Tania Innes

Director/ Speech Pathologist/ IBCLC

Tania has more than 25 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. She has worked in a variety of settings in Tasmania and the UK, supporting children of all ages with a wide range of speech, language, communication, and feeding needs.

Tania has worked in private practice since 2008 and has developed several areas of special interest. Clinically, she enjoys supporting young clients and their families with speech, stuttering, feeding, and orofacial myology difficulties. Consultatively, Tania has a strong interest in preventative education and collaborating with educators to support children’s language learning in the classroom.

Tania is a Level 1 BreathCoach® certified instructor, guiding clients in functional breathing techniques to enhance wellbeing, speech, and oral development. She is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), helping families navigate feeding challenges and promote healthy oral skills.

Tania is a Certified Practising Member of Speech Pathology Australia, and certified with the International Board of Lactation Examiners.

Away from work, Tania loves spending time outdoors with her husband, three children, and her chickens, as well as exploring new places, hiking, camping, and experimenting in the kitchen.

Clare Weare

Director/ 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. For 7 years, she worked as Director of Studies in a school for students with Specific Learning Disorders, and she currently works part time as a Learning Support Coordinator in a mainstream school.

She obtained a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) in 2001, a Post Graduate Certificate in Leadership and Management in Education in 2008, and a Master of Education (Special Education) in 2020. In 2019 Clare completed the Associate Multisensory Structured Language course, and is an Associate Member of the Australian Dyslexia Association. She currently serves on the Board of Square Pegs Tasmania.

Clare has a particular interest in working with students with Specific Learning Disorders such as dyslexia and dysgraphia, and those with attention, memory or executive functioning difficulties. She believes a collaborative approach between schools, families and service providers is essential in maximising student learning and in supporting students to become their own advocates.

Outside of the workplace, Clare enjoys glamping, reading and cooking but mostly just drives her children to sport and barracks for her beloved Richmond Football Club.

Ingrid Morrison

Maths 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 written language 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.

Away from work Ingrid enjoys keeping busy with a variety of activities or projects mostly centred around friends, home, family, exercise, sport, travel, gardening and the outdoors.

Emily Graham

Speech Pathologist

Emily is a Speech Pathologist who has 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.

Emily has experience working with both children and adults with speech, language, fluency, communication and feeding needs. She has worked across a range of settings including: community early intervention, schools, and privately in the disability sector. Emily enjoys making a difference in the lives of children and their families, by supporting them to reach their communication goals. Emily is also passionate about increasing the provision of therapy services to rural and remote towns.

Outside of work, Emily likes spending time with her family, animals, any outdoor activity and socialising with friends in coffee shops.

Sandy Dunbabin

Written Language Instructor/ AHA

Sandy 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

Written Language Instructor/ AHA

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.

When Keryn moved permanently to beautiful Tasmania, she performed many voluntary and varied working roles to fit in with the lives of her 2 busy, young children. Keryn loves helping people enjoy language and reading and working as part of a team is what she does best. When she’s not working, you’ll find Keryn in her car driving her children around or courtside at netball or basketball. She also loves travel, food, gardening and watching AFL/NBL/SSN games.

Jennifer Simpson

Written Language Instructor/ AHA

Jennifer has over 25 years of teaching experience, working in schools in Western Australia. She has taught a variety of grade levels, in a variety of country towns, whilst also raising her two, now adult, sons. Over the last five years Jennifer's interests have developed in English, especially in spelling and reading. She loves to see the joy in children when they learn to read.

In 2023 Jennifer and her husband (and dog, Bella) decided to move to Tasmania to be closer to her husband's family. She now enjoys a quieter lifestyle, living on a farm with the cows, sheep and chickens. Away from work, Jennifer enjoys gardening, reading, cooking and exploring new places in her caravan.

Kate Allen

Allied Health Assistant

Kate studied Agricultural Science and spent 20 years working in field research. Through her own journey supporting her children’s difficulties, Kate observed firsthand the crucial and diverse role that speech pathologists play in children's lives and the impact that this support and early intervention can have on helping them reach their potential. This ultimately led to her new career as an Allied Health Assistant. Kate is passionate about evidence-based treatment that looks at not just the symptoms but also the cause, and the potential for collaboration between healthcare professionals to achieve this.

On her weekends, Kate enjoys watching her children play soccer and exploring the local parks and reserves with her family, friends and dog. In the holidays she looks forward to heading further afield, to bushwalk and spend time at the beach.

Alysha Chugg

Administration Officer

Alysha works as our Administration Officer. She graduated with a Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood) in 2001. She has worked in a range of education and care settings, most recently as an Early Learning teacher in a local primary school.

Alysha developed an interest in speech therapy when her daughter, then a toddler, attended sessions with Tania. In 2024, after spending time raising her three daughters, Alysha decided to pursue work in the industry, and is now enjoying the new challenge of working as an Administration Officer.

Alysha’s favourite place in the world is her home and she loves spending time with her family, dogs and horses. She enjoys cooking, reading and 90’s grunge music. She also loves spending time at her ‘happy place’, Hawley Beach.

Charlotte Brunning

Junior Admin Assistant

Charlotte is employed as a Junior Admin Assistant. She prepares resources for our staff and clients. Charlotte is currently completing high school, and enjoys ballet dancing and hanging out with her friends.

Jessica Terry

Speech Pathologist - Currently on maternity leave

Jessica is a Speech Pathologist with over 10 years experience in supporting children and families overcome communication challenges. She has worked across a variety of settings in NSW and Tasmania. Jessica is a Certified Practicing Member of Speech Pathology Australia, and is passionate about providing quality client-centred care that is supported by the best available clinical evidence. Outside of work, Jessica enjoys paddock BBQs, fishing, reading, mountain biking and making delicious food.

Liz Petty

Allied Health Assistant

Liz is a Master of Speech Pathology student at the University of Tasmania (UTAS) with a diverse professional background. A former Registered Nurse, she later worked in organisational psychology while completing undergraduate psychology studies. Years spent beef farming on Flinders Island, where her two children grew up, strengthened her belief in the power of allied health and early intervention to help children thrive. After her children finished school, Liz completed a Graduate Diploma in Psychological Science and commenced her Master of Speech Pathology. She brings a practical, community-focused perspective and a commitment to evidence-based, family-centred care. On weekends, you’ll find her in the veggie patch.