Meet The Team: National Speech Pathology Clinical Lead
Introducing Emily, our fabulous National Speech Pathology Clinical Lead at National 360!
Emily has worked at National 360 since 2021 and has had an exciting career progression during her tenure. Commencing at National 360 as a Supervisor, she then moved into an operational Team Leader role in Adelaide, South Australia, before transitioning into our clinical career pathway as a national Clinical Practice Advisor and becoming our new National Speech Pathology Clinical Lead!
It has been an absolute joy to have Emily as part of the National 360 team, sharing her strong clinical knowledge and leadership skills with not only her local teams in South Australia, but for clinicians and the business across the country.
To find out more about Emily, we asked her some questions about her career journey, her role as the National Speech Pathology Clinical Lead, what it is like working at National 360 + more!
Read our full interview with Emily below.
We would love to learn more about your journey as a Speech Pathologist. Could you share some details about you career history with us?
I began my academic journey at Flinders University in Adelaide before starting my professional career in Melbourne with the Victorian Education Department. Over three years in Melbourne, I gained diverse experience across multiple schools during my graduate year and then served as the resident Speech Pathologist at Willmott Park Primary School. There, I had the opportunity to be completely immersed in the school, advising and supporting the development of literacy curriculums, classroom language and play programs, and delivering teacher training and development projects.
Following my time in Melbourne, I moved to London, where I spent three years as a locum speech and language therapist in early intervention and school-aged health services. The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique challenges, during which I temporarily re-trained to assist on the front lines. This experience pushed me to innovate in supporting my clients and their families, and I developed a deep passion for parent coaching, which remains a key component of my clinical practice.
Returning to my hometown of Adelaide required some adjustment, but I am now thrilled to be part of National 360. Here, I have had the opportunity to work in a multi-disciplinary team, and to serve in various roles. I am dedicated to empowering our team to adopt neurodiverse-affirming practices and in fostering key worker and transdisciplinary approaches in our early intervention services.
What interested you in working in the allied health space?
Before starting my career in Speech Pathology, I pursued a career in musical theatre. Through this I became very interested in the mechanics and science of voice, which ultimately led me to the field of speech pathology. My passion for helping others, coupled with my commitment to advocating for communication as a fundamental human right, further confirmed my dedication to this profession.
When did you start working at National 360, and why did you want to join the team?
I started working at National 360 in April 2021. I was eager to work in a multidisciplinary team and loved the supervision and mentoring structures on offer as well as giving me an opportunity to build my skills in supervision and leadership.
You have had a few different roles during your time at National 360. What has your career progression journey looked like at National 360?
I started in a Supervisor Level 2 role, then moved into a Team Leader role, temporary Clinical Practice Advisor, and now, the National Clinical Lead for Speech Pathology. I have felt extremely supported every step of the way to pursue my curiosity and career aspirations.
What do you think makes National 360 different from other community allied health providers?
The support I have been given by my direct line managers and clinical leaders has been exceptional. They have pushed me to be courageous, step outside of my comfort zone and believe in myself. The support structures and access to clinical mentoring is a fantastic and unique resource. Having an in-house purpose-built case management system which gets updated daily with our requests from our IT team is amazing!! I have never been in a team with a more supportive, positive culture and a company who values wellbeing and fun through a number of different initiatives.
What do you love most about your role as the National Speech Pathology Clinical Lead?
I feel extremely fortunate to lead a team of incredible Speech Pathologists. Waking up each day driven by the goal of fostering their clinical confidence while ensuring they find joy in their work is a true privilege.
What has been a highlight of time working at National 360?
Outreach work in Tasmania, and being a consultant on the development and launch of 360 Kids.
Do you have any advice for someone wanting to work in the NDIS community health space?
Discover what community work entails and what draws you to it, then select a provider who will support you in pursuing that passion.
Tell us a fun fact about yourself!
I will be performing in a musical at the end of the year!
Learn more about Speech Pathology at National 360
Our Speech Pathology stream is growing across the country! If you’re looking to commence your career as a Speech Pathologist, or are wanting to make the change to working in a flexible community focused role, National 360 is the perfect place for you to grow in your career.
Learn more about our Speech Pathology service, and 360 Career opportunities by getting in touch with our friendly team:
