The Training Team

Lou is an Occupational Therapist with more than 30 years’ experience working with children with disabilities. She has worked alongside researchers and other professionals in the field to create the Best Practice in Early Childhood Intervention (ECI) course and coordinates the Key Worker Online Course™. Lou regularly presents at sector conferences in Australia and is passionate about pursuing the best outcomes for families of all children including those with a disability. + Show more - Show less

Brooke is an experienced Speech Pathologist who has been working with children and families for over 26 years. Brooke joined Noah’s Ark in 2002 and has held a variety of roles including Key Worker, Team Leader and Training Facilitator. Currently Brooke works as a Practice Coach, supporting other professionals to reflect on their practice, develop new skills and work in partnership more effectively with children and caregivers. Brooke strongly believes that all families have strengths and the ability to support their child’s learning and development. She is passionate about coaching professionals to recognise and build on family strengths, to ensure they are providing help in ways that build caregiver capacity. Brooke is a Master Trainer for the Make the Connection programs, an Authorised Routines-Based Interview coach and a qualified Family Partnerships Model facilitator. + Show more - Show less

Stephen brings 20 years of experience as a Speech Pathologist, working across diverse roles including as a Key Worker, Team Leader, Practice Coach and Training Facilitator. He has consistently demonstrated his enthusiasm for sharing his knowledge with children, families, educators, and therapists.

Since joining Noah’s Ark in 2011, Stephen has championed delivering quality services to children with disabilities and their families. He emphasises the importance of using authentic assessment, collaborative goal setting, and routines-based approaches. In 2014, Stephen became one of Australia's first RBI Certified Trainers after attending the Routines-Based Interview (RBI) Certification Institute with Dr Robin McWilliam. He has a strong track record of leading effective teams and supporting professionals to implement practices that promote high-quality outcomes for children and families, promoting their inclusion and participation in meaningful life activities. + Show more - Show less

Leanne has a Masters in Special Education and more than 20 years’ experience as a secondary school teacher. As a Parent Presenter for Noah's Ark Training, Leanne shares her personal experience of running a busy family and provides insight into early intervention services and how it helped she and her family. + Show more - Show less

Jane trained as an Occupational Therapist after recognising that supporting people to dream, grow and achieve could be a meaningful career. She is passionate about working alongside children with disabilities, their families and communities to create positive and lasting change.  Jane joined Noah’s Ark in 2007, drawn by the strong alignment between the organisation’s values and her own. Over the years, she has seen first‑hand the life‑changing impact of high‑quality support, initially as a Key Worker, and later across 14 years as Team Leader of regional Victorian and NSW teams.  In her role as Quality & Innovation Manager, Jane brings together her extensive on‑the‑ground experience and best‑practice evidence to support high‑quality service delivery across the organisation. She is committed to ensuring that children, families and staff are supported to achieve the best possible outcomes, and that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential.  + Show more - Show less

Kylie has 30 years' experience as a Psychologist. She has worked in hospital and community settings in a range of roles supporting children and their families. Since joining Noah’s Ark in 2006, she has worked in a variety of roles including Key Worker, Team Leader and Practice Coach. Kylie is a strong advocate for child agency and understands that children of all ages and communication styles have the right and the capacity to make choices and decisions about things that are important to them. Kylie holds a Master of Psychology (Clinical) degree from the University of Newcastle and a Post Graduate Diploma in Mental Health Sciences (Parent and Infant Mental Health) from the University of Melbourne. + Show more - Show less

Cait trained as an Occupational Therapist at Monash University and enjoyed her paediatrics and rural health placements. After finishing her degree Cait started working in a small rural hospital in Warracknabeal, Victoria where she developed her skills working across aged care, acute hospital and community health settings. While working at the hospital she developed a keen interest for her paediatric clients and moved across to Noah’s Ark in the rural town of Horsham. Since then Cait has worked as a Key Worker and Occupational Therapist across a number of Noah’s Ark teams around Victoria and is now the Team Leader for Noah’s Ark Wimmera Grampians team. She co-presented the Best Practice in ECI course for ECIA in 2019.

Cait’s professional interests include working with children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, trauma and attachment difficulties, and advocacy for inclusive services and support especially in rural areas. Cait is passionate about working with children with a disability and their families and ensuring the best outcomes for her clients, and all families in the Wimmera Grampians region. + Show more - Show less

Stephanie is approaching 10 years of experience as a Speech Pathologist in regional Victoria. She has worked in a variety of different settings including school, hospital and community environments, supporting children and their families, of all ages. 

Since joining Noah’s Ark in 2020, Steph has held a range of positions including Key Worker and Discipline Specific Mentor. Steph has a passion for all things communication and finds immense purpose in supporting children to have a voice –in any way, shape or form!  Steph holds a Bachelor of Health Science and Master of Speech Pathology from La Trobe University.   + Show more - Show less

Julie joined the Noah's Ark team in 2013, working as both an ECI Professional and Inclusion Support Facilitator.

With her degree in Early Childhood Special Education, she has worked as a teacher in a vast array of settings, including kindergartens, child care centres, preschools, and primary schools across the globe.

Her teaching experiences over the past 15 years have driven her passion for the inclusion of people with disability in education settings and communities. She loves supporting families and educators to help achieve the best outcomes for all children through collaboration and embedding learning opportunities in everyday routines. + Show more - Show less