Caitlin Breheny studied Speech Pathology and Audiology at Stellenbosch University, South Africa. Caitlin moved to Australia after graduating and began her career working in early intervention with the Autism Association of WA. This career move ignited a passion for empowering families faced with disabilities and supporting each child holistically through family-centred practice. Having lived and worked in rural, remote Western Australia for over thirteen years, Caitlin is familiar with the difficulties and challenges faced by families needing to access health services in these regions. Her determination to provide more options for families in Karratha and its surrounds drove her to open up Connect Paediatric Therapy services in 2016 to bring evidence-based, multidisciplinary services to the Pilbara. Caitlin and her husband have three boys aged between 7 and 12 years old. When she is not at work, she enjoys venturing with her family on a boat or in a caravan, exploring the beautiful Pilbara.

(On Parental Leave)

Millie was born and raised in Melbourne, Victoria. She moved to Karratha in October 2020, after completing her final year placement in the Kimberley (2018) and falling in love with the stunning landscapes and incredible lifestyle that the west provides.

Tara holds a Bachelor of Psychology from the University of Western Australia and is an NDIS-registered Proficient PBS Practitioner. She began her Positive Behaviour Support career in Perth, working as a behavioural therapist under the supervision of a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst (BCBA). During this time, she supported children with complex behavioural needs and developed strong skills in functional behaviour assessment, data-informed planning, and parent coaching.

After moving to the Pilbara, Tara joined Connect as a PBS Practitioner in 2022. She has a strong passion for paediatrics and loves working with children, young people, and their families. Tara is dedicated to helping families understand their strengths and supporting the systems around each child to better meet their needs across home, school, and community settings. Her work is grounded in a family-centred approach, celebrating the small steps that lead to meaningful, long-term progress.

Outside of work, Tara enjoys exploring the Northwest and spending time with her foster-fail puppy, Winston – usually with an iced latte in hand.

Lowri fell in love with rural and remote practice after completing practical placements in Karratha and Carnarvon during her final year studying Speech Pathology at Curtin University. She is delighted to have returned to the Pilbara to help children and families achieve their communication goals.

Lowri grew up in Perth and gained a Bachelor of Biomedical Science before moving to Europe where she spent two years travelling and exploring. Upon her return to Australia, she found her passion for Speech Pathology and has never looked back! Lowri worked for eight years in literacy and educational support for children with learning disorders and is enthusiastic about promoting communication in all its wonderful forms.

On weekends she enjoys swimming, playing sport, eating brunch and taking her swag out for a night under the stars. She is excited to continue exploring the Pilbara, the North West of Australia and beyond.

Shayn has recently moved to Karratha with her husband and two children. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. After graduating, Shayn worked as a speech therapist and audiologist at a mainstream school which catered for special education needs. She went on to run her own practice in South Africa. She was part of a multidisciplinary team for children with ADHD, cerebral palsy, and other learning difficulties in each setting she worked in and as such she is passionate about supporting children to reach their true potential by working in a multidisciplinary team. Shayn loves spending time with her family and exploring the Pilbara.

Anja has been living in Karratha since 2005 with her husband and three children. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree in Primary Education and then a Post Graduate Degree in Education in Special Needs at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. After graduating, Anja worked as a relief teacher in London for 2 years, working in a mainstream and special needs setting. She went on to work as a special needs teacher in a primary school in South Africa. She was part of a multidisciplinary team for children with ADHD, cerebral palsy, and other learning difficulties. Anja also has experience working as an Indigenous tutorial facilitator at KSHS. She has completed further training in Sounds-Write and has completed a Certificate in Mental Health. She is passionate about supporting children to reach their true potential by working in a multidisciplinary team. Anja loves travelling, reading, photography and going out on the boat with her family and friends.

Prarthana moved to Perth with her family in 2007 and has spent most of her life in Perth. She studied her Bachelor of Speech Pathology at Curtin University.  Prarthana found a passion for rural and remote practice after finishing her placement in Derby during her final year. She discovered a love for working with children in Derby and during her time working as an allied health assistant. She spent one and a half years in Geraldton working at the regional hospital with people across the mid-west. She moved to Karratha in Jan 2025 and is very excited to explore more of the Pilbara and continue working with regional communities. 

On her days off enjoys travelling, being outdoors, reading and spending time with her dog (Daisy).

Background: Originally from Darwin NT, Lara has recently moved to the Pilbara region to continue building skills in providing services to Paediatric specific populations supporting individuals to develop their speech and language skills and achieve their goals.

Training and experience: Lara has a Bachelor of Health Science/Masters of Speech and Language Therapy with previous experience working in NDIS-related areas including support work, supporting individuals with diverse needs within an educational context as well as her previous role in working as a new graduate speech pathologist with participants across the lifespan to build their skills and achieve their speech and language goals. 

Passion: Early language intervention and working collaboratively with caregivers in supporting goals for their child. Working collaboratively with classroom teachers and educators to support individuals in accessing the curriculum and achieving their academic goals. 

Hobbies and interests: Lara enjoys keeping active, creating art and camping adventures.

Location: Christmas Island 

Background: Bronte has recently returned to living on Christmas Island and is excited to provide support to the Indian Ocean Territories. 

Training and experience: Bronte studied Speech Pathology at Curtin University. After graduating she worked in Perth supporting NDIS participants to achieve their goals. Bronte is a certified HANEN: More Than Words coach and has trained in Talk for Writing.

Passion: Bronte is passionate about supporting others with their literacy, speech, and language development, and approaching social communication goals with a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Hobbies and interests: Outside of work Bronte enjoys travelling, arts and crafts, nature photography, and scuba diving.

Sarah was born in South Australia but spent most of her Primary years in Esperance before moving overseas to Bahrain with her family for high school. She is married with two children, a dog, a cat and many fish.

Sarah initially graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Physiology then went on to do a Masters in Occupational Therapy, graduating in 2005. Her first job was working at Carnarvon Hospital for 5 years before travelling overseas and working in the UK for 18months. On returning to Australia in 2011, she got a job at Population Health in Karratha and has been here ever since.

The 2-year plan has come and gone a long time ago! She has much experience across a varied caseload from birth to death but has moved more and more towards working with kids in the last couple of years. She has trained in Floor Time-DIR, SOS Mealtimes, Making sense of senses, Learn to Play, CO-OP and has had lots of experience in complex equipment prescriptions.

Her passions are working in Mealtimes and with picky eating and working with families at the beginning of their journeys with disability. Recently her CO-OP training has also re-awakened her passion for working with older children to solve difficulties in their everyday lives.  She is extremely passionate about closing the gap in health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

In her free time, Sarah likes going out on the boat with her family, traveling to new places, reading (when she gets the time) and eating!

Amelia is originally from Melbourne but has lived in the south-west of Perth for the majority of her life. She moved to Karratha over 2 years ago with her young family that keep her very busy. She completed her Master of Occupational Therapy Services in Perth and is now one of our Senior Occupational Therapists at Connect PTS. She has over 7 years of paediatrics experience. She has completed the Circle of Security Training, which she is very passionate about and working with clients and their families to achieve all their goals. Amelia feels so blessed to work with all the wonderful Pilbara families and feels she is constantly learning from them. You will often find Amelia spending time with her family and friends or heading out to the islands on the boat doing lots of fishing.

Emily grew up in the Wheatbelt of WA before heading to Perth to study Occupational Therapy at Curtin University. She made the move to Karratha in 2016 for her first OT role at Connect — back when the team was just her and Caitlin working out of a granny flat! Since then, Emily has worn many hats, from OT to Senior OT to Clinical Services Manager, and now works in a projects role while juggling life with her twins. She’s especially passionate about parent coaching and Circle of Security Parenting, helping families feel confident and connected. When she’s not at work, you’ll likely find her camping, free diving, at CrossFit, or getting lost in a good book — ideally with a coffee in hand.

Lara grew up on her family farm in the Wheatbelt before moving to Perth for boarding school and university. Lara completed her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Curtin University and graduated with Honours. Lara worked as a swimming instructor and paediatric support worker whilst studying, and was also fortunate to have completed a paediatric placement in Karratha during her final year at Curtin. Lara is passionate about providing access to quality services for families who live in rural and remote communities and has a particular interest in sensory and emotional regulation. In her spare time, Lara loves exploring the Pilbara with friends, swimming and spending time with her dog, Lola.

Charlie was born and raised in Perth where he completed his primary and secondary schooling. Charlie completed his Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy at Curtin University and graduated with Honours. Whilst studying, Charlie worked as a disability support worker and sport coach (field hockey and basketball). Following a final year clinical placement in Kununurra, Charlie was inspired to begin his career in rural WA and decided to move to the Pilbara. Outside of work, Charlie spends his time running, watching sport and going out for a coffee with friends. 

Growing up in Perth, Mel has always had an interest in connecting with and helping others. Mel graduated from Curtin University with a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy and was fortunate enough to have two regional and rural paediatric placements in her final year of university, including Connect PTS in Karratha. This sparked her interest in working with remote communities, especially paediatric clients and their families, and the country lifestyle. Mel has previously worked at a paediatric private practice in Geraldton, helping to support families accessing NDIS and private services. She then moved to the Population Health department at Geraldton Regional Hospital which allowed her to travel and work across rural and remote WA during 2024. Mel loves finding creative ways to explore clients’ strengths to help them achieve goals that are uniquely important to them and their families. She has a particular interest in sensory processing and regulation. Mel has a passion for travelling, both in WA and overseas, and always has an adventure lined up! She loves going to the beach, adding to her extensive book collection, hanging out with her (very) energetic border collie, Frankie, and exploring the Pilbara with friends.

Background: Sahna grew up in Perth but has recently moved to the Pilbara following a university placement where she spent 2 months here. While at university, she always knew that she wanted to work closely with children and their families, specifically in disability, helping them achieve their goals. 

Training and experience: Sahna has a Bachelor of Science (Occupational Therapy) with honours which she completed at Curtin University. She has previous experience in the NDIS space working as a disability support worker, as well as experience with children working at an OSHC club. She has also spent some time working as a geriatric occupational therapist straight her registration.

Passion: Sahna is passionate about working with children and their caregivers, providing access to quality services for families who live in rural and remote communities. 

Hobbies and interests: Sahna enjoys staying active, spending her days at the beach and cooking! She also loves a camping mission over the weekend. 

Janine moved to Karratha in 2016 and is the mother of 3 young children. She graduated from The University of Sydney with a Bachelor Degree in Physiotherapy in 2006. Janine has experience working with both adults and children in the hospital and private practice settings. Over the past 5 years Janine has predominately worked with children in the private practice setting where she has developed a keen interest in children’s continence. She has furthered her training in this area by completing her Graduate Certificate in Clinical Physiotherapy (Continence and Pelvic health) and has also completed the APA level 1 Paediatric Physiotherapy course.  Janine also has extensive experience working in the public health sector in various locations, including orthopaedics, rehabilitation, surgical and cardiorespiratory. Janine has a passion for supporting individuals with complex needs and helping them to achieve their individual goals.

Janine enjoys exploring the beautiful Pilbara outdoors with her husband and 3 energetic children in her spare time. She loves camping, going to the beach and spending time with family and friends.

Originally from Perth, Nina completed her Physiotherapy and Exercise & Sport Science studies at the University of Notre Dame. Since moving to Karratha in 2020, she has worked exclusively with children, developing a particular interest in complex disabilities.

In 2024, Nina completed a Master of Advanced Paediatric Physiotherapy Practice from Monash University, ensuring a high-quality approach to management of children with developmental delays, paediatric disabilities, and child-specific conditions. Nina is passionate about empowering children and families to achieve the goals that matter most to them—whether it’s joining a sports team, climbing into their family boat, balancing on a paddleboard, pedalling a trike, or something entirely unique.

Outside of work, Nina enjoys exploring the Pilbara, playing sports, and sewing her own clothes.

Corinne has always been passionate about health, fitness, and food, which led her to pursue an Exercise and Sports Science degree. While studying, her interest in nutrition deepened, and she decided to become a Dietitian. This prompted her to complete a Masters in Nutrition & Dietetics, where she developed a particular interest in Paediatric Dietetics. After a community placement in Roebourne, Corinne was drawn to the lifestyle in the Pilbara and decided to make it her home.

During her training, she completed six months of placement in various settings, including hospitals in Perth. One highlight was her clinical paediatric rotation at a large tertiary hospital, which gave her valuable experience in Paediatric Dietetics.

Corinne is passionate about supporting children and families in achieving their nutrition and growth goals. By providing the tools and knowledge, she aims to empower families to make informed decisions confidently.

In her free time, Corinne enjoys being outdoors, walking, going to the beach, exploring, going to the gym, watching the footy, and spending time with friends.

Helen is Sydney born and raised by Greek migrants and has also lived in Greece, Newcastle, Bundaberg and Brisbane. In 2019 Helen completed a Bachelor of Social Work at Western Sydney University and has worked at the Child and Family Health Services in Taree. Helen also worked as a Mental Health Support Worker in Newcastle and as a Case Manager at Headspace in Bundaberg for Youth and Family Services in Brisbane. Helen has moved to the Pilbara to be closer to her grandchildren and to fulfil a lifelong goal of working with families in a remote setting.

Helen has completed training in Re-navigating Anger & Guilty Emotions (RAGE) Program and Managing the Bull (building resilience in bullied youth) Program and family unit mediation.

When Helen is not advocating for the mental wellbeing of children, young people and supporting families to navigate adversities she enjoys travelling, discovering her new Pilbara home and spending every moment with her grandchildren.

Blaine’s passion lies in engaging children with challenging behaviours and supporting families to be curious about what is driving behaviour.

Blaine has a Bachelor of Psychology through the University of Arizona in the United States and has been working in early intervention for over 7 years. She discovered her passion for working in early intervention while working as a research assistant in college, which led to her becoming an ABA therapist. Throughout her time as an ABA therapist, Blaine discovered her interest in autism, understanding behaviour, and working with families.

Since being at Connect, Blaine has been supporting an array of clients, including clients with Pathological Demand Avoidance, and teenagers involved in the juvenile justice system. Blaine looks forward to continuing to support families with disabilities in the Pilbara in 2024!

(Assessments Only)

Naomi is a highly experienced Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of practice. Her area of interests include the assessment and therapy of children and adolescents. With a focus on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and learning difficulties, she brings a wealth of expertise to her role at CPTS. Naomi has spent the last 15 years conducting developmental assessments in private practice and was previously part of the Child Wellbeing Centre in Perth, where she trained and led a team of psychologists in autism screening and assessment.

In addition to her professional background, Naomi has lived experience with autism in her family, providing her with unique insight and empathy in her work. She has also overseen the growth and development of multidisciplinary teams, including speech therapists, occupational therapists, and psychologists, ensuring high standards of care. Naomi has played a key role in developing early intervention programs for young children with developmental disabilities, shaping the future for many families.

Naomi’s career began in the Pilbara, and she is excited to return to Karratha, bringing her extensive knowledge and skills to support the community once again.

Jacinta is Kununurra born and bred. She attended boarding school in Perth and remained there to attend Business College, before returning to Kununurra. In her early 20’s Jacinta travelled overseas – living in the UK and visiting many parts of Europe – before returning to Perth to raise her son and start an 18-year career with the State Government. During this time, she worked in various divisions of Revenue WA. Most recently, Jacinta’s role involved reconciling the First Homeowner Grant, monitoring budgets, reporting, and data analysis. She has also worked in various industries including law firms, hospitals, banks, and pubs. Jacinta moved to Karratha in January 2020 with her partner and youngest son. Being a Kimberley kid, Jacinta loves the lifestyle and thinks the Pilbara weather is perfect.  Jacinta is sports mad – however, prefers the spectator kind! If she’s not watching a game, match, or race of some sort she is usually enjoying the warmth of the sun with a cold beverage in hand.

Lauren was raised in South Africa and moved to Melbourne, Australia at the age of 20. Having completed a Bachelor of Commerce in Human Resources she worked for the next 10 years in both commercial and not-for-profit disability sectors. Lauren moved to Karratha in 2014 with her husband and four children and subsequently worked as a Special Needs Education Assistant and provided Literacy intervention to primary school children. Lauren is very passionate about her role at Connect and is eager to share her knowledge and experience with the team. In her spare time Lauren enjoys swimming, fishing, paddleboarding, reading and spending time relaxing with her family.

I was born and raised in the Philippines but moved to Australia in the year 2015. My family and I lived in the Southwest in my early years. Later, I travelled around, once I reached the Pilbara I made this place my home. 

I have Certificates in Business Admin, Community Services, Diploma in Early Childhood Care and am currently studying a Diploma in Community Services (Case Management). I have volunteered in the community service sector and have also worked in a childcare.

Community services allowed me to have different experiences and opportunities to grow and explore. I then found myself falling in love with supporting emotional, social, and developmental stages of a child. 

In my spare time you will find me at home crafting, cooking and baking delicious goodies.

Amber grew up in the Pilbara her whole life and enjoys living in Karratha. She has an older sister, and 2 dogs. Amber has recently completed Year 12 in 2025 as well as a Certificate II in Community Health and Services and a Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance. She aims to help support and provide help to those who need it. In her free time Amber enjoys playing netball, going paddleboarding, and spending time with her 2 dogs.

Lucie was born in Melbourne and moved to Karratha in 2014 with her family. As a 2025 high school graduate, she is interested in support work and working within the disability sector after university where she is attending 2027. She has 3 siblings and a dog. Lucie in her free time enjoys going to the gym, spending time with family and friends and swimming at the beach.

Amber is originally from New Zealand. She made the move to Karratha in 2015, chasing new opportunities and fell in love with the place. Once she had her daughter she knew she wanted to raise her in this amazing Pilbara community and it’s been their home ever since.

Amber has worked everywhere from retail to hospitality, but her own experience accessing additional support services for her daughter was a real lightbulb moment and inspired her to shift careers into the paediatric space and it’s given her a passion to help other families navigate their journeys.

On her days off she love a slow morning with a coffee and crossword, family movie nights, doing arts and crafts with her daughter and enjoying the local community events Karratha has to offer.

Originally from Scotland, Yolanda moved to Karratha in 2013 while travelling — met her husband and never left Australia! They later moved to Perth to follow her partner’s work, where she worked in hospitality before moving into finance. Moving back to the Pilbara was always on the cards, though, as her husband grew up here, and they both wanted to be closer to good friends. Plus, they just love the Pilbara life and the heat!

Over the years, Yolanda has worked in a lot of hospitality roles throughout her travels, from managing cafés to fine dining restaurants, before eventually moving into a client services role for a financial planning company in Perth, where she spent 5 years.

Her real passions are coffee and travelling whenever she gets the chance. On weekends, you’ll usually find her enjoying coffee and a good walk. Now that she’s back in the Pilbara, getting out on the water fishing and soaking up everything this region has to offer is high on the priority list.

She also loves a good baking session; she started out making pizza dough and focaccias, but she’s always had a soft spot for baking sweets too.