Specialist Positive Behaviour Support focused on improving quality of life through tailored, people-first support.

Aoife has over 15 years’ experience in the support of people with disabilities and their families. She is passionate about the human rights aspect of supporting those without a voice to have it heard. Aoife moved to Australia in 2010 having worked as a teacher and then an educational psychologist.

She worked with Scope Australia and the University of Melbourne to deliver training in PBS to over 300 behaviour support practitioners. She was also part of a team who worked with Swinburne University to develop virtual reality training in PBS for support workers. Born in Ireland, she is passionate in her support of the Irish rugby union team. She is a mother to three young children and enjoys exploring Victoria and beyond in her family’s camper trailer. She is an avid reader and lover of music.

Nick is a psychologist with more than 25 years’ experience supporting people with disabilities, their families, and their communities in which they live. Respecting the person and their lived experience is what he sees as important. Nick is a practitioner and researcher with a special interest in intellectual disability mental health.

He is a writer of several research papers, chapters, and books, contributes to professional networks, and presents at national and international conferences. He is passionate about supporting the practice of other practitioners through mentoring and supervision and the organisational and workforce development of PBS. Nick loves cooking, all things music, and a stroll through his hometown city of Melbourne.

Mark works closely with individuals to bring the PBS ingredients of evidence, values, and teamwork to support someone with behaviours of concern. He believes the voice of every individual needs to be heard and listened to and that voice should guide all supports. Mark has over twenty years’ experience working with people with intellectual disabilities.

Mark is a registered psychologist who has co-authored peer reviewed journal papers, practice guidelines and resources, and presented at conferences nationally and internationally in the areas of mental health and disability. On some weekends Mark is also known to play guitar in some of Melbourne’s local bands.

Andrea has over 20 years’ experience working with people with disabilities and their teams. She moved to Australia in 2003 having previously practiced in the UK providing support to people with multiple disabilities and complex needs. Andrea is committed to bringing people together to effect real change and improvement in the quality of life for people with disabilities. Her background in Occupational Therapy brings to the team specialist skills in sensory processing, engagement in meaningful activities and environmental change. Recently, Andrea worked with Scope Australia and the University of Melbourne to deliver positive behaviour support training to over 300 practitioners. Home life is busy with two young adults to keep up with. She enjoys exploring nature, walking her dog and gardening.

Susan is an Occupational Therapist and Behaviour Support Practitioner. She has an interest in sensory processing and how people can be involved in their own sensory assessments. Susan works with the individual and their wider teams to help them understand the importance of connection and the sense of safety. She applies the principles of Polyvagal Theory and interpersonal neurobiology within the Positive Behaviour Support framework. Susan trained in Oxford. She is a consultant with BILD UK and accredited to run the BILD Coaches program to develop practice leaders for organisational PBS. Susan lives in the Grampians and enjoys reading, being in nature and yoga. These sustain her and give her the energy to continue exploring new ideas and perspectives to help everyone live the life they choose.

Alex has over 20 years’ experience supporting organisations, disability professionals and people with disability to grow and thrive. With a background in Speech Pathology, she is passionate about all people being heard, understood, and respected. Her approach embodies her deep commitment to empathy, acknowledging people’s inherent dignity and strengths and collaboratively finding creative ways to improve people’s lives. Alex has experience in research, teaching, quality and risk management and governance. She is a consultant for the British Institute of Learning Disabilities (BILD) PBS Coaches Program and was instrumental in designing and delivering one of the first courses for Behaviour Support Practitioners with the University of Melbourne. Her life is enriched by being in nature, teaching mindfulness and meditation, spending time with dogs and making people birthday cakes.

Fatima is a multilingual Psychologist and Behaviour Support Practitioner with over eight years of experience in therapeutic support. She is eager to make a difference in the lives of others and has a special interest in working with culturally and linguistically diverse people. Fatima provides positive behaviour supports focussed on improving the quality life of participants. She also provides focussed psychological supports for which she uses various therapeutic interventions (e.g., Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, Solution-Focused therapy) to address issues surrounding trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and other complex presentations. She extends caring, genuine support to the people she supports through strong therapeutic alliances. She brings positive energy to the workplace, enjoys being social, and loves tending to her indoor plants, which she carefully prunes and nurtures to bring joy to her and others.

Natasha is a Psychologist and Behaviour Support Practitioner with over 16 years of experience supporting people with disabilities and their families across New South Wales and Victoria. She has extensive experience delivering services to both children and adults with psychosocial disabilities and behaviours of concern.

Natasha is deeply committed to enhancing quality of life outcomes, working collaboratively with individuals, families, and support teams to identify meaningful, person-centred strategies that promote wellbeing and long-term positive change. She brings a thoughtful and strengths-based approach to her work, with a strong focus on practical, sustainable supports.

She is also passionate about innovative and engaging approaches to learning. This is reflected in her work with Scope Australia in partnership with Swinburne University, where she contributed to the development of virtual reality training in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) for support workers.

In 2026, Natasha became a Board Approved Psychology Supervisor, further extending her contribution to the profession through the supervision and development of emerging practitioners.

Outside of work, Natasha enjoys exploring new cuisines and recipes, travelling to experience different cultures, and making the most of everything Melbourne has to offer. She is also an avid dog enthusiast.

Giovanni is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with over 30 years of experience working alongside people with disability across Australia, Italy, and Central and South America. He speaks English, Italian, and Spanish, uses Key Word Sign, and has a genuine interest in all forms of communication. Giovanni is passionate about giving people a voice and truly listening. He believes that everyone has something valuable to offer, that learning is possible for everyone when supported by a capable and responsive environment, and that each person deserves the opportunity to live the life they choose. At the heart of Giovanni’s practice is the belief that relationships are central to growth, wellbeing, and meaningful change. He understands that people thrive when they feel safe, seen, and understood, and he places connection at the core of his professional work. He works intentionally to create relational environments where trust, emotional safety, and collaboration support positive outcomes. Giovanni brings a strong ethical and collaborative approach to his work. He places great importance on building trustworthy and meaningful partnerships with individuals, families, and their wider support networks. Giovanni enjoys growing food, cooking, baking, reading, playing and watching tennis, and listening to music.

For more than a decade, Kirsten has supported people with disabilities to achieve their goals. She uses person-centred and strengths-based approaches, with the aim of enhancing quality of life. Kirsten’s background in occupational therapy brings the importance of meaningful activities, capable environments, and capacity building to her behaviour support practice. She values the relationships built with the person and their support networks to enable collaborative approaches to change. Kirsten loves entertaining friends and family at home, taking nature walks with her son, experimenting with décor and caring for her budgies.

Kirsty is a Psychologist and Behaviour Support Practitioner. She loves to work systemically as part of a multi-disciplinary team to support people to live their best lives. She has worked in the UK in the National Health Service as a Clinical Psychologist and Child Psychologist. She has extensive experience conducting comprehensive assessments, formulations and delivering interventions to children, young people and their families in child and adolescent mental health services. Kirsty loves exploring new places, cake, coffee, reading and being outdoors, as well as yoga and swimming.

Caoimhe is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with a commitment to disability advocacy and a holistic outlook to behaviour support. With a background in health psychology, she considers various factors affecting well-being, ensuring interventions not only address behaviours but also enhance overall health. Caoimhe’s passion for health promotion complements her advocacy for people with disabilities, empowering people to thrive and reduce the need for intense behaviour support. She values collaboration, developing personalised approaches with individuals, families, and support networks. Outside work, she enjoys nature through hiking and water sports, reflecting her holistic approach to behaviour support, which integrates various factors to foster positive change and well-being.

Jacinta is a Psychologist and Behaviour Support Practitioner, who has supported neurodivergent people and people with disabilities for over 10 years. Jacinta has worked with individuals across the lifespan in a variety of roles, including early intervention and disability support work. Having worked directly with behaviours that challenge in a disability support capacity, Jacinta brings this experience in the development of behaviour support strategies that are practical, implementable, and enhance the person’s quality of life. Jacinta has a particular interest in working with neurodivergence and approaches her support through a neuroaffirming lens, working with a person’s strengths and differences to achieve positive outcomes. When she is not working, Jacinta enjoys spending time with her son and family, going on outings and visiting the local café’s for Sunday brunch.

Phoebe has a background in Rehabilitation Counselling and has specialised experience supporting people with deafblindness and unique sensory needs. Her strengths are in combining counselling and case management skills with person-centred, values-driven frameworks to assist people in fulfilling their potential, obtaining meaning and purpose, achieving independence and increasing their quality of life. She is passionate about people doing more of whatever they find most meaningful and engaging. For Phoebe, this looks like dancing, weekend getaways to the beach, and enjoying good food with family and friends.

Cate is a speech pathologist and behaviour support practitioner with more than 25 years’ experience supporting people with disabilities and their teams. She has a special interest in supporting people with complex communication needs to communicate for a range of reasons with whomever they wish to, from day-to-day choices to the bigger decisions, to chatting or being together. She also trains communication partners to be attuned and support the person’s understanding and interactions, to form supportive relationships. She values the positive teamwork and connections she forms with people she supports and their support networks, to enable the best quality of life for the person. She is passionate about people with disability having a meaningful, connected and happy life of their choosing, where they feel a sense of belonging, and to be supported in ways that encourage this. She has a strong person- centred and human rights focus. In her spare time, Cate enjoys singing in her local community choir, playing the piano, and sharing the musical experiences Melbourne has to offer with friends. She also loves time at the beach with her family and dog.

Nayanthi is a highly skilled Business Support Manager with more than 15 years of experience in improving operations across diverse business environments. With over a decade in the disability sector, she has gained valuable insight into the unique needs of therapy practices. She excels at combining efficient administrative processes with outstanding customer service, ensuring that both clients and practitioners receive the support they need. Nayanthi’s customer- and practitioner-focussed approach helps create a supportive environment and significantly enhances the overall experience for everyone involved. Nayanthi holds a Bachelor’s degree in Social Sciences and a Graduate Certificate in Business Psychology. Outside of work she loves spending time with family, going for walks, dancing, step aerobics, live theatre, eating chocolate and being a part of a long-standing book club.

Dilhan is a provisional psychologist with a keen passion for supporting individuals with behaviours of concern. He has over three years’ experience as an NDIS support worker. Dilhan has a particular interest in anxiety- related difficulties, including supporting individuals with OCD and phobias. He emphasises a respectful and collaborative approach to ensure a shared decision-making environment. This focus intends to empower individuals to acquire the skills, knowledge and confidence needed to overcome their challenges and to develop a fuller and values-consistent life. In his personal time, Dilhan loves spending time with his two dogs; Zuko and Mavi, perfecting cooking recipes, and enjoying sports.

Vignesh is dedicated to empowering participants by fostering positive opportunities that help them reach their full potential and navigate challenging behaviours effectively, ensuring they achieve meaningful, personal goals. With over four years of experience in coordinating SDA initiatives, Vignesh has collaborated with various stakeholders to advocate for participants needs and secure essential support. Fluent in multiple languages, Vignesh holds a master’s degree in biotechnology and bioinformatics plus other diplomas, with a strong interest in neurological sciences and the connection between neural function, daily habits, and behaviour. A passionate lifelong learner, Vignesh actively engages in training programs to refine the skills needed to become an expert frontline practice leader and a proficient positive Behaviour Support Practitioner. Beyond work, Vignesh enjoys spending quality time with family, gardening, exploring world stock market economics, and pursuing a passion for numismatics.

Anna is a compassionate and dedicated Behaviour Support Practitioner with a deep commitment to advocating for the needs and desires of the individuals she meets. With a background in health psychology her strengths lie within combining evidence-based practices with a holistic approach to care, considering the physiological, psychological and social aspects of peoples’ lives, ensuring improvement in their quality of life across all spheres. She is passionate about making a difference in people’s lives, fostering meaningful connections and working collaboratively in a team environment to create personalised solutions. Outside of her professional life, Anna enjoys staying active and spending time with friends. She thrives in the competitive nature of Irish Gaelic football, enjoying the camaraderie and team spirit. Through both her work and hobbies, she embodies a strong sense of empathy and teamwork and a drive to make the world a more inclusive and supportive place.

Ribeka is a multilingual Counsellor and Behaviour Support Practitioner, fluent in English and Tigrinya. Known for her deeply empathetic and caring nature, she is a strong advocate for her clients’ rights and well-being. Ribeka brings over ten years of experience working with young children, adolescents, and young adults. She takes a holistic approach to her practice, with expertise in behaviour support, family violence recovery, stress and anxiety management, depression, trauma recovery, and low self-esteem. Ribeka values collaboration and works closely with multidisciplinary teams, families, and support networks to deliver comprehensive, person-centred care. In the disability sector, she integrates her counselling knowledge to develop personalised behaviour support plans that aim to reduce behaviours of concern while building skills and supporting overall well-being. Outside of her professional role, Ribeka enjoys catching up over coffee, going on long nature walks, and attending church on Sundays.

Khushboo is a Behaviour Support Practitioner with over five years of experience in the disability sector, supported by a background in social work, counselling, and case management. She has worked with individuals across the lifespan, supporting those with complex behavioural and mental health needs through practical, person-centred strategies. Khushboo values collaboration and takes a calm, compassionate approach to building trust with individuals, families, and teams. She is passionate about creating meaningful change by empowering people to live with greater independence and dignity. Outside of work, Khushboo enjoys spending time with her family, swimming, practising yoga, and connecting with nature.

Finleigh is a highly motivated Behaviour Support Practitioner with a background in early childhood education and a person-centred, holistic approach to behaviour support. She has experience working with diverse client groups and collaborating with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement tailored interventions that promote positive, sustainable outcomes. Currently studying a Master of Psychology, Finleigh is committed to continuously enhancing her therapeutic practice through ongoing education, training, and practical experience. She is passionate about disability advocacy and promoting quality of life, striving to empower individuals to thrive while reducing the need for intensive behaviour support. Finleigh values collaboration and works closely with individuals, families, and support networks to co-design practical, meaningful strategies. Outside of work, she enjoys reading, doing all things art and crafts and going on adventures in nature with friends.

Cameron is a dedicated Behaviour Support Practitioner with a strong foundation in psychology, youth work, and mental health. He brings a wealth of experience from diverse settings, including behaviour support, mental health services, and employee wellbeing programs. Across all roles, Cameron maintains a compassionate, person-centred approach that prioritises dignity, respect, and individual empowerment.

He is deeply committed to helping individuals make meaningful, lasting changes in their lives. Cameron thrives on collaboration and creative problem-solving, developing practical strategies tailored to each person’s strengths and goals. He values a team-based approach and focuses on outcomes that support long-term wellbeing, independence, and resilience.

Outside of work, Cameron enjoys staying active, experimenting in the kitchen, winding down with movies and TV shows, and spending quality time with friends and family.

With nearly two decades of experience supporting people with disabilities, Luke Yeoman brings deep expertise and a genuine passion for helping individuals thrive within their communities. He has a particular interest in working with people with acquired brain injuries and autism and is committed to ensuring that each person’s voice and needs are at the heart of his practice. Luke adopts a positive, person-centred approach, fostering safe, supportive, and collaborative relationships. He excels in working alongside individuals and their broader support networks to uphold their rights and promote meaningful engagement. His practice is grounded in respect, empowerment, and a belief in every person’s potential. Outside of work, Luke enjoys spending time with his partner and children, bushwalking, and exploring creative pursuits.

Gráinne is a behaviour support practitioner with over 5 years’ experience supporting people with disabilities. With a background in psychology, she takes a scientist- practitioner approach, using evidence- based strategies to support wellbeing. She provides support using a person- centred approach, informed by a neuroaffirmative perspective. She has a special interest in youth mental health, informed through her previous role as a research assistant at the University of Melbourne. Outside of work, she enjoys travel, nature, and yoga.

Sanket has a background in psychology and public health, with over 10 years’ experience in disability practice and neuropsychological research. As a behaviour support practitioner, Sanket has worked with people across a range of ages, backgrounds, and disability, bringing an evidence-based approach to his work. Alongside direct practice, Sanket has also held leadership and governance roles within the disability sector, including leading behaviour support teams and serving as a board director. He values PBS as a meaningful way to advance human rights and promote social change for people with disability. Sanket has a particular interest in cultural safety and anti-racist practices. He takes an intersectional approach to his practice, informed by lived experience of being neurodivergent and negatively racialised. His behaviour support practice is anchored in a human rights-based principles, recognising disability as a natural aspect of human diversity. Sanket currently works part-time at Trellis Australia, while also contributing to national human rights and disability policy. In his free time, he enjoys riding his motorbike and reading.

Brenda is a dedicated and committed provisional psychologist and behaviour support practitioner with a background in clinical and educational psychology, and experience across child, adolescent, adult and older adult mental health.

She is passionate about neuroaffirmative and strengths-based practice, and enjoys working collaboratively and creatively with people, their families and support networks to find meaningful strategies that improve quality of life, foster independence, and enable them to thrive within their communities and have a voice and choice in their own lives. Originally from Argentina and bilingual in Spanish and English, Brenda brings a multicultural perspective to her practice. Outside of work she enjoys painting, music, cinema, learning about biodiversity, and spending time in nature.

Alice is an empathetic and dedicated practitioner with a background in psychology, where she developed a strong foundation in evidence-based approaches to supporting individuals. With over five years of experience working with children and young adults, including individuals with a disability, she has worked collaboratively with families, educators, and multidisciplinary teams to achieve meaningful outcomes. Alice takes a holistic and person-centered approach, considering the unique needs of each individual while fostering independence, confidence, and enhanced quality of life. She is passionate about empowering individuals and advocating for greater awareness and inclusion across all communities. Outside of her professional life, Alice enjoys staying active through involvement in both Australian and Irish sport teams, as well as unwinding with a good book or spending time with friends. Originally from Ireland, she brings a warm, approachable nature and a love of connection into all aspects of her work.

James has been supporting people with disabilities for many years and is passionate about helping people live their best life. He likes to work closely with families and teams with his strength being his skills and experience in the practical implementation of behaviour support plans and understanding the reality of what good support looks like. He places a high emphasis on listening and works collaboratively using his skills in positive behaviour support to improve people’s lives and relationships. James uses a person-centred approach and places high value on enabling participants have their voice in how they want to be supported and to improve their quality of life. He also brings background in health, personal training and basketball coaching with people of all abilities. Trust and loyalty are important values to him and he does his best to ensure he has a great relationship with his participants and their support networks. James enjoys spending time at home, going for walks, getting coffees and going to the gym.

Duncan is a Behaviour Support Practitioner who has worked for many years supporting participants and families in Melbourne. He has worked in direct support, group centres, and as a support coordinator. Duncan incorporates ecological perspectives in his practice using his backgrounds in Psychology, Children’s Literacy, Music, Environmental Science and Technology. He has a special interest in music and ecological based modalities supporting individuals to model and co-regulate nervous systems. Duncan has a blend of practical, academic and lived experience approach to working in the field.

Duncan has worked as a front-line worker, advocate, strategist, and consultant, bringing a deep understanding of the NDIS, including its Administrative Review/Appeals Tribunal processes.

Duncan focuses on relationship first when addressing challenges in people’s lives. He looks at the practical means of what needs to change to improve quality of life, communication style, novelty, and looking at the deeper meaningful inclusion. His practice is person-centric and embedded with intentional listening and collaborative problem solving. Duncan takes a trauma informed process when working with people and focuses on collaborative and prosocial solutions where families, carers and informal supports can meet participants where they are at.

In Duncan’s spare time he enjoys performing and playing music on stage collaborating with First Nation artists from different parts of the globe. He can be found playing Congas, Sitar and Guitar in various projects. Duncan is also involved in the development of co-operative bookshop and community and cultural spaces in Melbourne’s Northern Suburbs. When he has time Duncan focuses on environmental sustainability, solidarity, mutual aid, events management, community building.

Rucha is a Specialist Positive Behaviour Support Practitioner with over 15 years of clinical experience in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), including Team Leader and Clinical Lead roles. She holds a Master’s degree in Cognitive Neuropsychology from the UK and a PhD in Gender Differences in Autism Spectrum Conditions from La Trobe University, Australia.

Rucha has extensive experience supporting people with complex support needs, significant behaviours of concern, Autism, intellectual and developmental conditions, and trauma-related presentations. She works collaboratively with individuals, families, primary caregivers, support teams and other professionals to develop practical, evidence-informed and person-centred approaches that promote quality of life, skill development, communication and greater independence.

Alongside her clinical work, Rucha has extensive experience in professional training and education. She delivers workshops and training in areas including Autism, Positive Behaviour Support, trauma-informed practice, Autism in Girls and Women, Understanding Complex Behaviours, and supporting individuals with complex needs.

Rucha has also presented at national and international conferences and has contributed to publications for websites and peer-reviewed journals. She is actively involved in panel discussions and research exploring the influence of culture on how autism is understood, perceived and supported. This work reflects her strong commitment to culturally responsive practice, supporting multicultural families and helping professionals develop more culturally inclusive approaches to autism and behaviour support.

Rucha is passionate about bridging the gap between research and everyday practice, ensuring that evidence-informed approaches are translated into practical strategies that are meaningful, respectful and relevant to the individual, their family and their cultural context.