Speak Out August 2019 Digital Edition

Branch News New members into SA Branch Executive

South Australia

After a difficult start to 2019 it’s very exciting that the SA Branch Executive have welcomed a number of new members. The team are getting active, with planning underway for Speech Pathology Week and other events. We invite South Australian members to attend future Branch Executive meetings; it’s a great way to meet speech pathologists from various areas of practice, to hear about the wonderful work being done across the state, to keep up-to-date with events, and contribute your own ideas to strengthen and promote our profession. After an extended vacancy, Melanie Barrie has been appointed to the position of Branch eNews editor. Melanie is looking forward to working with members of the Branch Executive as well as the wider membership community to deliver quality, engaging content. Melanie completed her Master of Speech Pathology last year after studying a Bachelor of Journalism (with minors in Communication and Public Relations). She works for the Department of Education, and is keen to build her skillset in supporting students with communication difficulties to engage with learning as well as working alongside teachers and pre/school leaders, sharing experience and expertise. With two school-aged children of her own, Melanie believes strongly in a holistic and child-centred approach to paediatric practice. Members are invited to share their good news and success stories, new resources, interesting articles and events for distribution through eNews or Speak Out . Melanie can be contacted via sabranch@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au . Along with our new eNews editor, the Professional Learning Working Group also welcomed two new members, Cassie Lee and Jolie Thomas. Coming to the group with quite varying experiences, they join continuing members Barbara Lyndon (leader), Airlie Smith (CPD Coordinator), Sarah Clifton and Jodie Rawson to plan and deliver targeted, local professional development opportunities for members. Cassie is a new graduate speech pathologist who recently commenced a position with Disability Services working in Berri in regional South Australia. She is passionate about working with the adult population in dysphagia and communication management. Being an avid learner of languages, Cassie is particularly interested in providing accessible and equitable services to culturally and/or linguistically diverse populations. She looks forward to bringing professional development opportunities to SA members. Jolie has worked either as a speech pathologist or alongside speech pathologists as an allied health manager/project officer for the past 25 years after graduating from Flinders University. Currently, she is working as the Advanced Clinical Lead for Country Health SA where she loves travelling across our beautiful state to support the clinical work of the fabulous speech pathologists working in country health. Jolie is returning to the working group after being an active member for a number of years in the late 1990s! She has a strong interest in ensuring the provision of diverse professional development across sectors with a particular focus on rural and remote needs. Jolie has a personal commitment in international development projects, holding a Masters in Health and International Development, and currently works in an advisory role with a development organisation working with children with disabilities in Tanzania. At the May Branch Executive meeting, two new student representatives also joined the team. Clare Mcdonald-Stuart and Phoebe Lehmann. Clare and Phoebe are third year Bachelor of Speech Pathology students and are new Association representatives at Flinders University. Both describe their role as facilitating discussion and ongoing communication between clinicians within the field and the future generation of speech pathologists to ensure continual development of the profession. As students, they are passionate about encouraging a closer relationship between experienced speech pathologists and are inspired by the community support and guidance for those new to the profession. Upon completion of her studies, Clare hopes to work with adults who have complex communication needs, while Phoebe would like to work supporting children and adults with complex communication needs to use Augmentative and Alternative Communication. The Branch has a vacancy for an Early Career Representative and we invite members in the first three years of their speech pathology career to consider joining us in this role. We hope to see some new faces at the next Branch meeting! For details please contact us at sabranch@ speechpathologyaustralia.org.au.

SA 731 members as at June 2019

Pheobe Lehmann

Melanie Barrie

Jolie Thomas

Clare McDonald Stuart

Cassie Lee

45

August 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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