Speak Up

In this week’s episode, we speak with Anna Pannuzzo from WorkPlacePLUS about preparing for the unexpected, and using risk management to enable business continuity. Anna speaks about the process of making contingency plans for situations such as natural disasters, sudden illness, and data breaches. Resources: WorkPlacePLUS: https://www.workplaceplus.com.au/ Contact WorkPlacePLUS: https://www.workpl...

In this week’s episode, we bring you a recording live from SPA’s 2025 conference, in Tarntanya | Adelaide. Dr Fiona Kerr, who was the plenary presenter the morning of this recording, and speech pathologist Ishwari Samarakoon, speak about using AI and technology to support connection and communication. They speak about resources, and ways to ensure when using AI to support speech pathology services...

In this week’s episode we speak with Jane and Kelly from the Advisor team about the frequently asked questions that they are hearing from SPA members about the recent NDIS changes. Kelly and Jane speak about the resources that members have found helpful, including information about pricing, ceasing services, and the heavy toll that speech pathologists are feeling. The episode ends with some reflec...

In this live episode from the 2025 SPA Conference in Tarntanya | Adelaide, we speak with Helen Smith, who the day before became Speech Pathology Australia’s newest Life member. Resources: If you would like to hear Helen speak more about ethics, she contributed to the Code of Ethics: Support for everyday practice https://learninghub.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/topclass/topclass.do?expand-Offeri...

In this week’s episode, we recognise Pride month as SPA’s Jess Kaplonyi (she/her), speaks with Chris Hunt (she/her) and Dr Louisa Smith (she/her) from LGBTIQ+ Health Australia’s Silver Rainbow program. They discuss the experiences and support needs of LGBTIQ+ individuals living with dementia and who engage with palliative care and Aged Care. Resources:  LGBTIQ+ Health Australia – Silver Rainbow re...

In this week’s episode, the Scientific Chair of the 2025 conference, Dr Jacqueline McKechnie offers her reflections on the episode ethical AI in speech pathology, a conversation with Professor Emma Power, from UTS. Emma speaks about the opportunities and considerations that using Generative AI can provide and the ethical considerations that we need to be thinking about. Resources: The Conversation...

In this week’s episode, Dr Debbie Pu from the 2025 Conference Planning Advisory Committee offers her reflections on the episode UN Sustainable Development Goals. Professor Sharynne McLeod and Professor Julie Marshall about a special issue of the International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology focusing on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals from 2023. They discuss insight from spee...

In this week's episode, we speak with Anna Pannuzzo, from WorkPlace PLUS, about creating policies to uphold everyone’s psychosocial safety at work. Anna speaks about how planning ahead can help to ensure that if something challenging and unexpected does happen, there is a prepared plan. Anna speaks about policies and processes for psychosocial hazards, raising concerns in your workplace and how to...

In this week’s episode, we speak with Associate Professor Jade Cartwright. Jade is delivering the Elizabeth Usher Memorial Lecture at the 2025 SPA conference in Tarntanya | Adelaide on Sunday June 15th, 2025. Jade discusses the inspiration behind her plenary address, and reflects on the learnings we can achieve when we work to co-design with the people we support. Resources: Register for the SPA 2...

In this week’s episode, Dr Tristan Nickless explores ethical challenges and considerations that speech pathologists face when working with funding models like the NDIS and Medicare. He discusses ways practitioners can be ethical stewards of public funds in supporting equitable access, managing time requirements, aligning funded supports with evidence, developing public trust, and a range of other...

In this week’s episode, Professor Betty Yu of San Francisco State University provides a brief overview of the workshop on conversational analysis that she will co-present with Dr Vishnu Nair at the SPA Conference 2025. In this unscripted conversation she reflects on the nature of neurodiversity-affirming practice, whose experiences and communication are centred in society, and the role that speech...

In this week’s episode, Leigh Andrews from Change Communication in the UK and Lauren Gibbs from Launch Housing in Victoria, speak with Mary Woodward, SPA’s Senior Advisor, Justice. Leigh and Lauren tell Mary about the benefit speech pathologists can bring when supporting people who are experiencing homelessness, and some of the resources that support their work. Lauren and Leigh speak about differ...

In this bonus episode, we are celebrating the Speak Up podcast having been listened to one million times! Thank you to everyone who listens, every guest who has so generously shared learnings with us, guest interviewers who approach their role with curiosity and everyone else who supports the podcast in visible and invisible ways. Nathan and Nadia, from the podcast team reflect on this milestone,...

In this week’s episode Dr Vishnu Nair lays groundwork for his keynote address at the SPA Conference on a Critical and Decolonial Vision for Speech and Language Therapy. He discusses communication as an embodied experience for - and the knowledge of - people who live with disability, critically examining historical and current power dynamics in the profession, essentialism and its impact on practic...

In this week’s episode, Dr Mindy Sotiri, who is the Executive Director of the Justice Reform Initiative speaks with Mary Woodward, SPA’s senior advisor for justice. Mindy and Mary discuss the work that the Justice Reform Initiative do, some of the changes they are advocating for, and what role speech pathologists play when working in this space. Resources: Justice Reform Initiative: https://www.ju...

In this week’s episode, we speak with Dr Abby Foster and Suzanne Mungall, speech pathologists, about Earth Day, coming up on 22 April. Suzanne and Abby share their experiences about speech pathology and climate change, and why they feel the urgent need for health professionals to address the impacts of climate change on health and service delivery. Claire Esterman, from the Speak Up Podcast Refere...

In this week’s episode, we speak with SPA’s CEO, Lyn Brodie, and General Manager for Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations, Dr Jennifer O’Connor, about the upcoming federal election and speech pathology. They discuss “wins” from the federal budget, critical “asks” during the election and how these are determined, and ways that stakeholders can advocate during the campaign period. Resources: Ho...

In this week’s episode, we recognise the inaugural International Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA) Awareness Day 2025 coming up this Friday on 4 April 2025. Kym, Speech Pathology Australia’s Senior Advisor- Aged Care, speaks with Scott Cooper a dementia advocate living with PPA, and his speech pathologist Dr Penelope Monroe from FRONTIER's PPA Communication Project, at University of Sydney. Scott...

In this week’s episode, Ishwari Samarakoon and Nisrine El-Choueifati speak about the role that professional support can play in managing challenging interactions and the stress that this can cause us to feel. Nisrine and Ish discuss wellbeing, values-based decision making, and the things they have learned when providing supervision following a breach of the Code of Ethics. Resources: Contact Ish:...

In this week’s episode to mark Neurodiversity Celebration Week, we speak with Catherine Lee from the Neurodiverse Safe Work Initiative, an organisation with a focus on creating an environment for neurodivergent workers to thrive. Catherine speaks about the role speech pathologists can play in supporting someone to advocate for their needs at school and work, how and when to disclose and how employ...

In this week’s episode SPA’s Jessica Kaplonyi speaks with Tracy Lazenby-Paterson from the National Health Service and Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists in the UK, and Dr Arlene McCurtin from the University of Limerick in Ireland, about research into thickened fluids and people living with dysphagia. They discuss misconceptions about thickened liquids as an intervention, unintended cons...

In this week’s episode we hear from Mary and Fiona from the Professional Recognition Team about the new program to enable speech pathologists to return to practice. Mary and Fiona speak about the new program having self-directed learning goals, and condensing the program to be completed in less time, so speech pathologists can safely and effectively return to practice. Resources: Re-entry membersh...

In this week’s episode Dr Darin Woolpert and Dr Michael Cannizzaro discuss what Generative AI is (and is not) effective at when analysing language samples, and the importance of practitioner knowledge and critical thinking when using AI. Resources: A full list of resources / references for this podcast is available via the SPA Learning Hub. ChatGPT LSA Spanish poster: https://asha2024-asha.iposter...

In this week’s episode, SPA’s Policy, Advocacy and Government Relations Team speak about the work they have been doing. Then we receive an update about changes in the NDIS that have occurred since 3 October 2024, including things to keep in mind when using the new AT pathway for replacement supports. Resources: Contact the Policy, Advocacy, and Government Relations team: policy@speechpathologyaust...

In this week’s episode the podcast production team, Nathan Cornish-Raley, Renae Hobson and Nadia Marussinszky, give a peek behind the curtain on the Speak Up podcast and what listeners can expect for Season 7. Nadia also chats to SPA’s new CEO, Lyn Brodie, about her vision for the Association and the profession. Resources: SPA Strategic Plan 2023-2025: https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/P...