, organised, and bubbly

Outside of work

Outside of work Joyce enjoys multiple of activities, including basketball, dodgeball, swimming, crocheting, playing piano and guitar, and drawing.

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Travelling and my cat (Aura)

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Very hot weather and capsicum

ellie

Ellie

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).

About Jen:

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:

Professional, creative, and approachable

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.

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Reading, Taylor Swift and camping

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Snakes, peas and balloons

ella liddy

Ella Liddy

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.

About Ella Liddy:

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:

Creative, efficient, and kind

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!!

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live music, tea, the beach

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crabs, olives, traffic

jen t

Jen T

Paediatric Occupational Therapist

Jen is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist who joined the Connect Allied Health team in March 2024. Jen has always loved working with children, which drove her to specialise in paediatrics.
About Jen:
Prior to obtaining her Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy, Jen has also attained a Certificate III in Children’s Services back in 2014. She is committed to making a difference in the lives of others and loves seeing the growth in children. Jen is dedicated in providing assistance, not only to the child, but also to their families/caregivers, to ensure that they have the best support available to assist in the child’s development and wellbeing. Jen is passionate about providing a service where the children feel safe and comfortable enough to be themselves in sessions. She loves being a part of the journey and supporting the children in achieving their goals because anything is possible!

Connect Allied Health describe her as:

Professional, resourceful, and empathetic

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.

 

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Coffee, dogs, and staying at home.

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Very cold and very hot weather.

kayla

Kayla

Kayla joined Connect Allied Health in 2024, after graduating from The University of South Australia with a Master of Occupational Therapy. Kayla is passionate about working with clients across the lifespan to reach their goals.
About Kayla:

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:

Innovative, efficient, and fun

Outside of work

Kayla enjoys spending time with friends, going for walks, and cooking.

 

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Chocolate, animals, reading.

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Cold weather.

jen p

Jen P

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.

About Jen:

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: 

 

  • positive play skills (turn taking, winning/losing, initiating play)
  • supporting communication using a range of strategies (non speaking, visual aids)
  • developing emotional awareness, and supporting emotional and coregulation strategies
  • positive strategies to support big behaviours
  • transition and routine related goals
  • supporting self advocacy, and supporting choice and control 
  • supporting with cognitive development and flexible thinking
  • parental education and wider team training on these areas 

 

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:

Resourceful, thoughtful, and fun

Outside of work

Outside of work, Jen loves going on adventures with her family.

 

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Rain, coffee and spending time with my family.

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Being stuck in traffic

mary

Mary

Occupational Therapist

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.

About Mary:

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:

Dynamic, innovative, and creative

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.

 

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Good food and good coffee.

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Traffic and mess (which is now a daily reality with an 18 month old).

chelsea

Chelsea

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.

About Chelsea:

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:

Friendly, patient, and compassionate

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.

 

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Enjoying the company of family and friends with great food

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Balloons, sitting still and disorganisation.

Daniela

Speech Pathologist

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.

About Daniela

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:

Proactive, diligent, and personable

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.

 

 

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Iced latte’s, pasta and going for runs 

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Slow drivers, Spiders and Disorganisation

Tara

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.

About Tara:

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:

Kind, Cheerful and Enthusiastic

Outside of work

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Dogs, coffee and the River

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SPIDERS!

daniel

Daniel

Occupational therapist

Daniel commenced as an Occupational Therapist in 2024 and has a deep passion for supporting clients across the lifespan to increase their independence and improve their daily lives.
About Daniel:

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:

Dynamic, organised, and calm

Outside of work

Outside of work Daniel loves to spend time with family, go to church, write songs and read books.

 

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Playing piano, singing & drinking coffee

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Traffic, losing board games

brooklyn

Brooklyn

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.  

About Brooklyn:

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:

Diverse, adaptable, and fun

Outside of work

Outside of work Brooklyn loves to spend time with her dogs and family, travel, and participate in her favourite sport, Calisthenics.  

 

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Her dogs, pool days, shopping, and reading

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Broccoli, windy weather, and room temperature drinks.

elise

Elise

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.

About Elise

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:

Professional, reliable, and understanding

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!

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Warm weather, live music & fresh linen!

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Bad traffic, disorganisation & snakes!

Karla

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.

About Karla

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:

Passionate, supportive, and easy-going

Outside of work

In her time away from work Karla spends time with her partner, 3 kids and 2 dogs.

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Dogs and crime shows

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Reality tv and birds

annie

Annie

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.

About Georgina:

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:

Diligent, organised, and thoughtful

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.

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Music, trying a new craft, travelling to new places, and going for walks at sunset.

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Summer - especially overheating and mushrooms.

declan

Declan

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.

About Declan:

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:

Motivated, diligent, and calm

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.

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Sport, science, helping others, anything with sugar

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Hay fever, when someone is baking something good then adds sultanas

jonathan

Jonathan

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.

About Jonathan:

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:

Compassionate, professional, calm and kind

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.

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Motorsports, drone flying and building, washing my cars, spending time with my family and pets, playing video games and gardening.

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Getting stuck in traffic and really hot days

tara

Tara

Clinical Manager - Senior 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.
About Tara
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!

Connect Allied Health describe her as:

Kind, Cheerful and Enthusiastic

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!

 

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Dogs, coffee and the River

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SPIDERS!

Mishka

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.

About Mishka:

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:

Positive, professional, approachable

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.

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Good food and coffee, dogs and sleeping in

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Spiders, being cold and bad drivers

Katie

Katie

Therapy Coordinator

Katie joined the CAH team as a Finance Officer early in 2021 and is passionate about helping participants get the most out of their NDIS plans. She enjoys working in an industry designed to help others.
About Katie:

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:

Efficient, meticulous, and resourceful

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.

 

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Days at home with the family, spending time in the vegie garden with the kids.

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Cold / wet weather and spiders.

Oscar

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.

About Oscar:

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:

Determined, innovative, and kind

Outside of work

Oscar’s interests outside of work:

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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.

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Capsicum: Oscar's one dislike is capsicum.

Mishka

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.

About Mishka

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:

Friendly, determined, and calm

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.

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Good food and coffee, dogs and sleeping in

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Spiders, being cold and bad drivers

Debbie

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.

About Debbie:

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:

Organised, diligent, and kindhearted

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.

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Walking, reading, red wine

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Spiders and people leaving trolleys in car parks

Sabina

TC Team Leader

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About Sabina:

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Connect Allied Health describe her as:

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Outside of work

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maria

Maria

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.

About Maria:

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:

Positive, professional, approachable

Outside of work

Maria loves spending quality time with friends and family, spending time at the beach and enjoying the outdoors!

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Travelling and a good coffee

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Heights and early morning starts

Jurida

Jurida

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.

About Jurida:

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:

Dedicated, diligent, and caring

Outside of work

Outside of work Juri loves to spend time with her family, loves animals, enjoys travelling, art and spending time outdoors.

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Animals and being outdoors in the nature

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Animal cruelty and single use plastics

kaylah

Kaylah

Speech Pathologist

Kaylah commenced as a speech pathologist in February 2021 and worked in a paediatric private practice before making her transition to Connect Allied Health in October 2023. Kaylah has worked with children aged2-16 years in the office, school and community environments to support their speech, receptive and expressive language skills and social communication.

About Kaylah:

Kaylah is passionate about building trusting relationships with her clients and families -particularly helping individuals to share their inner world with the people closest to them to build honest and true relationships with those that matter most. Kaylah’s special interests lie in supporting speech sound delays/disorders, communication differences and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Kaylah believes that everyone has a right to share their voice and sometimes this may look a little different -but it is just as important. Kaylah is a strong advocate for neurodiverse affirming practice and viewing all brains as valid.

Connect Allied Health describe her as:

Dedicated, passionate, and fun

Outside of work

Kaylah loves plants, painting, yoga, singing and cooking but also enjoys picking up her client’s hobbies (e.g., Pokémon, super smash bros) to learn more and connect with others.

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Mindfulness (yoga, artistic expression), sunflowers, making earrings

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Time constraints, overheating, rushing

Kasey

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.

About Kasey:

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:

Driven, passionate, and kind

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.

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Sunsets and shopping

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Bad traffic and cold weather

Janae

Occupational Therapist

Janae is an Occupational Therapist who started working at Connect at the start of 2023. She is passionate about providing holistic care and working alongside clients to promote their purpose, wellbeing, and engagement in their daily life.
About Janae:
Janae has worked with clients across the lifespan to support their ability to engage in what is meaningful and important to them. Janae values the person-centred approach occupational therapy encompasses and the broad nature of the profession. She is dedicated to optimising a client’s capacity to be at the forefront of their intervention and affirming the different identities, goals, and needs of each person she has the opportunity to work with.

Outside of work

Janae enjoys getting out in nature and spending time with loved ones

 

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Beach, gym, animals

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Public speaking

tania

Tania

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.

About Tania:

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:

Dedicated, enthusiastic, and driven

Outside of work

Tania loves to crochet, go exploring with family and relaxing with a good book.

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Animals, the beach, and long lunches with friends

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Brussel sprouts, traffic, and running late

Louisa

Louisa

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.

About Louisa:

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:

Professional, innovative, and kind

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.

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Summer, Harry Potter, finding cafes with the best coffee

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Winter, running, pineapple on pizza

rosie

Rosie

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. 

About Rosie:

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:

Professional, cheerful, and positive

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.

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Autumn weather, all types of chocolate, sleep ins on a Sunday

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Early morning starts, impatient drivers, being unorganised

trent

Trent

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.

About Trent:

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:

Dynamic, driven, and chilled

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!

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summer, footy, fishing, water sports, time with family

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winter, traffic

Jess

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.

About Jess:
Jessica has worked with people of all ages to support their expressive and receptive language skills, articulation of speech sounds, social thinking, and literacy skills, and is thoughtful and creative in supporting clients to effectively communicate their wants, needs, thoughts, and feelings.
Jessica is dedicated to supporting clients and their network to develop skills and knowledge to engage, participate, and thrive, to maximise therapy outcomes and achieve their full potential!
Jessica upholds a person-centred approach and carefully considers the individual needs of her clients to make activities fun and motivating!
 

Outside of work

Jessica loves animals, spending time outdoors, and living sustainably.

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Dogs and the beach

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Rain and single use plastics

emily

Emily

Clinical Manager
Senior Speech Pathologist

Emily joined CAH in 2021 and is a clinical manager and senior speech pathologist.

About Emily:

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:

Professional, supportive, and calm

Outside of work

Emily is a mum to two busy school aged children and enjoys being active outdoors.

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Bush waking with friends and family.

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Traffic and cold weather!

sarah h

Sarah H

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.

About Sarah

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:

Leader, dynamic, problem solver, compassionate

Outside of work

Sarah enjoys spending quality time with friends, family and her Cavoodle, Ollie.

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Summer, tea and camping

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Winter, running late and feeling unorganised

kara

Kara

General Manager – Clinical (Regional & PBS)

Senior Occupational Therapist
Specialist Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner

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.  

About Kara:

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:

Leader, dynamic, and calm

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!).  

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Skiing on the river and listening to the rain on the roof

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Mashed potatoes and doing the dishes

sarah tilley

Sarah

Director

Principal Speech Pathologist
Autism Spectrum Disorder Diagnostician
Specialist Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner

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

About Sarah:

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:

Hard working, dedicated, creative and kind

Outside of work

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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.

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Traffic, washing, and mess