Amy-Lou Turner
Speech Language Therapist
I graduated from University College London (UCL) in 2016 with a Masters of Speech and Language Sciences. I provided Speech and Language services to schools around the Surrey region in the UK before taking a break to go travelling.
In September 2019 I set off from the UK to travel overland to New Zealand. I passed through 14 countries travelling mainly on trains and buses, and cycled over 4000kms around SE Asia before arriving in NZ. In New Zealand, I rode from Cape Reinga to Bluff as part of the Tour Aotearoa Cycle challenge, and continued with my own 2000km+ bike tour around the South Island.
I began working in Wellington as an Allied Health Assistant in the older adult inpatient and community teams at Wellington hospital, before joining TalkLink as a Speech and Language Therapist in January 2022. I was inspired by the difference that AAC can make to people’s lives through working with adult and children SLT clients during my SLT training and work, and am very excited to now be working in this area.
I am a firm believer in the power of what you can achieve when you put your mind to it – something which is equally true when adventuring around the world, or when working together on Speech and Language Therapy goals.
Calum Turner
Assistive Tech support
Charlotte Lucas
Speech Language Therapist
Claire McGlone
Speech Language Therapist
Originally from Australia, I joined the TalkLink team as a Speech-Language Therapist in August 2024. I studied a Masters of Speech Pathology at La Trobe University in Melbourne and graduated in 2012. Since then, I have had the privilege of supporting individuals with diverse communication needs across various settings, including kindergartens, schools, residential care facilities, hospitals and in the community.
Over my time working in Speech-Language Therapy, I have had the privilege of being a part of the Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) journeys of many people I’ve worked alongside. I began my career delivering early intervention services to neurodiverse children and children with disabilities in Australia. Following this, I spent a year in Tonga, collaborating with local organisations to build on Speech-Language Therapy services within the community. Upon returning to Australia, I worked in regional, rural, and remote areas for six years before relocating to Te Whanganui-a-Tara/Wellington in 2024.
I love the collaborative nature of Speech-Language Therapy and thrive on working closely with individuals with communication needs and their wider communities – whānau, educators, healthcare teams, and caregivers. I am passionate about listening and learning in order to provide culturally safe care.
Outside of work, I enjoy connecting with nature through tramping, camping, and gardening.
Janet Low
Speech Language Therapist
I have worked in a range of settings with both children and adults with communication delays, communication disorders and complex needs. This has included working in healthcare settings/hospitals and with the Ministry of Education, with preschool and school aged children. I have experienced a range of communication and learning needs and worked with a number of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems. I am from Wellington and graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in Education. I also studied at the University of Canterbury, completing a Bachelor of Speech-Language Therapy (Hons).
Mercedes Utges
Occupational Therapist
I was born and grew up in Madrid, Spain, where I trained as an occupational therapist. Soon after qualifying, I moved to London where I practiced for 6 years. I arrived in New Zealand in 2005 and started working for Capital Coast DHB where I worked in different roles for 18 years.
I have practised as an occupational therapist in hospital and community settings including visiting clients’ schools or workplaces and many residential facilities. I aim to provide solutions focused, client centered and bicultural safe practice.
I joined TalkLink in May 2023 and I have enjoyed upskilling on Assistive technology solutions that help overcome barriers and challenges for our clients. As well as working and learning from other disciplines.
Outside work, I enjoyed swimming, walking in nature, reading, and going to the theatre.
Pauline Green
Occupational Therapist
I joined the TalkLink team at Wellington in January 2009. Prior to this, I studied sports and therapeutic massage, and sport and recreation in Hawkes Bay. Ultimately deciding to study Occupational Therapy, I subsequently graduated from Auckland University of Technology in 2008
As the senior Occupational Therapist on the TalkLink Lower North Island team, I am involved in assessing the functional abilities of clients in regard to supporting their independent access to both written and spoken communication technology. I provide support to staff with my Occupational therapy expertise.
Rosanna Tilyard
Team Leader/Speech Language Therapist
I am a Speech and Language Therapist who initially joined the TalkLink Lower North Island team in 2012 after a clinical placement at TalkLink that sparked my interest in AAC. I went on my OE to London in 2014 where I worked for the NHS in a range of paediatric settings including AAC.
When I returned to New Zealand in 2016 I was very excited to re-join the TalkLink team and to work in the area I am most passionate about.
I strongly believe that just because someone can’t talk, doesn’t mean they have nothing to say. My favourite part of my job is problem solving with clients and their teams to find the best tool to enable the client to communicate.
I am an AAC activist and I am dedicated and motivated to educate the community about AAC.
Ruth Hughson
Graphic Designer
I create low tech communication books and resources. My background and training is in graphic design.
Ruth Johnston
Speech language Therapist
I completed a Masters of Speech Pathology at the University of Melbourne, Australia in 2015, before briefly providing speech therapy services in a remote town of Queensland and then moving to New Zealand.
I originally started working for the TalkLink central region in 2016. During this time I provided AAC education, trials and training as well as running Talking Mats courses and coordinating other courses run by our fantastic teachers. I moved back to Australia in late 2018, where I delivered 1-1 therapy with children and adults with a range of communication difficulties and in a variety of settings. I have recently relocated back to Wellington, NZ, and have had the privilege of returning to TalkLink and working towards functional and autonomous communication for all.
Suzanne Lewis
Administrator
Before I came to Talklink I had experience at Victoria University doing administration for 14 years. In my role as Support Administrator, I help ease the workload of this administration team through referral processing and other tasks. I suffer from Aphasia which is the effect of a stroke in 2020.