Who we are

Committee Members include professionals with significant experience in the early childhood intervention field, with both a research and practice focus

Executive Team

Dr Christine Johnson

Associate Professor, School of Education, Western Sydney University

Dr Christine Johnson

Associate Professor, School of Education, Western Sydney University

Dr Christine Johnston is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Western Sydney University. She teaches primarily in the Master of Inclusive Education course in subjects focused on person/family-centred practice and practitioner research. A strong thread throughout her research program is that of linking research to practice. This can be seen in a current project Living Well with Global Developmental Delay which is using co-design to develop a website for families who have a child with global developmental delay. The project team comprises researchers, practitioners and parents who are working together to develop resources to support families. Another project, in conjunction with PRECI, is concerned with identifying the learning needs of ECI professionals. Chris has served on a number of Boards for community organisations and professional associations. She is delighted to be Director of PRECI as it works to bring together practitioners and researchers to champion and support evidence-based practice in ECI.

Denise Luscombe

ECI Consultant, Director Postural Care Australia, Paediatric Physiotherapist

Denise Luscombe

ECI Consultant, Director Postural Care Australia, Paediatric Physiotherapist

Denise is a paediatric physiotherapist who has worked in the field of ECI for over 35 years. She has a passion for practice: she enjoys translating research into practice and ensuring fidelity of practice in the work she and others do. To support this, Denise provides consultancy aand training in evidence-informed ECI practice including coaching, routines- and interest-based intervention and responsive parenting. And she is always keen to talk to anyone interested in supporting lying for children with physical disability! Denise enjoys providing voluntary support to professionals and families overseas where the supports and knowledge base may not be as readily available. She is on the Expert Advisory Group for UNICEF's Europe and Central Asia Region. She is particularly appreciative of all that she has learnt from families, children and colleagues, over the years, both here and overseas. Denise is delighted to be the current Chair of PRECI as it works to bring together practitioners and researchers to champion and support evidence-based practice in ECI. She is keen to engage more with members and involve them in the activities of PRECI at both a state/territory and national level.

Paula Buttigieg

PRECI Director (WA)

Paula Buttigieg

PRECI Director (WA)

Hailing from far North Queensland, Paula studied occupational therapy and began her career in Sydney, then worked her way around Australia before settling in Perth in 2001. Paula has devoted her OT life to working with young children with disability and developmental delay and their families in transdisciplinary, community-based settings. Paula has participated in and presented on a number of small to medium research projects including investigating specific therapy interventions and using the MPOC (Measure of Processes Of Care) to evaluate how well her organisation implemented Family Centred Practice. Early in her career she recognised the benefit and reward of working collaboratively with families in order to get the best outcomes for children. She continues to enjoy working with children and families directly as a therapist and key worker. She is also the Co-Director of a transdisciplinary therapy organisation and is passionate about continually developing the skills of practitioners to work with families and children using best practice principles. She is also driven by finding better ways to engage children and their families in making decisions about and having input into the supports they receive. Outside of work commitments, Paula has been a long-serving committee and board member on state and national early childhood intervention representative bodies. She is thrilled to be a member of the inaugural PRECI board, engaging with such a dynamic, proactive, knowledgeable and diverse range of practitioners and researchers from across Australia.

Directors

Megan Fox

National Early Childhood Specialist, Mission Australia

Megan Fox

National Early Childhood Specialist, Mission Australia

Megan's dedication to promoting equity for children began at the outset of her career within Early Childhood settings, it was the children and families she connected and share experiences with both in the centre and out in the community that lead her to specialise as a teacher in special education. Megan currently holds the role of National Early Childhood Specialist with Mission Australia's Partner in the Community services. Her dedication lies in the implementation of evidence-based practices to ensure positive outcomes for children and their families. Throughout her career, Megan has actively contributed to a number of working groups & joint submission’s, assisting to shape positive initiatives in the field. Living in regional NSW, it is no surprise that Megan is an advocate for children and families for better access and supports regardless of geographic location. However, what truly energises Megan is the opportunity to connect and collaborate. Megan looks forward to fostering meaningful connections and driving collaborative efforts towards a more inclusive future.

Dr Susana Gavidia-Payne

Adjunct Associate Professor, Educational and Developmental Psychology, RMIT University

Dr Susana Gavidia-Payne

Adjunct Associate Professor, Educational and Developmental Psychology, RMIT University

Susana is an Adjunct Associate Professor in Educational and Developmental Psychology at RMIT University’s School of Education. She was worked extensively with young children with developmental concerns, delays or disability and their families as a practising psychologist, early childhood intervention service (ECI) director and researcher for the last 40 years. Susana’s research prioritises evidence-based policy and practice that enable and constrain children’s development and family well-being. Her work has led to the establishment of close research collaborations with community-based services and practitioners, which has supported the joint development of conceptual frameworks and methodologies guiding the implementation of ECI evidence-based practices. She has published widely in a range of peer-reviewed national and international journals, receiving research awards in 2009 and 2015 for publications in ECI-related topics. She is a member of the Coordinating Committee for the International Society on Early Intervention (ISEI), and co-chairs its Education and Training special interest group. In collaboration with her PRECI colleagues and others, Susana’s work and passion focus on the establishment of links between ECI policy, research and practice that lead to the effective implementation of services to deliver best outcomes for children and families.

Dr Tim Moore

Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Centre

Dr Tim Moore

Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children's Research Centre

Tim is a child psychologist who has been involved in the early childhood intervention field for over 40 years, as a practitioner, researcher, trainer and policy consultant. He has taken a leading role nationally in the development of policy and training in the early childhood intervention field. Tim’s current role at the Centre for Community Child Health involves monitoring, reviewing and synthesising research literature on a wide range of topics relating to child development, family functioning, early childhood intervention, and early childhood service systems. He has been the principal writer on numerous CCCH reviews, reports and policy briefs, many of which have had a significant impact on policy and practice, nationally and internationally. Tim and colleagues first proposed the establishment of a research centre for ECI services decades ago, so he is delighted to be part of PRECI because of its focus on bridging the gap between research and practice. He continues to be energised by the drive to learn more about how to achieve the best outcomes for young children with developmental disabilities and their families. He is also energised by the collegiate nature of, and continues to be rewarded by, the ongoing partnerships he has formed along the way – with fellow PRECI Board members, and other national and international ECI colleagues.

Kerry Dominish

CEO EarlyEd, Speech Pathologist

Kerry Dominish

CEO EarlyEd, Speech Pathologist

Kerry is a Speech Pathologist and CEO of EarlyEd, a long-established provider of family-centred early childhood intervention services. Her past and current roles in the speech pathology and ECI sectors have supported communities to meaningfully include young children in everyday community and educational situations (Play for All Australia, VIVID NSW, Everyone Can Play). Her recent partnerships and grants have filled gaps in information and services for families and professionals related to early literacy, early play, toy libraries, early active play in parks and playgrounds and school readiness. Kerry has been a long-serving volunteer committee and board member for many local and national community organisations. She values the way the not-for-profit sector can provide innovative and practical solutions for communities by advocating and then initiating, and implementing activities that are responsive to community challenges and changes. Kerry is committed to facilitating early access to evidence-based best practices for children and capacity building support for families and professionals. As an inaugural member of the PRECI Board, Kerry has been excited to be part of the many collaborative and educational activities PRECI has already undertaken and the prospect of increasing our knowledge and skills to better meet the needs of Australian children and families. She looks forward to the promising opportunities for practitioners, researchers and policy makers in the early childhood sectors, presenting at this critical time of sector reflection and review.

Dr Charmaine Bernie

Clinician, Researcher and Educator

Dr Charmaine Bernie

Clinician, Researcher and Educator

Dr Charmaine Bernie is a senior paediatric occupational therapist, lecturer and researcher with over two decades of early years’ experience across community, tertiary hospital and university settings. She completed her PhD on supporting families' pathways to autism diagnosis with the University of Melbourne in 2022. During her studies, Charmaine measured feasibility and outcomes of coaching with families of children waiting for assessment services. Charmaine now trains other therapists to incorporate coaching, early support provisions for toddlers, and personalised occupation-focused supports into clinical practice. Charmaine’s research focuses on supporting children, families, health service providers and educators to come together to identify early needs and enable the delivery of supports for children where they usually spend their time, before and in their first years of school. Undergraduate and post-graduate training is a passionate area for Charmaine, who loves supporting higher degree research students on their journey to making impactful research contributions whilst achieving their qualifications. In her spare time, Charmaine’s favourite occupations are listening to and playing music, bike riding with her family, and playing fun but competitive table games. Charmaine is new to the PRECI Board in 2026, and is excited to learn from her colleagues as the year progresses.

Talia Pulis

CEO & Founder of Emble Allied Health, Speech Pathologist and Board Director (PRECI)

Talia Pulis

CEO & Founder of Emble Allied Health, Speech Pathologist and Board Director (PRECI)

Talia Pulis is a Speech Pathologist with over a decade of experience in early childhood intervention, supporting infants and young children aged birth to six years and their families. She has worked across private and not-for-profit settings and brings extensive experience as a Key Worker (and Speech Pathologist), partnering closely with families and teams to coordinate supports, build caregiver capacity, and promote children’s participation in everyday life. Talia is also the Founder and CEO of Emble Allied Health, where she leads the design and delivery of innovative, integrated allied health services across speech pathology, occupational therapy, psychology, physiotherapy, dietetics, music therapy, art therapy and key working. Talia is passionate about advancing excellence, equity, and connection across research, practice, and policy in early childhood intervention. She brings a deep understanding of practice realities and system-level challenges, and is committed to strengthening the networks that support professionals, families, and young children.

Trish Wachtel

Area Manager, Early Childhood Approach, Early Childhood Australia

Trish Wachtel

Area Manager, Early Childhood Approach, Early Childhood Australia

Trish is a highly experienced developmental educator with over 30 years of expertise in the early childhood intervention sector, primarily within the Northern Territory. Her career has been defined by a deep commitment to supporting children with disabilities and their families, both in Australia and internationally. Trish spent two years in India working directly with children with disabilities, an experience that broadened her understanding of the social and cultural challenges faced by families in diverse global contexts. Currently, Trish serves as the Northern Territory Practice Operations Manager at Early Childhood Australia. In this role, she oversees the delivery of the Partner in Community, Early Childhood Approach for Darwin Urban and the Inclusion Support Program across the Northern Territory. Her work focuses on empowering families and early childhood educators by equipping them with the knowledge, confidence, and connections they need to support every child to thrive. Trish is passionate about driving equitable access to high-quality, evidence-based early intervention programs. Her dedication to improving outcomes for children with disabilities inspired her to join the board of PRECI, where she continues to advocate for inclusive opportunities for all children to learn, grow, and reach their full potential.

Lauren Falconer

Operations Manager

Lauren Falconer

Operations Manager

Lauren has been passionate about high-quality early childhood intervention from the outset of her career, having seen first-hand the critical impact of quality practice on the lives of children and families. Lauren finds joy in her work in seeing others achieve their goals, whether that be caregivers, children, educators or other professionals. In her current role at Noah's Ark, Lauren provides guidance and leadership to service delivery teams across Victoria, NSW and the ACT and has led the implementation of projects aimed at improving quality practice, including the introduction of a New Graduate Program. Lauren has also delivered training in best-practice early childhood approaches and in Routines-Based Interview nationally and internationally. Lauren is deeply committed to excellence and equity in early childhood intervention and is excited to bring this passion, along with a solid grounding in the implementation of quality, evidence-based practice to her work with PRECI.

Simone (Sam) Boag

Physiotherapist and Managing Director I Can Jump Puddles

Simone (Sam) Boag

Physiotherapist and Managing Director I Can Jump Puddles

Simone (Sam) Boag is a Physiotherapist with more than 30 years’ experience supporting infants, young children, and families through best-practice Early Childhood Intervention. She has worked across public, private, and not-for-profit settings and brings strong expertise in family-centred, strengths-based, and key worker approaches that build family and educator capacity and support children’s participation in everyday routines and environments. In 2004, Sam founded Ready Steady Go Kids, delivering inclusive movement programs that supported over 3,000 children aged 2–5 to develop foundational motor skills, confidence, and participation through play. She later returned to early intervention practice during the rollout of the NDIS, further strengthening her commitment to evidence-informed, relationship-based practice aligned with the National Best Practice Framework for Early Childhood Intervention. Sam is the Founder and Managing Director of I Can Jump Puddles, an NDIS-registered provider delivering Early Childhood Intervention through a multidisciplinary allied health team. She has experience working with rural and remote communities and is passionate about mentoring and upskilling practitioners to support the translation of research into practice and improve outcomes for children and families.

Dr Anoo Bhopti

PRECI Director (Vic)

Dr Anoo Bhopti

PRECI Director (Vic)

Dr. Anoo Bhopti is a Senior Lecturer and Course director of the Master of Occupational Therapy Practice Practice Course in the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Monash University. She is also a practising paediatric occupational therapist with a long-standing commitment to advancing evidence-based, family-centred, and inclusive practices in early childhood intervention (ECI). Anoo’s research focuses on childhood disability, family quality of life, parent occupations, parent and peer support, and the participation of children in home and community life. Her work bridges research and practice, with several studies directly informing ECI service delivery. Her findings on family quality of life and parent capacity-building programs (We Care and Now and Next) have been used to influence policy and service models. She has led multiple applied and translational research projects, with a focus on co-designing resources with families and practitioners. These include professional development tools, such as webinars, training workshops, and Communities of Practice, supporting best practice implementation across the sector. Anoo is a founding Board Director of PRECI and represents the organisation in the current National ECI Best Practice Framework project. She has also led international collaboration and research capacity-building in India and Vietnam, advancing global understanding of culturally relevant ECI practices. Anoo is an Associate Editor of BMJ Paediatrics Open Journal and regularly contributes to research translation efforts within the sector. She collaborates closely with families, services, and universities to ensure that research outcomes lead to meaningful, practice-level change.