Meet the team
Professor Bronwyn Hemsley
Project LeadProfessor Bronwyn Hemsley is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and Head of Speech Pathology at the University of Technology Sydney. She led the research underpinning this training and the collaborative co-design process with partner organisations, health professionals, and people with disability. She is a past NHMRC Postdoctoral Researcher (2009-2012) and DECRA Fellow in the Australian Research Council (2014-2017), and since 2018 has been the founding Head of Discipline of Speech Pathology at UTS.
Courtney Reddacliff
Project ManagerCourtney Reddacliff is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist with extensive experience in the private practice sector. Courtney established a private speech pathology practice in 2015, supporting clients with communication difficulties as the Principal Speech Pathologist and Business Manager. Courtney is also an Associate Lecturer at the University of Technology Sydney. She is currently providing clinical education to students enrolled in the Masters of Speech Pathology program. Courtney has worked as the Project Manager for the development of the Mealtime Assistance training program for individuals with disability and dysphagia and those who support them. She has also contributed to research in the field of 3D Food Printing for people with dysphagia.
Xanthe Lawson
Studio 3 LearningXanthe is the Managing Director of Studio 3 Learning, a learning design company that provides end-to-end support for education and training projects. Xanthe has over 30 years’ experience working in the education sector and has Diploma of Education and Master of Arts majoring in eLearning. In previous projects she has collaborated with subject matter experts and organisations to develop education and training programs in public health, medicine, science, micro-financing, event-based surveillance, prostate cancer specialist nursing, and modern slavery to name a few. Xanthe manages a team of creative and skilled individuals who support the production of a wide variety of learning materials such as animations, illustrations, videos, and interactive learning packages.
Emeritus Professor Susan Balandin
Adjunct Professor at UTS and Emeritus Professor at Deakin, Professor Susan Balandin is a speech pathologist by background with clinical and research interests in inclusion, Augmentative and Alternative Communication and dysphagia, with a particular focus on adults with lifelong disability and little or no functional speech. A fellow of Speech Pathology Australia and The international Society of Augmentative and Alternative Communication, she holds honorary and adjunct professorial positions in Australia, Norway and Finland and has collaborated with the Indian Institute of Cerebral Palsy in Kolkata for many years.
Professor Simon Darcy
Simon Darcy is a Professor at the UTS Business School, University of Technology Sydney. He specialises in developing inclusive organisational approaches for diversity groups and understanding the social impact of organisations and individuals. Simon has a long history of involvement in advocacy and volunteer boards. He was a member of the Disability Council of NSW (2011-2015), which is the ministerial advisory to the New South Wales Government’s Department of Family and Community Services. Simon is an environmental planner, strategic access facilitator and disability awareness trainer, and was past Vice President of the Association of Consultants in Access Australia. He has ongoing involvement in accessible public transport provision, disability employment and tourism initiatives. He is currently working on a number of projects relating to the National Disability Insurance Scheme, National Disability Strategy, disability citizenship and person centred approaches. He has been recognised for his contribution to the disability community through being an Australia day Ambassador, an Ambassador for Don’t Dis My Ability campaign and finalist in the national Aspire Awards. Simon has a high level complete spinal cord injury and is a power wheelchair user. He passionately believes in the rights of all people to fully participate in community life including hospitality and dining out.
Deborah Debono
Deborah Debono is a Senior Lecturer in the Centre for Health Services Management in the School of Public Health, Faculty of Health, UTS. Deborah specialises in evaluating the influence of context, culture, technology, education and social and professional relationships on health professionals’ implementation of policies and programs. She uses behaviour change theory and implementation science approaches to improve the implementation of quality and safety initiatives. Deborah’s research and teaching engage with the healthcare sector and practitioners to support translation of evidence into practice to improve outcomes and experiences of consumers and health service providers.
Fiona Given
Fiona is a Research Associate at the University of Technology Sydney. She has an Arts/Law degree from Macquarie University. She is a General Member of the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. She sits on the boards of Assistive Technology Australia and Side by Side Advocacy.
Fiona lives with cerebral palsy including communication and swallowing disabilities. She was a Research Assistant on the Safe and Enjoyable Mealtimes project. Fiona drew upon her lived experience to help develop the course and ensure that it is relevant and accessible to both support workers and people with disability.
Jack Kelly
Jack Kelly has worked in the disability research and advocacy space for the past six years Jack started his career at the Centre for disability studies as a research and Administration assistant for one day a week. Jack has worked on such projects as photo tales, the two of us project all under the guidance of the Centre for disability studies. Jack has also worked on such previous UTS projects as my home, my community. Jack currently holds a job as project worker for the Council for intellectual disability working on such areas as co-facilitating workshops, testing easy read material. Jack has also presented at conferences local and internationally as well.
Dr Katherine Benfer
Dr Kath Benfer is a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow with the Queensland Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Research Centre, The University of Queensland, Australia. Her Post-Doctoral work focuses on early detection/ screening and interventions for infants and children with cerebral palsy, in both Australia and low-income countries; as well as oropharyngeal dysphagia in children with cerebral palsy. Dr Benfer’s recent work has focused on developing and validating a parent screening tool for children with CP, the Feeding and Nutrition Screening Tool, in collaboration with Nutricia; as well as a longitudinal follow-up of functional mealtime outcomes for children with cerebral palsy from 18 months to 10 years (PREDICT Trial). Dr Benfer’s PhD explored oropharyngeal dysphagia, gross motor function, growth and nutrition in preschool children with cerebral palsy, in both Australia and Bangladesh; and this work has been widely presented and published.
Kath has completed her PhD in Paediatrics and Child Health through The University of Queensland (Australia); her Masters of Public Health (international health and research) at La Trobe University (Australia); and Bachelor of Speech Pathology at The University of Queensland (Australia). Dr Benfer has over a decade of experience as a speech pathologist within paediatric disability, with community-based child and family support services, as well as experience working as a personal carer for adults with CP.
Loretta Reiken
Loretta is a passionate chef with over 35 years’ experience combining restaurants, hotels, aged care and hospitality management in Queensland and New South Wales. Loretta works in her own consulting business ‘Dignity in Dining’ and is strongly committed to sharing her skills and knowledge. My passion was ignited when my grandmother was diagnosed with dysphagia in the mid 1990’s. I had already been working in aged care for many years, however dealing with this first hand taught me a great deal as I realised the vast horizons yet to be explored for food for dysphagia. It was then I began my journey while being mentored by a speech pathologist. There were numerous incidents of trial and error and with each disappointment it made me more determined to keep pushing on experimenting until I got the desired results.
As a result, food is offered in a way that encourages people to experience attractive meals that look like real food to enhance their appetite and promote ‘normality’ to their dining experience. While working for Bolton Clark as chef manager in 2018, I created the 3 culturally diverse dishes for the 6th Eldercare Asia Pacific awards held in Singapore, the team was awarded the winner of ‘Innovation of the Year for food’ Texture Modified. Oscar Hospitality- Winner Innovation Food, Winner Chef Manager of the year and runner up for Facility Catering Service of the year 2018. Only new to working in aged care I was awarded the Young Australian Day award 1980’s for my caring attitude in my work with residents in aged care.
Corinne Cox
Corinne Cox is the owner of Evolve Nutrition and Health Solutions. She is an Advanced Accredited Practising Dietitian with over 20 years of dietetic experience. She has extensive specialist knowledge and experience as a food service dietitian as well as a special interest in the areas of nutrition and mealtime management for persons living with a disability and/or with swallowing difficulties as well as nutrition in aged care. She provides dietetic consultancy services to Residential Aged Care Facilities, Meals on Wheels NSW, plus a range of other meal service providers, is NDIS Registered and also sees clients privately in person (or via telehealth).
Corinne has extensive experience as a trainer and presenter, and has been involved in establishing and delivering many and varied training programs aimed at dietitians, food service staff, managers and the general public throughout her career. She has also contributed to a number of landmark strategic dietetic resources for NSW Health.
In her spare time Corinne enjoys spending time with her husband and 3 children, walking the dog, practising yoga, and curling up with a cup of tea and a good book!
Virginia Briand
Virginia Briand has been an occupational therapist for 30 years. Throughout her career she has worked in Australia and the UK and has worked for both NSW Health and the former NSW Family and Community Services, Ageing Disability and Home Care where she was Senior Practitioner for the Hunter New England Region before creating Essential Occupational Therapy in 2016. Virginia is passionate about empowering people with a disability to live their best lives, doing what they want to do and achieving their goals. In her role as an occupational therapist Virginia works closely with speech pathologists and dietitians to support children and adults with complex and multiple disabilities to engage in mealtimes safely and as independently as possible.
With special thanks to
Co-Creation Advisory Panel
Virginia Briand, Occupational Therapist
Corinne Cox, APD Dietitian, Evolve Nutrition and Health Solutions
Loretta Reiken, Chef, Dignity in Dining
Sarah Jones, Occupational Therapy Australia
Dr Sayne Dalton, APD, Dietitians Australia
Amy Fitzpatrick, Nichola Harris, Gail Mulcair, Speech Pathology Australia
Jemima McDonald, Council for Intellectual Disability
Liz Collier, VALID
Marylouise Freeman, Minda
Robyn Chapman, Assistive Technology Australia
Dr Seeta Durvasula, Developmental Physician
Prof Alison Lane, Occupational Therapy, La Trobe University
Shaun McCarthy, Director of the Legal Centre, The University of Newcastle
Danielle Notara and Dr Rachel Carling, Aruma (for NSW Pilot)
Emily Wailes, The Benevolent Society (for NSW Pilot)
Victoria Pilot Partners (funded by the Dept of Families Faireness and Housing)
Suzie Roberts, Steve Cooper at Possability (for Victorian Pilot)
Christina Melrose, Melba Support Services (for Victorian pilot)
Fiona Schreuder, Aruma (for Victorian pilot)
Renee Robson, Life Without Barriers (for Victorian pilot)
Tamsin Gallie, Scope (for Victorian pilot) Home @ Scope
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