Speak Out August 2019 Digital Edition

Association news

Professor Kirrie Ballard Professor Kirrie Ballard first qualified as a speech-language pathologist at the University of Queensland in 1983 and spent the first ten years of her career in paediatrics. When she moved to the United States, Kirrie was required to repeat her clinical training, completing a Masters in Speech Language Pathology in 1994 at the prestigious Northwestern University. Kirrie stayed on to complete her PhD in 1997, investigating the efficacy of linguistically grounded intervention

During her time on the Northern Territory Branch Executive, Erin has contributed in a number of roles including Branch Speak Out and e-News Editor, Book of the Year Judge, Branch Continuing Professional Development Portfolio Coordinator, Branch Vice President and most recently Branch Chair. While undertaking her role as Branch Chair with energy and a high level of professionalism, Erin also provides mentoring support to eight members recently appointed to the Branch Executive. In 2019 alone, Erin has coordinated a highly successful advocacy planning workshop and member engagement event. Erin serves as an exemplary representative of the Association, bringing energy, creativity and intelligence to her various roles.

for syntactic deficits in Broca’s aphasia after stroke. Kirrie was then awarded a NIH funded post doctoral fellowship at the University of Iowa, where she began to study treatment of acquired apraxia of speech after stroke and shifted her attention to learning about speech motor control and principles of motor learning. Kirrie has been well funded for her research through funding agencies in Australia, America and Qatar. In 2012 she was awarded a prestigious four year ARC Future Fellowship to focus exclusively on her research into speech motor control and disorders, working with Professor Frank Guenther at Boston University. Kirrie has in excess of 95 peer reviewed journal articles, well over 100 conference presentations, and in the past five years has been invited to give seven keynote lectures. Kirrie was elected as only the second Australian to serve as Program Chair for the International Conference on Motor Speech, the leading conference in the field. Kirrie’s unwavering commitment to instilling a passion for life long learning is evident in both her clinical and research teaching. Kirrie has taught at a University level for 19 years, including serving six years as Course Coordinator for the Graduate Entry Masters program at the University of Sydney and three years as Head of Discipline. She is currently primary supervisor for five PhD students, two research masters and two honours students and auxiliary supervisor for a further five higher degree students. Kirrie has been an editor of IJSLP for the past six years, introducing a number of innovations to grow the quality of submissions and published works and expanding the editorial team to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of scholarly publishing. Kirrie is well-regarded for her mentorship of both the editorial team and junior researchers.

Jenny Moody Jenny Moody is a long-standing member of Speech Pathology Australia, having joined soon after graduating. Commencing work as a speech pathologist in the Education Department of South Australia in 1980, Jenny has progressed into senior roles and currently holds the role of Channel Manager, influencing policy development and implementation at the highest levels of the department. Jenny has had extensive and consistent involvement in the

activities of the Association at both a Branch and National level. Jenny commenced on the South Australian Branch, volunteering within the Practice, Workplace and Government Portfolio, before becoming the South Australian Branch Portfolio Leader. In 2009 Jenny was appointed to the Board of Directors as National Councillor, holding joint responsibility for the Practice, Workplace and Government Portfolio, before being elected in 2011 to the office bearing role of Vice President Operations. Jenny undertook these roles with her high level of commitment, always dealing with issues in a timely manner and supporting less experienced Councillors as a leader and mentor, whilst also maintaining her links with the State Branch. Following her retirement from the Board of Directors, Jenny continued to have an active role within the Branch, again leading the Practice, Workplace and Government Portfolio. While Jenny stepped down from this role in 2018, she continues to be involved with this group, consistently attending Branch meetings, and contributing to publications, including Speak Out and e-News. Jenny has been an exemplary member of the profession and the Association. She continues to work collaboratively with staff and members of the Association, as well as external stakeholders, particularly in the field of Education and its links with Health, Disability and private practice. Jenny works across metropolitan and country regions and has a great understanding of issues relevant to both. Jenny continues to work hard to represent and advocate for the needs of the Association, its members and clients. Fellowship Fellowship of Speech Pathology Australia is one of the highest public professional honours the Association awards to a member demonstrating outstanding, significant and sustained contribution to the speech pathology profession. In 2019 the Association is proud to bestow Fellowship on four very worthy members.

Dr R Elisabeth Harrison Dr R Elisabeth (Lis) Harrison has made a substantial, varied and sustained contribution to speech pathology in Australia since entering the profession in 1986. As one of the creators of the Lidcombe program treatment for early childhood stuttering, Lis has been a leading figure in the development of its evidence-base, and in facilitating the program’s use in speech pathology

clinical practice worldwide. Lis was awarded a PhD in 2003 for a project exploring the components of the Lidcombe program that mediate treatment effects.

Alongside her sustained work on the Lidcombe program, Lis has generated new knowledge about the measurement of stuttering, the interaction between phonological development, phonological disorders, stuttering and responsiveness to treatment, the relationships between personality, mental health conditions and stuttering and the neuroanatomical and neurophysiological bases of stuttering.

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August 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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