Our team
Director
Christina Samy
Christina graduated with a Master of Speech and Language Pathology from Macquarie University in 2018. With extensive experience across public and private healthcare settings, she has developed deep expertise in managing complex communication and swallowing needs in disability, neurodegenerative, and aged care populations. As director, Christina supports service development and contributes to strategic planning to enhance service delivery. She is passionate about evidence-based, person-centred care and works closely with clients and their families to acheive meaningful communication and swallowing outcomes.
Clinical Director
Colleen Kerr
Colleen Kerr has worked as a Speech Pathologist for more than forty years with extensive experience in adult communication and swallowing disorders in acute, rehabilitation and community settings. Her interests include Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Parkinson’s Disease and Voice Disorders. Colleen is a registered SPEAK Out! Provider with additional certification in a range of interventions for voice clients. She has worked as a Lifetime Care and Support Dispute Assessor in Traumatic Brain Injury, and has published internationally in this field. She is a clinical affiliate of both the CCRE Aphasia and Moving Head CRE Brain Injury. Colleen has provided medicolegal expert opinion for clients with Traumatic Brain Injury in addition to assisting with legal representation of clients with aphasia.
Giordana Amato
Giordana graduated with a Master’s degree in Communicative Sciences and Disorders from New York University in 2015. Over the past 9 years she has worked as a speech pathologist in the United States and United Kingdom, across acute, in-patient rehabilitation and long-term care settings. She has developed advanced skills in the management of communication and swallowing disorders in adults with acquired neurological conditions, including stroke, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative conditions. Giordana is passionate about helping individuals achieve functional, values-based goals.
Patrick Mardini
Patrick graduated from a Master of Speech Language Pathology in 2021. He has had a variety of clinical experience, working in private practice, disability and aged care settings. Through his experience and individual research, Patrick has developed a strong passion to work in the rehabilitation setting, including clients with Parkinson’s, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, stroke and acquired brain injury.
Juliana Kichkin
Juliana is a Speech Pathologist with a strong clinical interest in Motor Neuron Disease (MND) and Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). She graduated with a Master of Speech Language Pathology from the University of Sydney in 2021 and has worked across public, private and multidisciplinary settings.
Juliana has developed strong clinical capability in assessing and managing bulbar changes, dysarthria, dysphagia and communication changes associated with neurodegenerative and functional conditions and is trained in the SPEAK OUT! program for Parkinson’s disease and works extensively with clients experiencing voice, speech and swallowing changes.
She contributes to the development of clear assessment pathways, structured therapy blocks and emerging group-based programs, supporting consistent, coordinated and accessible care for clients and their families.
Administration
Michelle Bonaccordo
Michelle is our Practice Manager and has a background in Human Resources. She is on board to manage our patient database and assist with the day to day administration requirements of the practice. Michelle also assists with new enquiries and invoicing and will often be the voice on the phone if you are making an appointment.