Professional Learning Courses

Bachelor of Arts (Macquarie University)
Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Macquarie University)
Masters of Special Education (Macquarie University)

Caitlin Millauro has worked across a variety of educational programs including primary age and young adult services. She has been involved with the Student Engagement Support Team at Giant Steps particularly focusing on the area of effective data collection. In 2018-19 Caitlin conducted a school-based research project, focusing specifically on effective literacy programs that can be adapted for students with additional learning needs.

Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (University of Western Sydney)
Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of Western Sydney)

Cheryl has worked at Giant Steps since 2017. Cheryl is particularly interested in working with children and young adults with autism and disabilities and has a growing interest in the ways cognitive rehabilitation can impact children with spinal cord injuries. Cheryl is passionate about assisting children to progress in their levels of independence and maintain or improve personal productivity in self-care skills, emotions, regulation, sensory processing, engagement and overall quality of life. Cheryl enjoys working as a part of a transdisciplinary team to support children not only in a classroom but also in the community to generalise skills across all contexts.

Bachelor’s Degree of Science (major in Psychology) (Sydney University)
Post Graduate Diploma in Social Psychology (Sydney University)
PhD; ‘An Exploration of the Presence and Behavioural Manifestation of Anxiety for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability’ (2022)(Griffith University)

Dr. Helen Appleton is the Family and Student Support Therapist for Giant Steps Australia. In this role, she oversees psychological supports throughout our schools, with a special interest in mental health concerns, complex support needs and interagency training and liaising. She has created a school-wide Siblings Support Program and is currently Director of the Rob Llewelyn-Jones Clinical Centre at Giant Steps.

Helen is now sharing her research internationally, through conferences and upcoming publications. This unique research comes from her PhD completed in 2022 and focuses on how anxiety manifests in individuals with autism and an intellectual disability.

Bachelor of Inclusive Education (Australian Catholic University)
Masters of Teaching (Primary)(Australian Catholic University)

Kaitlin Hunter has been a Teacher at Giant Steps Sydney since 2017 and is passionate about designing inclusive learning environments where every student can succeed. Working in both primary and secondary education and across abilities, Kaitlin has developed and implemented exciting and engaging learning lessons across the curriculum to best suit all of her students.

Kaitlin’s dedication and compassion makes her an invaluable teacher within our organisation. She now draws on her expertise to mentor other teachers and educators at Giant Steps on how to create inclusive classrooms.

Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences (Macquarie University)
Master of Speech and Language Pathology (Macquarie University)

Katherine Halter has been a Speech Pathologist at Giant Steps Australia since 2017. She is passionate about supporting people with disability and has experience in providing individualised assessment and intervention for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability including designing a variety of Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems to suit individual communication needs. She has worked alongside teachers to integrate these strategies and supports into teaching and learning experiences.

Katherine enjoys working in a dynamic team environment with multiple professionals to provide a holistic approach to targeting communication and comprehension. Katherine has a passion for supporting carers and members of the wider community to understand and implement strategies and supports that promote the generalisation of skills across contexts.

Bachelor of Health Science (Hearing and Speech) (University of Sydney)
Masters of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Natasha Craze has worked at Giant Steps for almost 20 years supporting students aged between 5 – 17 years to participate in learning experiences including those in the wider community.

During her time, Natasha has held a variety of roles including the teacher’s aide, classroom teacher and teacher mentor roles. Natasha uses her significant experience to support our team of educators and teachers to collaborate in our transdisciplinary team of allied health professionals and teachers. Natasha is passionate about helping other team members navigate and refine their teaching practice.

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (University of Otago)

Meg Hodgson, being from New Zealand, carried out her studies in her home country, and upon graduation made the move to Sydney to pursue her passion in paediatrics. Meg has been an occupational therapist since 2020 and has been working at Giant Steps since 2021. Meg finds joy in working with children to make their activities of daily living more meaningful and accessible while encouraging them to meet their potential through fun and creative ways. Meg highly values teamwork and collaboration whilst using a holistic approach to therapy.

Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (Charles Sturt University)

Nicole Dugdale has been working as a Speech Therapist since 2017 and working at Giant Steps since 2022. Nicole previously worked in early intervention in Sydney and then worked in London in primary schools with children aged 4-11 years. Nicole is passionate about supporting young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disability, as well as their families to be able to gain independence with their communication in whatever way is best for them. Nicole also enjoys working in a team with other therapists, teachers and educators to provide a holistic approach to supporting communication, language development and social interactions. Believing that when everyone works together; parents, family, educators, teachers and therapists, a young person is able to achieve and be at their best.

Master of Special Education (University of Newcastle)
Bachelor of Education (Music Education) (University of Sydney)
Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Sarah is the Co-Director of Primary and has been working in the field of Special Education for over 15 years with a special interest in Early Childhood early intervention. She has worked closely with both families and mainstream Early Childhood education and care settings to foster and support successful partnerships and collaborative teams around the child and family. Additionally, she has provided training and support to mainstream settings to build capacity and develop quality inclusive practices to support the inclusion of all children within Early Childhood settings.

Bachelor of Arts (Macquarie University)
Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Macquarie University)
Masters of Special Education (Macquarie University)

Caitlin Millauro has worked across a variety of educational programs including primary age and young adult services. She has been involved with the Student Engagement Support Team at Giant Steps particularly focusing on the area of effective data collection. In 2018-19 Caitlin conducted a school-based research project, focusing specifically on effective literacy programs that can be adapted for students with additional learning needs.

Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (University of Western Sydney)
Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of Western Sydney)

Cheryl has worked at Giant Steps since 2017. Cheryl is particularly interested in working with children and young adults with autism and disabilities and has a growing interest in the ways cognitive rehabilitation can impact children with spinal cord injuries. Cheryl is passionate about assisting children to progress in their levels of independence and maintain or improve personal productivity in self-care skills, emotions, regulation, sensory processing, engagement and overall quality of life. Cheryl enjoys working as a part of a transdisciplinary team to support children not only in a classroom but also in the community to generalise skills across all contexts.

Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences (Macquarie University)
Master of Speech and Language Pathology (Macquarie University)

Katherine Halter has been a Speech Pathologist at Giant Steps Australia since 2017. She is passionate about supporting people with disability and has experience in providing individualised assessment and intervention for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability including designing a variety of Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems to suit individual communication needs. She has worked alongside teachers to integrate these strategies and supports into teaching and learning experiences.

Katherine enjoys working in a dynamic team environment with multiple professionals to provide a holistic approach to targeting communication and comprehension. Katherine has a passion for supporting carers and members of the wider community to understand and implement strategies and supports that promote the generalisation of skills across contexts.

Bachelor Applied Science (Speech Pathology) (University of Sydney)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Rachael Bowen is a Speech Pathologist and teacher who has over 16 years of experience working with young people with autism in educational settings.

Rachael has a special interest in developing the functional communication needs of young people with autism. Rachael has been working on a number of special interest initiatives including establishing The Autism Hub, an information and resource-sharing platform, and investigating the literacy profiles of minimally verbal children with autism including considerations for practice alongside Griffith University. Disseminating knowledge and practical strategies is a critical part of both of these projects so others working with individuals with autism are able to apply best practice frameworks and strategies that have a solid theoretical basis. Rachael has been involved in delivering professional learning for parents, teachers, and other professionals in a range of settings.

Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (University of Western Sydney)
Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of Western Sydney)

Cheryl has worked at Giant Steps since 2017. Cheryl is particularly interested in working with children and young adults with autism and disabilities and has a growing interest in the ways cognitive rehabilitation can impact children with spinal cord injuries. Cheryl is passionate about assisting children to progress in their levels of independence and maintain or improve personal productivity in self-care skills, emotions, regulation, sensory processing, engagement and overall quality of life. Cheryl enjoys working as a part of a transdisciplinary team to support children not only in a classroom but also in the community to generalise skills across all contexts.

Master of Special Education (University of Newcastle)
Bachelor of Education (Music Education) (University of Sydney)
Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Sarah is the Co-Director of Primary and has been working in the field of Special Education for over 15 years with a special interest in Early Childhood early intervention. She has worked closely with both families and mainstream Early Childhood education and care settings to foster and support successful partnerships and collaborative teams around the child and family. Additionally, she has provided training and support to mainstream settings to build capacity and develop quality inclusive practices to support the inclusion of all children within Early Childhood settings.

Bachelor’s Degree of Science (major in Psychology) (Sydney University)
Post Graduate Diploma in Social Psychology (Sydney University)
PhD; ‘An Exploration of the Presence and Behavioural Manifestation of Anxiety for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability’ (2022)(Griffith University)

Dr. Helen Appleton is the Family and Student Support Therapist for Giant Steps Australia. In this role, she oversees psychological supports throughout our schools, with a special interest in mental health concerns, complex support needs and interagency training and liaising. She has created a school-wide Siblings Support Program and is currently Director of the Rob Llewelyn-Jones Clinical Centre at Giant Steps.

Helen is now sharing her research internationally, through conferences and upcoming publications. This unique research comes from her PhD completed in 2022 and focuses on how anxiety manifests in individuals with autism and an intellectual disability.

Bachelor Applied Science (Speech Pathology) (University of Sydney)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Rachael Bowen is a Speech Pathologist and teacher who has over 16 years of experience working with young people with autism in educational settings.

Rachael has a special interest in developing the functional communication needs of young people with autism. Rachael has been working on a number of special interest initiatives including establishing The Autism Hub, an information and resource-sharing platform, and investigating the literacy profiles of minimally verbal children with autism including considerations for practice alongside Griffith University. Disseminating knowledge and practical strategies is a critical part of both of these projects so others working with individuals with autism are able to apply best practice frameworks and strategies that have a solid theoretical basis. Rachael has been involved in delivering professional learning for parents, teachers, and other professionals in a range of settings.

Bachelor of Arts (Macquarie University)
Bachelor of Education (Primary) (Macquarie University)
Masters of Special Education (Macquarie University)

Caitlin Millauro has worked across a variety of educational programs including primary age and young adult services. She has been involved with the Student Engagement Support Team at Giant Steps particularly focusing on the area of effective data collection. In 2018-19 Caitlin conducted a school-based research project, focusing specifically on effective literacy programs that can be adapted for students with additional learning needs.

Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (University of Western Sydney)
Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of Western Sydney)

Cheryl has worked at Giant Steps since 2017. Cheryl is particularly interested in working with children and young adults with autism and disabilities and has a growing interest in the ways cognitive rehabilitation can impact children with spinal cord injuries. Cheryl is passionate about assisting children to progress in their levels of independence and maintain or improve personal productivity in self-care skills, emotions, regulation, sensory processing, engagement and overall quality of life. Cheryl enjoys working as a part of a transdisciplinary team to support children not only in a classroom but also in the community to generalise skills across all contexts.

Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences (Macquarie University)
Master of Speech and Language Pathology (Macquarie University)

Katherine Halter has been a Speech Pathologist at Giant Steps Australia since 2017. She is passionate about supporting people with disability and has experience in providing individualised assessment and intervention for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability including designing a variety of Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems to suit individual communication needs. She has worked alongside teachers to integrate these strategies and supports into teaching and learning experiences.

Katherine enjoys working in a dynamic team environment with multiple professionals to provide a holistic approach to targeting communication and comprehension. Katherine has a passion for supporting carers and members of the wider community to understand and implement strategies and supports that promote the generalisation of skills across contexts.

Bachelor Applied Science (Speech Pathology) (University of Sydney)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Rachael Bowen is a Speech Pathologist and teacher who has over 16 years of experience working with young people with autism in educational settings.

Rachael has a special interest in developing the functional communication needs of young people with autism. Rachael has been working on a number of special interest initiatives including establishing The Autism Hub, an information and resource-sharing platform, and investigating the literacy profiles of minimally verbal children with autism including considerations for practice alongside Griffith University. Disseminating knowledge and practical strategies is a critical part of both of these projects so others working with individuals with autism are able to apply best practice frameworks and strategies that have a solid theoretical basis. Rachael has been involved in delivering professional learning for parents, teachers, and other professionals in a range of settings.

Bachelor of Arts (Music) (University of Sydney)
Post-Graduate Diploma of Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)
Masters of Music (Research) (University of Melbourne)

Bronte Arns is the National Director of Music Therapy for Giant Steps Australia and has been leading music programs in the school since 2003. Her recent research focused on transdisciplinary practice and how music therapists share information across discipline boundaries. She is passionate about empowering others to use music to support the engagement, regulation and wellbeing of neuro-diverse students in schools.

Bachelor of Music Performance (University of Melbourne)
Master of Music Therapy (University of Melbourne)

Daming Tan is the lead music therapist at Giant Steps Melbourne. He works with autistic students of all ages with diverse needs, and with Adult Autism Services. Daming has a huge passion for working within a transdisciplinary team, integrating fun and engaging music activities to enhance learning experiences in the school environment.

Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences (Macquarie University)
Master of Speech and Language Pathology (Macquarie University)

Katherine Halter has been a Speech Pathologist at Giant Steps Australia since 2017. She is passionate about supporting people with disability and has experience in providing individualised assessment and intervention for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability including designing a variety of Alternative and Augmentative Communication systems to suit individual communication needs. She has worked alongside teachers to integrate these strategies and supports into teaching and learning experiences.

Katherine enjoys working in a dynamic team environment with multiple professionals to provide a holistic approach to targeting communication and comprehension. Katherine has a passion for supporting carers and members of the wider community to understand and implement strategies and supports that promote the generalisation of skills across contexts.

Bachelor Applied Science (Speech Pathology) (University of Sydney)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Rachael Bowen is a Speech Pathologist and teacher who has over 16 years of experience working with young people with autism in educational settings.

Rachael has a special interest in developing the functional communication needs of young people with autism. Rachael has been working on a number of special interest initiatives including establishing The Autism Hub, an information and resource-sharing platform, and investigating the literacy profiles of minimally verbal children with autism including considerations for practice alongside Griffith University. Disseminating knowledge and practical strategies is a critical part of both of these projects so others working with individuals with autism are able to apply best practice frameworks and strategies that have a solid theoretical basis. Rachael has been involved in delivering professional learning for parents, teachers, and other professionals in a range of settings.

Bachelor of Arts (LaTrobe University)
Diploma of Education (Swinburne University)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (Swinburne University)

Dale Rugachwa has 20 years’ of experience in the disability sector working in schools, day programs, and residential houses with people of all age groups. Dale has spent the last 15 years specialising in autism spectrum disorders, both in the school setting, and working privately with families, in the UK, Tanzania and Australia.

Dale worked as an educator at Giant Steps Sydney in 2009, before moving to Melbourne. Dale was part of the inaugural Giant Steps Melbourne team that helped open the school in 2016. Dale is passionate about building capacity of staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring our programs, and classroom management remain unparalleled in the field of special education.

Bachelor’s Degree of Science (major in Psychology) (Sydney University)
Post Graduate Diploma in Social Psychology (Sydney University)
PhD; ‘An Exploration of the Presence and Behavioural Manifestation of Anxiety for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability’ (2022)(Griffith University)

Dr. Helen Appleton is the Family and Student Support Therapist for Giant Steps Australia. In this role, she oversees psychological supports throughout our schools, with a special interest in mental health concerns, complex support needs and interagency training and liaising. She has created a school-wide Siblings Support Program and is currently Director of the Rob Llewelyn-Jones Clinical Centre at Giant Steps.

Helen is now sharing her research internationally, through conferences and upcoming publications. This unique research comes from her PhD completed in 2022 and focuses on how anxiety manifests in individuals with autism and an intellectual disability.

Bachelor of Health Science (Honours) (University of Western Sydney)
Masters of Occupational Therapy (University of Western Sydney)

Cheryl has worked at Giant Steps since 2017. Cheryl is particularly interested in working with children and young adults with autism and disabilities and has a growing interest in the ways cognitive rehabilitation can impact children with spinal cord injuries. Cheryl is passionate about assisting children to progress in their levels of independence and maintain or improve personal productivity in self-care skills, emotions, regulation, sensory processing, engagement and overall quality of life. Cheryl enjoys working as a part of a transdisciplinary team to support children not only in a classroom but also in the community to generalise skills across all contexts.

Master of Special Education (University of Newcastle)
Bachelor of Education (Music Education) (University of Sydney)
Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Sarah is the Co-Director of Primary and has been working in the field of Special Education for over 15 years with a special interest in Early Childhood early intervention. She has worked closely with both families and mainstream Early Childhood education and care settings to foster and support successful partnerships and collaborative teams around the child and family. Additionally, she has provided training and support to mainstream settings to build capacity and develop quality inclusive practices to support the inclusion of all children within Early Childhood settings.

Bachelor of Arts (Music) (University of Sydney)
Post-Graduate Diploma of Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)
Masters of Music (Research) (University of Melbourne)

Bronte Arns is the National Director of Music Therapy for Giant Steps Australia and has been leading music programs in the school since 2003. Her recent research focused on transdisciplinary practice and how music therapists share information across discipline boundaries. She is passionate about empowering others to use music to support the engagement, regulation and wellbeing of neuro-diverse students in schools.

Bachelor of Arts (Design) (First Class Honours) (University of Technology Sydney)
Master of Arts in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)
PhD candidate (Western Sydney University)

Lene Jeffrey has supported students of all ages as a Music Therapist at Giant Steps since 2013. She has presented her work on self-reflective music therapy methods, the use of tablets for enhancing the music therapy experience of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, dance and movement in music therapy and multicultural family-centred practice at national and international conferences, and is a recipient of the ‘Denise Grocke Award for Excellence’.

Bachelor of Creative Arts (Wollongong University)
Master of Arts in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Vanessa Lucas is a music therapist with 11 years of experience. She has a strong interest in supporting individuals with Autism to have access to community arts-based experiences, collaborating with organisations including the Sydney Opera House, Opera Australia and Bell Shakespeare Theatre. Essential to the success of these initiatives has been building awareness of the needs of individuals with autism to access autism-friendly performances and services. Vanessa has presented at a number of national and international conferences.

Bachelor of Arts (LaTrobe University)
Diploma of Education (Swinburne University)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (Swinburne University)

Dale Rugachwa has 20 years’ of experience in the disability sector working in schools, day programs, and residential houses with people of all age groups. Dale has spent the last 15 years specialising in autism spectrum disorders, both in the school setting, and working privately with families, in the UK, Tanzania and Australia.

Dale worked as an educator at Giant Steps Sydney in 2009, before moving to Melbourne. Dale was part of the inaugural Giant Steps Melbourne team that helped open the school in 2016. Dale is passionate about building capacity of staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring our programs, and classroom management remain unparalleled in the field of special education.

Bachelor of Arts (French & Linguistics) (University of Sydney)
Master of Special Education (Macquarie University)
Master of Speech and Language Pathology (University of Sydney)

Prior to her current role as a Senior Speech Pathologist in Melbourne, Jedda worked as an educator at Giant Steps whilst completing her Master of Special Education. 10 years on, Jedda’s diverse experiences and perspectives shape her approach to both collaborating with others and working with and supporting students.

Jedda has a particular passion for supporting young people with complex support and communication needs across the lifespan. She is highly skilled at working alongside teachers to successfully imbed supports and strategies that positively impact a student’s learning, engagement and behaviour.

Bachelor’s Degree of Science (major in Psychology) (Sydney University)
Post Graduate Diploma in Social Psychology (Sydney University)
PhD; ‘An Exploration of the Presence and Behavioural Manifestation of Anxiety for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability’ (2022)(Griffith University)

Dr. Helen Appleton is the Family and Student Support Therapist for Giant Steps Australia. In this role, she oversees psychological supports throughout our schools, with a special interest in mental health concerns, complex support needs and interagency training and liaising. She has created a school-wide Siblings Support Program and is currently Director of the Rob Llewelyn-Jones Clinical Centre at Giant Steps.

Helen is now sharing her research internationally, through conferences and upcoming publications. This unique research comes from her PhD completed in 2022 and focuses on how anxiety manifests in individuals with autism and an intellectual disability.

Bachelor Applied Science (Speech Pathology) (University of Sydney)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (University of New England)

Rachael Bowen is a Speech Pathologist and teacher who has over 16 years of experience working with young people with autism in educational settings.

Rachael has a special interest in developing the functional communication needs of young people with autism. Rachael has been working on a number of special interest initiatives including establishing The Autism Hub, an information and resource-sharing platform, and investigating the literacy profiles of minimally verbal children with autism including considerations for practice alongside Griffith University. Disseminating knowledge and practical strategies is a critical part of both of these projects so others working with individuals with autism are able to apply best practice frameworks and strategies that have a solid theoretical basis. Rachael has been involved in delivering professional learning for parents, teachers, and other professionals in a range of settings.

Bachelor of Arts (Design) (First Class Honours) (University of Technology Sydney)
Master of Arts in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)
PhD candidate (Western Sydney University)

Lene Jeffrey has supported students of all ages as a Music Therapist at Giant Steps since 2013. She has presented her work on self-reflective music therapy methods, the use of tablets for enhancing the music therapy experience of children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, dance and movement in music therapy and multicultural family-centred practice at national and international conferences, and is a recipient of the ‘Denise Grocke Award for Excellence’.

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (University of Otago)

Meg Hodgson, being from New Zealand, carried out her studies in her home country, and upon graduation made the move to Sydney to pursue her passion in paediatrics. Meg has been an occupational therapist since 2020 and has been working at Giant Steps since 2021. Meg finds joy in working with children to make their activities of daily living more meaningful and accessible while encouraging them to meet their potential through fun and creative ways. Meg highly values teamwork and collaboration whilst using a holistic approach to therapy.

Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (Charles Sturt University)

Nicole Dugdale has been working as a Speech Therapist since 2017 and working at Giant Steps since 2022. Nicole previously worked in early intervention in Sydney and then worked in London in primary schools with children aged 4-11 years. Nicole is passionate about supporting young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disability, as well as their families to be able to gain independence with their communication in whatever way is best for them. Nicole also enjoys working in a team with other therapists, teachers and educators to provide a holistic approach to supporting communication, language development and social interactions. Believing that when everyone works together; parents, family, educators, teachers and therapists, a young person is able to achieve and be at their best.

Master of Special Education (University of Newcastle)
Bachelor of Education (Music Education) (University of Sydney)
Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Sarah is the Co-Director of Primary and has been working in the field of Special Education for over 15 years with a special interest in Early Childhood early intervention. She has worked closely with both families and mainstream Early Childhood education and care settings to foster and support successful partnerships and collaborative teams around the child and family. Additionally, she has provided training and support to mainstream settings to build capacity and develop quality inclusive practices to support the inclusion of all children within Early Childhood settings.

Bachelor of Arts (LaTrobe University)
Diploma of Education (Swinburne University)
Master of Teaching (Primary) (Swinburne University)

Dale Rugachwa has 20 years’ of experience in the disability sector working in schools, day programs, and residential houses with people of all age groups. Dale has spent the last 15 years specialising in autism spectrum disorders, both in the school setting, and working privately with families, in the UK, Tanzania and Australia.

Dale worked as an educator at Giant Steps Sydney in 2009, before moving to Melbourne. Dale was part of the inaugural Giant Steps Melbourne team that helped open the school in 2016. Dale is passionate about building capacity of staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement, and ensuring our programs, and classroom management remain unparalleled in the field of special education.

Bachelor of Applied Science (La Trobe University
Master of Occupational Therapy Practice (La Trobe University)

Tali Mervis has over 10 years of experience in the disability sector, including the past seven years at Giant Steps. She has developed expertise in supporting autistic individuals to understand their roles, engage in learning, manage emotional regulation, improve motor skills, and increase independence in activities of daily living.

Tali highly values the collaborative approach of the transdisciplinary team at Giant Steps, recognising the unique knowledge and skills each team member brings to ensure the highest quality support for students.

Bachelor of Occupational Therapy (University of Otago)

Meg Hodgson, being from New Zealand, carried out her studies in her home country, and upon graduation made the move to Sydney to pursue her passion in paediatrics. Meg has been an occupational therapist since 2020 and has been working at Giant Steps since 2021. Meg finds joy in working with children to make their activities of daily living more meaningful and accessible while encouraging them to meet their potential through fun and creative ways. Meg highly values teamwork and collaboration whilst using a holistic approach to therapy.

Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (Charles Sturt University)

Nicole Dugdale has been working as a Speech Therapist since 2017 and working at Giant Steps since 2022. Nicole previously worked in early intervention in Sydney and then worked in London in primary schools with children aged 4-11 years. Nicole is passionate about supporting young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder and intellectual disability, as well as their families to be able to gain independence with their communication in whatever way is best for them. Nicole also enjoys working in a team with other therapists, teachers and educators to provide a holistic approach to supporting communication, language development and social interactions. Believing that when everyone works together; parents, family, educators, teachers and therapists, a young person is able to achieve and be at their best.

Master of Special Education (University of Newcastle)
Bachelor of Education (Music Education) (University of Sydney)
Graduate Certificate in Music Therapy (University of Technology Sydney)

Sarah is the Co-Director of Primary and has been working in the field of Special Education for over 15 years with a special interest in Early Childhood early intervention. She has worked closely with both families and mainstream Early Childhood education and care settings to foster and support successful partnerships and collaborative teams around the child and family. Additionally, she has provided training and support to mainstream settings to build capacity and develop quality inclusive practices to support the inclusion of all children within Early Childhood settings.