Jeff Souter
Jeff Souter has worked in the area of technology to support diverse learners for over 28 years. As the Head of Assistive Technology, Statewide Services in Queensland State Schools division, Jeff’s role involves exploring new and emerging technologies to support the diversity of learners in schools, as well as providing support to regions, schools and students to improve student outcomes.
Athena Panagopoulos
Athena is a speech language pathologist and the Allied Health Coordinator for the Language Disorder Australia School Support Services team, with previous experience in private practice. Athena has worked extensively as part of a transdisciplinary team to support students in accessing the curriculum, especially those with Language Disorder and related difficulties. Being from a bilingual family, one of Athena’s areas of interest is working with bilingual and EALD populations. Athena also has a passion for assessment and intervention of higher order language skills, as well as the link between language and social-emotional skills. As part of her current role, Athena enjoys presenting at PDs and conferences to advocate for young people with Language Disorder and related difficulties and strongly encourages qualitative assessment to support students’ holistic needs. This approach ensures successful educational outcomes and empowers schools to understand that language is a significant piece of the puzzle. In her personal time, Athena is an avid movie fan and also loves trying new cuisines and restaurants.
Deb Dunstone
Deb is a highly driven to lead system and school improvement through the lens of Inclusion, Wellbeing and Culture. She is a strategic senior executive with an extensive career as A/Deputy Director-General, Early Childhood and Educational Improvement and was the inaugural Assistant Director-General for Disability and Inclusion in the Queensland Education system in Australia.
With national and international recognition Deb has had a career spanning over 33 years as a teacher, Principal, School Supervisor, Regional Director and Senior Executive. Her passion and strong track record on school and system improvement resulted in the most significant cultural change in school and early childhood settings in the agency through the development of the Inclusive Education policy. Subsequently receiving the United Nations Zero Project Award in Vienna for innovative policy that changes lives for all children was a very proud career moment. Having led the implementation of the 17 recommendations of the Deloitte review into Disability and Inclusion in the state schooling system Deb is well positioned to support systems and school around the moral purpose for change to ensure every student is known, understood and supported in their learning journey.
Culture, wellbeing and inclusion is the heart of teaching and having lived and worked across some of the most diverse communities in Queensland, Deb is well positioned to support schools, communities and systems to reflect on the needs of their learners and the contribution we want all young people to make to this world. Education is the most powerful tool we have to change lives and Deb is excited to be leading The Learner First team as CEO of TLF Austra
Natalia Russ
Natalia is a Principal Education Officer for the Teaching, Leadership, Rural and Remote branch, Queensland Department of Education. Her role is within the curriculum team which supports schools with meeting the requirements of the P-12 Curriculum, assessment and reporting framework, ensuring the learning needs of all students are being addressed in policy. Prior to joining the curriculum team, Natalia worked with the Disability and Inclusion team and has a teaching background working with students with disability.
Dr Carly Lassig
Dr Carly Lassig is the Lead Education Consultant at Down Syndrome Queensland. She is also a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice and a member of The Centre for Inclusive Education at Queensland University of Technology. Carly has had a career in education for 20 years, including as a primary school and middle years teacher nationally and internationally, a university researcher and educator, a project officer at Independent Schools Queensland, and a consultant working with Government, Independent, and Catholic schools. She is passionate about: inclusive education and gifted education; inclusive pedagogies, such as differentiation and Universal Design for Learning; parents’ experiences with education for their children with disability; and fostering creativity in schools.
Emma Forward
Emma Forward is a psychologist working with children and adolescents of all ages across a range of areas. She also has extensive experience in the area of Autism Spectrum Disorders and developmental disorders, having worked in this area for over 25 years.
Emma has worked in both Government and non-Government agencies across the country. She has been working in private practice for over 15 years. Emma works one on one with children and adolescents of all ages and presentations. She also conducts cognitive, developmental and educational assessments. Her practice offers a complete service from diagnosis and assessment to individual and family therapy. Emma enjoys working and liasing with her clients, their families and the educational settings they attend. She strives to support her clients in all areas of their life.
Nathan Brown
Nathan is an Allied Health Assistant at Adaptability Therapy, a rapidly growing mobile therapy company providing allied health services to the Brisbane, Toowoomba, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast communities. He is also in his final year of study for a bachelor of Speech Pathology at Southern Cross University. Prior to studying, Nathan was an experienced primary school teacher, small school Principal, and Deputy Principal of a larger metropolitan school. Combined with his lived experience as a father of a child with Down syndrome, Nathan brings a unique understanding of the challenges and rewards that inclusive education brings, and he has a passion for seeing all children fulfil their potential within their chosen school community.
Caitlin
Caitlin is a Speech Pathologist with extensive experience supporting autistic children and families. She has worked within kindergartens, schools, and the community as part of a transdisciplinary team, to support the inclusion of autistic students and those with co-occurring diagnoses. Caitlin currently works as a member of the Professional Learning and Development team at Autism Qld, facilitating workshops to support the understanding and inclusion of autistic students in all areas of life.