Occupation: Speech Pathologist
Tell us, where are you from and how did you get to be a speech pathologist in the Pilbara region?
I was born and raised in Perth, WA. I never saw myself moving to the country, let own an isolated remote town like Paraburdoo! I found myself moving to the Pilbara for love, following my long-term partner so that he could pursue his career passions – I have now been living in Paraburdoo for almost 2 years and have never looked back!
What are your professional interests/specialities? Currently my skill set as a speech pathologist is as a rural generalist, working with clients across the lifespan and in a variety of settings (inpatient, outpatient, child developmental services, disability). I am working towards becoming a knowledgeable and skilled clinician in paediatric feeding and hope to one day be a certified lactation consultant recognised by the IBCLC.
What do you love about the Pilbara? I love the strong sense of community in the Pilbara. I have found that you form strong friendships much quicker when living remotely as everyone is in the same boat and isolated from their network – many of the people we have met since moving to Paraburdoo are friends who have become family. I also love how many adventures are right at our doorstep! Being outdoorsy people, the Pilbara is the place to be!
Did you always want to be a Speech Pathologist? Why? When I graduated high-school, I had no idea what profession I wanted to enter. On a whim I began studying Architecture after finishing high-school, but very quickly realised this was not the profession for me. It was my friend’s mum who told me she thought I would make a good speech pathologist, which ultimately led to a degree swap – utter luck!
What are your passions? Outside of work, my passions are being outdoors, surrounded by family and friends! I also love cooking and creating new recipes to feed my family and friends.
When you aren’t working, where will we find you? Generally in the kitchen or outdoors exploring with my partner and dogs!
