Karen graduated from the University of Queensland, with a Bachelor of Speech Therapy in 1976 and Post Graduate Studies in Health Management in 2000 (QUT). Karen’s professional life has been over 45 years of diversity in both scope of clinical practice with children, adult, aged, dementia & palliative care management to a variety of service delivery models in NGO, ‘not for profit’, education, healthcare and private practice settings.
Her interest in working with people living with Parkinson’s developed in the 1990’s when working in Day Rehabilitation Programs in several locations. This continued during her role as District Director for Speech Pathology for the Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Service where she enabled staff to attend numerous training programs for Parkinson’s.
Karen’s enthusiasm grew after completing the Parkinson Voice Project’s (PVP) professional training program and attending the PVP Symposium in Dallas Texas. A wonderful team of likeminded clinicians and dedicated supporters lead to the subsequent development of Restoring Hope Parkinson’s Therapy.
Karen was in the first small group of Speech Pathologist’s in Australia trained in the Parkinson Voice Project’s SPEAK OUT!® and LOUD Crowd® programs. She is dedicated to ensuring that people living with PD have access to professionally sound, timely and effective therapy.
The SPEAK OUT! ® program has demonstrated to me that we can truly change the communication skills of people living with Parkinson’s Disease in a timely and effective manner. These changes can be maintained over time and are based on robust therapy development and sound clinical evidence.