Speech Pathology Australia Annual Report 2023

The report will guide our workforce strategy and our advocacy efforts for the speech pathology profession. Building a safe, engaged, and connected professional community has been a cornerstone of our efforts. Despite the challenges posed after the pandemic, we remained committed to fostering a sense of belonging and collaboration among our members. The redevelopment and launch of our new website, Member Portal and Member Learning Hub were important milestones in 2023 and a result of investment in these areas to improve the experience of members and consumers. The Communication Hub, developed in partnership with AGOSCI and consumers with lived experience, carers and communication partners, was also launched following the completion of 3 year ILC grant funded project. Our annual conference, held in Lutriwita/Hobart, brought together speech pathologists from across the country to connect, share knowledge and insights, and learn. Thank you to the Association’s Professional Development Team, our volunteer Conference Planning Committee, presenters, exhibitors and attendees who made this conference a resounding success. In April, after 18 years of exemplary service, Gail Mulcair stepped down as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Speech Pathology Australia. We express our deepest gratitude for her leadership and commitment to the organisation and to our profession. In her time as CEO, Gail guided the Association through significant growth and change with our membership growing to over 14,000. In recognition of her achievements to the Association and the profession, Gail was awarded Life Membership at the 2023 Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Awards Ceremony. My first year as National President has been an honour and a privilege. I introduced our incoming CEO Jodie Long to members at our National Conference and then officially welcomed Jodie in July. Jodie and I have had the opportunity to visit Branches across Australia to hear about local achievements, initiatives and challenges, as well as celebrate members and our profession. I very much valued the time spent meeting with our Branches, members and students, and connecting with the speech pathology community. Thank you to our Branch Chairs and all our members who volunteer their time on Branch Committees or working groups. Our Branches continue to provide excellent opportunities for connecting our profession and building a strong speech pathology community. I want to acknowledge and thank the Board of Directors for their time, skills and expertise. I am very fortunate to work with a committed and inspired group of leaders who generously give their time. I also extend my deepest gratitude to Tim Kittel for his dedicated service to our organisation as National President for 4 years. His leadership was instrumental in steering us through various challenges during his tenure as President. I extend my thanks to Erin Coonan and Inma Beaumont who finished their terms on the Board of Directors at the AGM. We welcomed Fiona Eastley to the Board in May bringing her experience as Branch Chair in New South Wales and her speech pathology knowledge across a range of sectors. We also welcomed external directors David Lawrence and

Keona Wilson to the Board of Directors in August. This marked the first time we have filled both external director positions, bringing their expertise and knowledge in governance and strategy, lived experience and diverse perspectives to our Board. In 2023, we laid the groundwork for achieving our strategic goals, laying a solid foundation for future growth and impact. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our exceptional employees at National Office. I want to take this opportunity to thank all our employees for their commitment to their roles and the Association, and for their achievements and hard work across the year. I want to express my sincere gratitude to our dedicated members, who volunteer their time and their expertise in so many ways. We would not be where we are today without our strong volunteer community, who alongside National Office, have seen our Association go from strength to strength. Their staunch commitment to our vision and purpose has been the driving force behind our progress. Our profession continues to grow, as do the challenges we face including growing demands for services, current funding models, regulation and workforce supply. As we look ahead to the coming year, we do so with optimism and determination. And I am confident that with our collective efforts and commitment, we will continue to make a meaningful difference to our members and to people with communication and swallowing support needs. We remain steadfast in our commitment to promote excellence in speech pathology practice, advocate for our members, and advance the field through research, innovation and collaboration. Thank you for your continued support and trust in the Board and the Association. I am proud of our profession and remain committed to supporting people with communication and swallowing needs to access speech pathology services that are timely, equitable and evidence based. It is with great pleasure that I present to you the Speech Pathology Australia Annual Report for 2023.

2023 Annual Report | Speech Pathology Australia 7