Meet Our Team Leaders

At the heart of our organisation is a dedicated team of experienced senior leaders, senior clinical leaders and team leaders guiding a group of more than 90 highly skilled allied health professionals and early intervention teachers. With extensive expertise across a range of disciplines, our team bring passion, innovation and a commitment to excellence in client care. Meet the passionate leaders behind our mission, working alongside our team to provide exceptional support and positive outcomes for people of all ages.

Behaviour Support Practitioner

Dietetics

Laura Otton

Laura completed a Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours Class 1) at the University of Newcastle. As Team Leader at Early Links, she is passionate about paediatric nutrition, supporting people with a disability, and women’s health (Certified Fertility and Prenatal Dietitian). Her expertise includes paediatric feeding disorders, gastrointestinal health, oral motor delays, feeding therapy, and enteral nutrition. Laura values teamwork, compassion, respect, a person-centred approach, and evidence-based care. She enjoys working collaboratively with individuals and their families to make realistic and healthy lifestyle changes to achieve their goals.

Music Therapist

Inclusion Support Teachers

Fiona McBeath

With nearly 40 years of teaching experience across both rural and metropolitan areas, I have spent the past decade as an Early Intervention Teacher at Early Links. I am a NESA-registered proficient teacher and currently serve as the senior leader of our dedicated Early Intervention team. I feel privileged to support a passionate group of educators who empower children with additional needs to reach their individual goals. My practice is grounded in the principles of inclusion, family-centred approaches, and evidence-based strategies. I am committed to fostering environments where every child is valued, supported, and able to thrive.

Amy Cashmore

Amy holds a Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood) with over 20 years of experience supporting children’s learning and development. She has proudly coordinated the Early Links playgroup for more than seven years and currently serves as the Team Leader for the Early Intervention Teachers, supporting quality practice across our team. She values building strong, respectful relationships with children and families and believes in creating safe, nurturing environments where every child can thrive. Amy is committed to child-led, play-based learning and collaborative practice, and passionate about inclusive education that celebrates each child’s strengths and needs.

Alex Malam

Jo Poole

Occupational Therapists

Jen Stephens

Stephanie Thomson

Julia Deal

Maddie Doyle

Maddie Doyle has a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Hons) and Certificate IV in Leadership and Management. She has been at Early Links since 2019, a Team Leader since 2022 and in 2025 commenced her role as a clinical lead. Her key interest areas are Early Intervention, AAT, AT prescription and supporting development. Maddie is passionate about supporting children’s development in a client-centred, holistic, inclusive and neuro-affirming way. Maddie uses play-based sessions to support children to reach learning goals and improve their independence in fine motor, gross motor, sensory processing, energy/emotional regulation, play skills, executive functioning and self-care.

Stacey Palmer

Stacey holds a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (Hons) and has more than eight years of experience in paediatric practice. She is passionate about delivering movement-based sessions to support motor development, sensory regulation, and independence in daily activities. Stacey values a strengths-based, family-centred approach and works in natural environments to achieve meaningful outcomes. She also enjoys providing clinical supervision, supporting fellow OTs to grow in confidence and skill through reflective, inclusive, and relationship-focused practice.

Natalee Cartwright

Maddi Golds

Physiotherapists

Ange Hamilton

Ange is an APA titled Paediatric Physiotherapist with a first class honours degree in Physiotherapy and a Master of Advanced Paediatric Physiotherapy Practice. She leads our physiotherapy team and provides organisational supervision to the Behaviour Support and Psychology teams. Ange has a special interest in infant development and complex motor presentations. She is passionate about family-centred, strengths-based practice and is committed to supporting children to achieve meaningful outcomes that enhance participation, independence, and quality of life. She also contributes to ongoing education as a casual academic and author at the University of Newcastle.

Eliza Tupper

Speech Pathologists

Elise Hastings

Elise Hastings is a qualified speech pathologist (B.SPth) and the senior leader of the speech pathology and dietitian team. She has a special interest in paediatric speech and language and building meaningful, functional communication. Elise is committed to neurodiversity-affirming, trauma-informed and person-centred practice. Her work is grounded in equity, inclusion and evidence-informed care. Elise values safe, trusting relationships and supports her team and clients through collaborative, strengths-based approaches that celebrate each person’s unique abilities.

Mel Abrahamse

Rachel Austin

Rachel is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and Speech Pathology Australia member. She graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2020 and has additional training in Sounds Write, LSVT LOUD, Key Word Sign, trauma-informed practice, motor speech disorders and dysphagia. Rachel has a special interest in motor speech disorders and leads the development of our adult Speech Pathology stream. As a Clinical Leader, she draws on her passion for learning to foster a culture of growth, curiosity, and continuous development within her team.

Larissa Bisby

Isabelle Northey

Claudia Porter

Claudia is a Certified Practising Speech Pathologist and a member of Speech Pathology Australia. She has additional training in PROMPT, Sounds Write, audiological screening, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), trauma-informed practice, and gestalt language processing. Claudia is passionate about supporting individuals across the lifespan and has a special interest in hearing and key word sign, neurodiversity, and language development. As a Clinical Leader, Claudia combines her passion for communication with mentoring and professional development, having also worked as a Clinical Educator with the University of Newcastle.