Speak Out June 2019

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24 – 27 May Darwin Convention Centre

Introducing the 2020 Conference Planning Committee

Convenor Dr Brenda (Bea) Staley

Amanda O’Keefe Amanda has worked as a speech pathologist for 20 years, the majority of this work being in rural or remote communities in Australia and the UK. She currently works at Royal Darwin Hospital as the Manager of Speech Pathology and Audiology. Whilst much of the role is spent undertaking service development and staff support activities, she

Bea is a lecturer in Special Needs and Inclusive Education in the College of Education at Charles Darwin University. Bea’s teaching and research interests relate to language development, literacy, diversity and difference. Bea uses qualitative methodologies to explore the nuanced realities of children, their families

continues to deliver some speech pathology clinical services. Amanda co-ordinates the RDH allied health specialist post-acute telehealth clinic. The clinic enables access to services for remote patients who have been discharged from hospital with specialist allied health needs. Amanda is currently the Speech Pathology Australia representative on the National Rural Health Alliance Council. Edwina Pursehouse (BSpPath(Hons) Edwina works on a multi-disciplinary team in

and their interactions with school and health systems. Bea has worked as a paediatric SLP in Kenya, the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, the United States and Australia. Scientific program chair Rebecca Amery

Rebecca is a proud Territorian and doctoral student at Charles Darwin University, exploring the communication difficulties of Yolŋu living with Machado Joseph Disease. Her research has involved collaborative development of bilingual AAC aids in Yolŋu and English. Rebecca has presented her research findings at national and international conferences, including a keynote

the non-government sector in Darwin. She enjoys the challenge of managing an urban paediatric and mixed remote caseload. Her clinical interests are AAC, dysphagia diets, parent-child interactions and positive behaviour support. Edwina likes the disability and non-for-profit sector because she has lots of scope to be

presentation at the SARRAH Conference in 2018. Rebecca graduated with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology from the University of Newcastle in 2011. Rebecca has worked as a speech pathologist in paediatric, adolescent and adult disability in Melbourne, Darwin and Indonesia. She has a passionate interest in communication access, intercultural communication and AAC. Franceska (Fran) Edis

creative and provide community-based services and is excited to be a part of the planning for the 2020 Conference and to welcome speech pathologists to vibrant Darwin. Edwina loves swimming, camping and all the activities that the Northern Territory has to offer.

Melissa (Melba) Ridd Melba is originally from Coffs Harbour, NSW and has been in Darwin for over seven years. Melba works as a speech pathologist in a multi-disciplinary, paediatric, government setting in Darwin. The work includes early childhood intervention, disability and education populations. Melba is particularly interested in parent coaching, clinical education, and working with EAL, DLD and

Fran has lived in the Top End since 1993 (after moving north for a three months locum!). She attended the first Darwin SPA conference the first week she arrived, was on the conference planning committee for the next Darwin conference in 2011 and is pleased to participate again in the 2020 CPC. Fran has worked in private practice for 12 years and previously worked across a variety of settings: rehabilitation, disability,

disordered phonology populations in early childhood. Melba has been on the SPA NT Branch executive committee since 2012 and was the SPA NT Branch Chair from 2015 to 2016. Being raised in Coffs Harbour, Melba has a passion for bananas and loves to include them in some way in every client session!

aged care, early intervention, school-aged, and remote services. She also enjoys clinical education and being involved with the NT SPA Branch and the NT Health Provider’s Alliance. Fran has post- graduate qualifications in applied linguistics from Charles Darwin University and Autism Diagnosis from the University of Western Australia.

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June 2019 www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au

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