Speakers – AHA Day 2025

Danielle Ryan (She/her/hers)

Chief Allied Health Officer, Monash Health

A dynamic executive leader from Australia’s health and social services industry, Danielle is passionate about improving the health and well-being of the Australian community.

Danielle is a strategic thinker with proven ability to translate strategy into operational outcomes in large, complex and changing organisational environments. An authentic and people orientated leader, she is renowned for working with teams and community members to bring people together through times of change. Danielle is a Physiotherapist with a Management Masters Degree, and a Williamson Community Leadership Alumna. She is currently Monash Health’s Chief Allied Health Officer and a Non-Executive Director with Care Connect.

Contact details:
Email: Danielle.Ryan@monashhealth.org
LinkedIn: Danielle Ryan | LinkedIn

Diva Grazzini (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 3, Kingston Community Rehabilitation, Monash Health

I began my career in healthcare as an Enrolled Nurse, always drawn to working closely with people. After returning to study, I knew public health was my calling. A recommendation from an Occupational Therapist friend led me to the Allied Health Assistant (AHA) pathway. I joined the locum bank after placement and have since grown into a multidisciplinary Grade 3 AHA at Monash Health-Community Rehab in a part time capacity. I particularly enjoy working in Oncology Rehab with Exercise Physiologists and Speech Pathology. My passion for supervising students evolved into teaching, and I now also work as a Trainer and Assessor at Chisholm Institute, helping shape future AHAs.

Notable achievements:

• Nomination for “Leadership in Allied Health Award” (Allied Health Day 2025)
• Winner of “Allied Health Education and Engagement Award” as part of the Kingston Community Rehabilitation Team (Allied Health Day 2025)

Contact details:
Email: Diva.grazzini@monashhealth.org

Fiona Poole (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Canberra Health Services / University of Canberra

Fiona is a multidisciplinary Allied Health Assistant with experience in a variety of settings including aged care, community care, acute care, and private services within Australia and internationally.
She has special interests in food and nutrition, and dementia. Currently working with Community Care Nutrition within Canberra Health Services and as a member of the Enhancing Aged Care in Older People trial with the University of Canberra.

Notable achievements:

• Enhancing Allied Health in Older People project with the University of Canberra.

Hana McCarthy (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Plena Healthcare / University of Canberra

Hana McCarthy is a current third year Bachelor of Occupational Therapy student at the University of Canberra. She became an Allied Health Assistant with Plena Healthcare in the first year of her degree to supplement her studies where she was then later at the beginning of 2025 invited to work on the University of Canberra’s Enhancing Allied Health for Older People in Residential Care pilot program at Calvary Haydon as an Allied Health Assistant and Research Assistant.

Alongside this, she also has one year of experience as a Disability Support Worker predominantly with children and is in her second year as a board member of the University of Canberra Occupational Therapy Society. Upon graduation, Hana is hoping to continue working with older adults in various settings to improve their quality of life coming towards the end of life.

Notable achievements:

• Allied Health Assistant/Research Assistant on the University of Canberra’s Enhancing Allied Health for Older People in Residential Care pilot program

Contact details:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hanamccarthy2002/

Hayley Downes (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 3, Speech Pathology

Austin Health – Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre

Hayley began her career as an Allied Health Assistant later in her working life, motivated by a strong interest in speech pathology. Over nearly 7 years, she has progressed from having limited experience to becoming a Grade 3 AHA, working closely with colleagues to support the AHA team. Through her involvement in the AHA portfolio, Hayley contributes to improving processes and strengthening team practices across the service.

Notable achievements:

• Hayley has presented at Monash AHA Day in 2022, 2024, and 2025
• Awarded the judges’ prize at the 2025 Austin Health Allied Health Quality Improvement Showcase.
• Actively involved in multiple AHA quality improvement projects.

Jamieson Sebire (She/her/hers)

Grade 3 Allied Health Assistant, Community Assessment and Response Team, Monash Health

Jamieson began working as an Allied Health Assistant with Monash Health in 2016. She currently works in the Community Assessment and Response Team as a multidisciplinary Allied Health Assistant, supporting Occupational Therapy and Exercise Physiology.
Prior to this role, she gained experience with the Community Rehabilitation team in Greater Dandenong and bed-based services at Casey Hospital, working across various allied health disciplines.

In addition to her clinical role, Jamieson is a Trainer and Assessor for students undertaking Certificate III and IV in Allied Health Assistance. She is passionate about supporting student development and is committed to knowledge-sharing, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the delivery of high-quality, client-centered care.

Contact details:
Email: jamieson.sebire@monashhealth.org

Kylie Saccotelli (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant and Support Workforce Advisor, Monash Health

Kylie completed the Certificate IV in Allied Health Assistance in 2012, and started her career as a Grade 2 Allied Health Assistant at Monash Health at the Kingston Centre, in the Physiotherapy department (Sub-Acute).
In 2017 Kylie joined the Rehabilitation in the Home team at Kingston centre as a Grade 3 Allied Health Assistant, and has worked in the Community Rehab team at the Kingston centre, working across the home based and centre based teams.

Kylie completed the Certificate IV in Training and Assessment through a Monash Health funded scholarship in 2021. Kylie has a keen interest in competencies and workplace training of AHAs and exploring how AHAs can contribute to organisations as leaders.

Kylie is currently the Monash Health Allied Health Assistant and Support Workforce Advisor in a parental leave interim position, the first Allied Health Assistant to hold this position at Monash Health.

Notable achievements:

• Presentations at National Allied Health Conference

Contact details:
Phone: 0487 626 297 / Email: kylie.saccotelli@monashhealth.org

Lucy Whitelaw (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Informatics Advisor, Monash Health

Lucy Whitelaw is a Social Worker by background and is employed as the Allied Health Informatics Advisor at Monash Health. She has her Master in Health Management, focusing on Digital Health innovations. She is passionate about building digital health capabilities for all allied health professionals and allied health assistants.

Lucy was awarded the Chief Allied Health Officer award in 2024 for her outstanding contributions to building digital capabilities and enabling technology to empower the Allied Health workforce to provide quality, safe and efficient care for their patients and consumers. Lucy was instrumental in the roll out of Monash Health’s new clinical communication platform Baret and recently implemented the Digital Health Capability Framework for Allied Health Professionals and Assistants and the Electronic Medical Record documentation audit at Monash Health. Lucy was a co leader in the well-executed implementation of leveraging technology to better support our most vulnerable: real-time Family Violence data and documentation standardisation. Additional, Lucy successfully co-led the ‘Transitioning into Residential Aged Care or Transition Care Program’ documentation and data dashboard project.

Contact details:
Email: lucy.whitelaw@monashhealth.org

Mahesh Paramasivan  (He/him/his)

Physiotherapy Workforce Clinical Educator, Monash Health

Mahesh is a physiotherapist with over 10 years of experience across acute hospitals, community rehab, and mental health. He currently works as a Physiotherapy Workforce Clinical Educator in the WISER unit, supporting staff development through education and training. With a postgrad qualification in Digital Education, he’s passionate about using innovative and engaging approaches to keep learners connected.

Notable achievements:

• Presented interstate at ANZAHPE conferences in 2024 and 2025
• Allied Health Award winner at Monash Health in 2024 (Education Team) and 2025 (Chief Allied Health Officer award – Leadership Facilitation Team)
• Graduate Certificate in Education Studies (Digital Education)

Contact details:
Email: mahesh.paramasivan@monashhealth.org

Matt Descalco

Consumer

My name’s Matt Descalco, and my story is one of resilience, consistency and rebuilding. I had a stroke on the 27th of December 2024, just a week after my 20th birthday. It left me completely paralysed from the neck down on the left side of my body. I’ve spent 2025 focussed almost entirely on recovery – regaining movement, confidence and independence step by step.

I’ve made steady progress physically, slowly returning to things that make my life feel like mine again. Every stage of recovery has required patience and consistency, it hasn’t been easy but  I’ve come to recognize how much each bit of progress stacks up over time. I’ve rebuilt strength and control on my left side, pushed through setbacks and always tried to keep a strong mindset throughout the journey.

I’m interested in music, fitness, sport and self development. I work at Bunnings where I plan to return in 2026 and I’m also working towards studying physiotherapy in the future so I can help others with their recovery journeys.

Looking ahead, my goal is to continue to improve physically, fully return to work, study, and a regular life of socialising, travelling and staying active as well as building a meaningful career as a physiotherapist –  using what I’ve learned through my own experience to help others in their own recoveries. I’m ultimately hoping to help set the standard in young stroke recovery and become an example of what’s possible with hard work and dedication.

Rana Scott

Allied Health Assistant Senior Clinician, Scope (Aust) Ltd

I have worked with Scope as an AHA for 6 years, recently being appointed as a Grade 3 Senior Clinician AHA. In that time I have been supporting the delivery of therapy programs in occupational and physio therapy, but mostly focusing on speech, including assisting with all things mealtime. As part of my Senior Clinician role I have begun working alongside 2 very experienced Grade 4 AHAs who make up Scope’s AHA Workforce Development Team.

I am currently working towards taking over the portfolio for education and training where I hope to be able to contribute to training, mentoring and building capability across the AHA workforce. I am committed to supporting best practice, professional growth and the ongoing development of high-quality allied health services.

Notable achievements:

• Appointed as Scope’s first Grade 3 AHA.
• Invited to work alongside Scope’s AHA Workforce Development Team

Contact details:
Email: RScott@scopeaust.org.au

Rebecca ‘Bec’ Casiano (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 3, Early Intervention Team, Monash Medical Centre Clayton, Monash Health

Bec is a committed Allied Health Assistant with over four years of experience at Monash Medical Centre, specialising in Occupational Therapy within acute care. She is passionate about inclusive, person-centred care and works closely with multidisciplinary teams to support positive patient outcomes.

Bec contributes to quality improvement initiatives, working groups, and ongoing professional development, recently completing a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment and currently co-leading the TECC2 Early Intervention and Frailty Project, which is working to demonstrate how impactful Allied Health Assistants are when involved early in the patient journey. Rebecca approaches her work with initiative and care, and values the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to her team and the broader Allied Health community.

Notable achievements:

• TECC2 Early Intervention role
• Optimising OT AHA’s in bed-based Occupational Therapy Services – Project.
• Review the AHA/MHO delegation workflow on EMR – Working group.

Contact details:
Email: rebecca.casiano@monashhealth.org

Robyn McDonald (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 4, Workforce Development / Scope Australia Ltd

Robyn has worked as an Allied Health Assistant for nineteen years.
She worked at Monash Health across the Acute, Sub-Acute, Mental Health and Community Health programs in interdisciplinary roles. She held a Grade 3 position at Monash Health since 2010 and has supported AHA student placements for many years.

Robyn is now employed as a Grade 4 AHA in the disability sector and co-leads the workforce development portfolio alongside holding a clinical caseload.

Notable achievements:

• AHA Workforce Officer – Workforce, Innovation, Strategy, Education & Research Unit (WISER) Monash Health
• AHA Student Site Coordinator and recipient of a number of STAR Awards for Outstanding Clinical Educator
• AHA working in the COVID Navigator Project during the peak of the pandemic
• Monash Quality and Innovation (M!Q) Award for outstanding achievement by a team in mental healthcare – a collaboration between WISER Unit and Acute Adult Psychiatric Unit

Contact details:
Email: rmcdonald@scopeaust.org.au

Samantha ‘Sam’ Bradley (She/her/hers)

Senior Speech Pathologist in General Medicine ICU and Palliative Care, Monash Health

Sam started her career as a disability nurse post completing Bachelor of Applied Science – Intellectual Disability. In 1999 she graduated from La Trobe University with Bachelor of Applied Science – Speech Pathology. Her career in Speech Pathology has included working in private practise, private hospitals and public hospitals as an acute Speech Pathologists in a variety of caseloads.

She has an interest in providing speech pathology services across the life span promoting quality of life and patient centred care for those impacted by speech, communication and swallowing disorders.

Notable achievements:

• Sam has recently completed the Frontline Leadership Course with Monash Health and now continues to present leadership topics as part of the Allied Health Leadership Program

Sharon McLean (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 4, Workforce Development / Scope Australia LTD

Sharon has been a strong advocate for the growth and development of the Allied Health Assistant workforce for many years, in her AHA roles she has worked in Mental Health and Community Rehabilitation. Her passion for the growth and recognition of the role led to her completing her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, undertaking a stint of teaching in the TAFE sector and holding the Allied Health Assistant Project Officer role for The Victorian Allied Health Assistant Workforce Research Project.

More recently Sharon has moved into the Disability sector sharing a leadership position with an opportunity to utilise the skills and knowledge from her Project officer role to support the governance and development of the AHA role.

Notable achievements:

• Victorian Department of Health Allied Health Assistant Project Officer 2020-2024
• Co-author Exploring utilisation of the allied health assistant workforce in the Victorian health, aged care and disability sectors
  BMC Health Serv Res
  . 2021 Oct 23;21(1):1144. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-07171-z.
• Co-author The evaluation of health, disability and aged care-sector engagement with resources designed to support optimisation of the allied health assistant workforce: a qualitative study
  BMC Health Serv Res. 2024 Jul 26;24(1):848. doi: 10.1186/s12913-024-11253-z.

Contact details:
Email: smclean2@scopeaust.org.au

Sharon King Harris

Consumer

A passionate consumer advisor whose journey into advocacy began before the Monash Health Consumer Advisory Committee, where she met long-time friend Catherine. Initially unfamiliar with the role, Sharon quickly recognised the value of her lived experience and the opportunity to speak up for others.

Diagnosed with fibromyalgia, minor strokes, and a traumatic brain injury following a fall, Sharon brings deep insight into the challenges faced by patients and their families.

She believes that innovation in healthcare never stands still, and that asking “what can we improve on now?” is essential to delivering the best possible care. Sharon acknowledges that change can be daunting, but sees it as a necessary step toward improving outcomes and experiences for consumers.

Together with Catherine, there story is a powerful reminder of why consumer voices are vital in shaping health services. Consumers offer firsthand perspectives that help identify gaps, challenge assumptions, and co-design solutions that are truly patient-centred. Sharon’s advocacy continues to inspire meaningful change across the system.

Stephanie ‘Steph’ Missos (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Grade 3, Monash Health

Stephanie has been an AHA for 6 years and is currently working within the Child and Family Program as a Multidisciplinary AHA. She enjoys bringing her passion and energy to her role and enjoys finding different ways to engage her clients.

Previous to this role, Stephanie was based mainly in the Physiotherapy Orthopaedics stream at Dandenong Hospital as a Grade 3 Allied Health Assistant where she also assisted with ICU, General Med wards, Critical Care wards and the Paediatric unit. Stephanie has also worked with Subacute teams at Monash Health as well as being a multi-disciplinary AHA in the NDIS and Aged Care sector.

Notable achievements:

• Stephanie has recently celebrated 10 years as a First Aid Sports Trainer. While it was in this position that her passion for taking care of people began, she learned many skills over the years in her sports trainer role that prepared her for a career in healthcare. Stephanie still continues to assist her community in various sports trainer roles on a casual basis, predominately in the netball world.
• Stephanie’s AHA achievements include being nominated for a student educator award in 2024 and being part of the Tecc2 project in 2025 involving AHAs in the acute Orthopaedic space.

Contact details:
Email: stephanie.missos@monashhealth.org

Stephen Isbel (He/him/his)

Professor in Occupational Therapy, University of Canberra

I am an occupational therapy academic with research interests in post stroke rehabilitation, driver rehabilitation, dementia care, public health and occupational therapy education. I am the co-director of the Centre for Ageing Research and Translation and teach into the occupational therapy courses at the University of Canberra. Previously, I held senior clinical positions in ACT Health, primarily in aged care and adult neurological rehabilitation.

Notable achievements:

• I have been awarded competitive grants of over $3 million and have over 70 peer reviewed publications.
• I am the chief investigator on the Enhancing Allied Health for Older People project, which is the subject of this presentation.

Contact details:
Email: Stephen.isbel@canberra.edu.au

Susan ‘Sue’ Alexander (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Education Director / Manager Allied Health Assistant Service.

Fiona Stanley Fremantle Hospital Group.

Victorian by birth, upbringing & education. Moved 40 years ago to WA for 6 months contract with Spastic Welfare, married a local and never left. Still visit Vic at least twice a year to see family friends & to grounded myself in my central highlands homelands.

Worked in health and disability sectors for 40+ years.
Four distinct careers in that time.1. Speech Pathologist – Neuro/ ABI speciality, SP Head of Dept State Rehab Service 2. While raising family ( 2 kids) Safety Quality & Risk management – Imaging, Hospital & State Disability Standards monitor 3. Health Educator – established TRACS WA -a statewide interprofessional subacute care and the FSFHG AH Education Service 4. AHA service manager for the past 8 years.

Notable achievements:

• Inaugural Coordinator at TRACS WA where we set up an interprofessional, statewide subacute care training service
• Established WA Health’s first AH Education service when the new Fiona Stanley Hospital opened,
• Set up the FSFHG AHA service
• Started with colleagues the IMPROVE Conference, now in its 9th year, to provide forum for learning and sharing about quality improve projects across FSFHG.
• Consider myself a lifelong learner. Recently completed my Doctorate of Education through Curtin Uni looking at staff uptake of mandated training

Contact details:
Email: susan.alexander@health.wa.gov.au

Supriya Gogate (She/her/hers)

Allied Health Assistant, Canberra Health Service.

Supriya is working as an AHA in Speech Pathology. Supriya has 7 years of experience as an AHA and has worked as a multidisciplinary AHA across various services such as Rehabilitation and Community care.

Notable achievements:

• Apart of the’ Enhancing Allied Health for Older People in Residential Care’ research project.
• Nominated for a 2025 ACT Allied Health Assistant Excellence Award.

Tony Sheng (He/him/his)

Allied Health Assistant Workforce Officer and Student Coordinator, Monash health

Tony’s journey at Monash Health started in 2016 as an AHA student. From there, he developed a passion for working with students clinically and ensuring the best possible placement experience for those who came through the organisation.

Tony has since completed his Certificate IV in Training and Assessment, has had experience teaching in the TAFE sector, and is currently heavily involved in the student placement experience at Monash Health as the AHA Workforce Officer and AHA Student Coordinator.

Contact details:
Email: AHAStudentCoordinator@monashhealth.org

Todd Heynen (He/him/his)

Allied Health Informatics Officer, Monash Health

Todd Heynen is an Allied Health Informatics Officer and physiotherapist with a decade of experience across acute, subacute, rehabilitation, and community health settings. Drawing on his clinical background, Todd brings a practical lens to digital transformation in healthcare, focusing on improving workflows and patient outcomes. He has led initiatives to build digital capabilities across the allied health workforce and presented on this topic at the 2025 National Allied Health Conference.

Todd is passionate about data-driven innovation and harnessing emerging technologies (including AI) to empower clinicians and drive sustainable, system-wide change. His work reflects a commitment to a smarter, more connected future for health services.

Notable achievements:

• Presenter at National Allied Health Conference 2025
• Presenter at Health Roundtable Innovations Showcase 2025

Contact details:
Email: todd.heynen@monashhealth.org