Tania InnesDirector/ Speech Pathologist
Tania has more than 20 years of experience working in early intervention and education settings. She achieved a Bachelor of Speech Pathology with Honours in 1997, a Graduate Certificate in Education in 2007 and
completed a Diploma of Breastfeeding Management in 2021. Tania is currently working towards a Diploma of Breastfeeding Management through the Australian Breastfeeding Association. |
Clare WeareDirector/ Inclusive Education Consultant
Clare has over 20 years of experience working with students with special learning needs, and their families and educators, in Australia and the UK. |
Loren LeauanaeAdministration Assistant
Loren works as our Administration Assistant. She started her professional career in hospitality, managing cafes and restaurants establishments in Tasmania and New South Wales. |
Bridgette DemarchiLiteracy Instructor
After initially completing a Bachelor of Applied Science in Medical Laboratory Science (RMIT, 1996), Bridgette started out her career working as a medical scientist for 13 years in both public and private settings in Australia and in the UK. |
Steph JonesSpeech Pathologist
Steph is a Speech Pathologist with an interest in helping young children become more effective and confident communicators. She has experience working with children and adolescents with a range of speech, language, literacy, and social communication difficulties. She is particularly passionate about early speech and language development. |
Ingrid MorrisonMaths Instructor
Ingrid is a Maths Instructor who graduated from UTAS with a Bachelor of Education (Primary), majoring in Psychology. She then spent 10 years in a variety of teaching roles. After having her own family, Ingrid developed an interest in working with small groups of children experiencing specific challenges in literacy and numeracy. In 2021 Ingrid was excited to take on the role as a Maths Instructor at Start Smart Tasmania. She values building relationships with children of all ages and their parents, and working on ways for children to build confidence in themselves and their ability to learn and master numeracy skills. |
Emily GrahamSpeech Pathologist
Emily is a Speech Pathologist who has recently returned to her home town in North Eastern Tasmania after leaving to complete her studies and work interstate. Emily completed a Bachelor of Science (Speech Pathology) in 2015. She is a Certified Practising member of Speech Pathology Australia. |
Sandy DunbabinLiteracy InstructorSandy is an experienced educator with a strong background working in partnership with families and communities. Sandy was an inaugural facilitator with the Tasmanian Education Department’s Launching into Learning initiative and has worked closely with a number of Child and Family Centres across our state. She comes to us from six years in a national educational scholarship role - supporting students’ learning journeys from preparatory to year 12. Sandy obtained her Bachelor of Education from UTAS, majored in Literature, and worked as a Kindergarten teacher whilst raising her two, now adult, daughters. Sandy believes optimal learning comes from providing positive and engaging experiences for students in safe and supported environments. She has a passion for fostering a love of books in young children and would like to pen her own ‘read aloud’ publication one day. Outside work, Sandy enjoys home time with the family in the country and all things on, beside, or in the ocean! |
Keryn Burton
Keryn brings over twenty years of education experience to her role at Start Smart
Tasmania. She received her Bachelor of Arts (Literature) in 1991 before completing a
Graduate Diploma in Secondary English. Keryn has taught English, Literature and English
as a Second Language in high schools in Western Australia, and English as a Second
Language in Japan. |
Ruby Wood
Ruby joined the Start Smart Tasmania team as an Allied Health Assistant, supporting
Speech Pathology clients to strengthen their articulation and language skills. Ruby
completed a Bachelor's Degree in Sociology in 2018, and for the past five years has
worked in community services organisations, including humanitarian settlement and
community mental health services. Ruby is passionate about communication equity and
the benefits for individuals and communities when everyone feels they can understand
and be understood by others. Ruby is currently studying her Masters of Speech Pathology
at Charles Sturt University. |