Our Team
“We wish to support individuals to reach their full potential”
Rachael Vincent
Co-founder and Director of Carapace Therapy Service
Rachael is the Co-founder and Director of Carapace Therapy Services. She graduated with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours) from Flinders University in 2014 and completed Certificate II in Auslan from TAFE SA. Rachael gained extensive experience working with adults and children with a range of complex needs in private speech pathology practices and a large not-for-profit disability provider.
Rachael is passionate about supporting individuals with complex communication needs (limited or no functional speech) who require alternative supports (AAC). She is highly trained and experienced in this area, having worked in an Assistive Technology Service team for many years. Rachael has experience working directly with individuals, their families, and other support networks to provide regular input or consulting with a client’s regular therapy team for specific assessment and specialised support. She also has experience running workshops and university lectures on AAC supports.
Outside of work, Rachael enjoys spending time with her baby boy, reading, and going for walks.
Certified Presenter for the Hanen ‘It Takes Two to Talk’ Parenting Program
Certificate II in Auslan
Introduction to Key Word Sign & Gesture Workshop
PODD® Communication Books – Introductory 2-day workshop
PODD® Communication Books – Advanced 5-day workshop
LAMP Words for Life® – 2-day In-Person Training
Introduction to Proloquo® and Proloquo® Coach: AssistiveWare®‘s Next Generation AAC Training
ROCC – Roadmap of Communicative Competence tool
Switch Access Measure (SAM) training
‘Communication and Access for Children who have Severe Physical Challenges and Cortical Visual Impairment’ workshop
‘Teaching Movements for Communication’ – Advanced 5-day workshop
‘Comprehensive approaches to literacy in AAC’ workshop
Attendance at The International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC) Conference
‘Support for Adults with Communication Support Needs’ workshop
‘Dysphagia Support for Adults with Developmental Disability’ workshop
Dr Xanthy Hatzigeorgiou
Co-founder and Director of Carapace Therapy Service
With over a decade of experience, Xanthy is the Co-founder and Director of Carapace Therapy Services. She holds a Bachelor of Speech Pathology and a PhD in infant nutrition and its effects on brain development. Xanthy has worked for Community Health and a large not-for-profit disability provider, gaining extensive experience with adults and children with a range of complex needs.
Xanthy has additional training and extensive skills in all areas pertaining to mealtime concerns, including dysphagia, tube weaning, and “fussy” eating. She is highly experienced in providing training and support to individuals, family members, care staff, and childcare/education staff in all areas of feeding and mealtimes. This includes developing mealtime plans, facilitating workshops and group training sessions, and providing one-to-one support and therapy.
Xanthy is also trained in and passionate about early communication support, particularly for individuals who are minimal or non-verbal and require alternative communication (AAC). She is highly sought after for her supervisory support, with other organisations seeking her consultancy in specialised mealtime and feeding knowledge. Xanthy is dedicated to sharing her wisdom and expertise across her diverse skill set to make a significant difference in the lives of her clients and their caregivers.
Outside of work, Xanthy enjoys spending time with her two children and going for runs.
The SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding: When Children Won’t Eat: Picky Eaters vs Problem Feeders
Food Scientist Adaptation of the SOS Approach to Feeding
Feeding the Child on the Autism Spectrum
Feeding and Pre-Speech issues for the mild/moderately impaired child
– 2 day workshop
The journey from Tube feeding towards oral feeding
Managing Paediatric Feeding Difficulties
Paediatric VideofluoroscopyWorkshop: Conducting and Interpreting Videofluoroscopic Swallow Studies in Children
Dysphagia Support for Adults with Developmental Disability’ workshop
Cervical Auscultation in Dysphagia Management: A practical workshop for speech pathologists working with adult and paediatric dysphagia
Dysphagia Disorder Survey/Dysphagia Management Staging Scale
Choking Risk Assessment (CRA) and Pneumonia Risk Assessment (PRA)
Oral Eating and Drinking Support (OEDS) Trainer for childcare/education staff
Key Word Sign Australia (KWS) Certified Trainer
Pragmatically Organised Dynamic Display (PODD®) 2 day introductory workshop
ROCC – Roadmap of Communicative Competence tool
Certified Presenter Hanen It Takes Two To Talk Parenting Program (for children 5 years or younger)
Certified Presenter Hanen More Than Words Parenting Program (for parents of children 5 years or younger on the autism spectrum and with other social communication difficulties)
Certified Presenter Hanen TalkAbility Parenting Program(The Hanen Program for Parents of Verbal Children on the Autism Spectrum)
Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT)
Communication Support for Adults with Developmental Disability workshop by scope Australia
Jemma Demasi
Senior Speech Pathologist
Jemma graduated from Flinders University in 2019. Since graduating, she has developed her clinical skills, knowledge, and expertise while working as a generalist speech pathologist in Sydney at a private speech pathology practice and in Adelaide for a large not-for-profit organisation. Jemma is currently working for both the Department for Education and Carapace Therapy Services.
Jemma is highly experienced and has completed numerous additional trainings to provide early intervention supports and to support individuals with complex communication needs (minimal or non-verbal) who require AAC supports. She is very passionate about providing neurodiverse affirming practice and finding the best ways to support and advocate for her clients across all aspects of their lives.
As a senior therapist, Jemma has provided clinical supervision to junior and student speech pathologists to share her expertise. Outside of work, she loves spending time at the beach, either stand-up paddleboarding or walking her dogs, as well as cooking and baking tasty treats.
The Social Communication Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support (SCERTS) Model approach – neurodiverse affirming training
2-day training for PODD communication books
LAMP (AAC application) training
AAC Evidence Based Practice: Communication for the 21st Century presented by Jane Farrell
Culturally and linguistically responsive practices in AAC (Gloria Soto, Ph.D) – Presented by The Australian Group Supporting Communication Inclusion (AGOSCI)
Aboriginal Cultural Awareness Training Seminar
2-day Placement Educator Workshop
Ratna Sari
Senior Speech Pathologist
Ratna graduated from Flinders University in 2020. Since graduating, she has worked for over four years as a generalist speech pathologist supporting adults and children in the Upper Eyre Peninsula region with complex needs. Ratna is passionate about and has numerous additional training and expertise in supporting individuals with complex communication needs (minimal or non-verbal) who require alternative communication supports, mealtime and feeding supports, functional and social communication challenges, and language difficulties.
She has provided clinical supervision and mentored student speech pathologists, sharing her expert knowledge to foster the next generation of therapists. Ratna is committed to providing the highest quality services to her clients and working collaboratively within a team to achieve the best possible outcomes.
Coming from a multicultural background, Ratna is multilingual, speaking five languages: Bahasa Indonesia and its dialects, English, Melayu, and Mandarin and its dialects. Outside of work, Ratna enjoys travelling, hiking, gardening, and Pilates.
Specific training for AAC applications including LAMP, Minspeak, Proloquo2Go, TD Snap, and Grid 3
2-day training for PODD communication books
Switch Access Measure (SAM) training
The Social Communication Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support (SCERTS) Model approach – neurodiverse affirming training
Certified presenter for the Hanen ‘More Than Words’ Parenting Program to support children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
The Traffic Jam In My Brain workshop to support individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Emerging Minds: supporting children’s and their parents’ mental health and wellbeing
Flinders Clinical Education Workshop
Providing Supervision Training and Supervisor Training
Kelsie Whiteford
Speech Pathologist
Kelsie has personal experience living with family members dealing with dementia and she is committed to sharing her understanding and knowledge to achieve the best possible outcome for both families and the individual.
Coming from a childcare background, Kelsie has found a passion working within the paediatric areas. Her clinical studies have given her experience in running school-based language groups and working with children with hearing and vision difficulties.
Kelsie takes great care in accounting for the needs of the individual. This includes using her clinical research skills on trauma and PTSD gained from her Bachelor’s in Psychological Science. Her therapy is mindful and supportive of various backgrounds, taking on a collaborative approach.
In her spare time, Kelsie enjoys spending time at the beach, bushwalking, cooking, and crocheting.
Hala Iskeirjeh
Speech Pathologist
Hala graduated from the University of South Australia with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology (Honours). Driven by a commitment to equitable healthcare, Hala dedicated her Honours research to rural primary health, developing a milestone referral pack for early language development specifically for the Port Lincoln community.
With a clinical background spanning swallowing and dysphagia, speech and language, and social communication, Hala is passionate about working with individuals across the entire lifespan. She has a particular interest in functional communication supports, ensuring that therapy isn’t just a set of exercises, but a bridge to better quality of life.
Hala is a strong advocate for naturalistic therapy. Having completed specialized Nature Play training, she enjoys taking therapy sessions outside the clinic walls to help clients achieve their goals in real-world, engaging environments. Above all, Hala is committed to a client-centred approach, tailoring every session to be meaningful and relevant to the individual and their family.
Adding to her diverse skill set, Hala is fluent in several Arabic dialects, allowing her to support and connect with culturally and linguistically diverse families.
When not at work, Hala stays busy and active. You’ll often find her running, hiking, or at the gym. She has a deep love for traveling and exploring new cultures, but she is just as happy at home hosting events and making memories with her family and friends.
Facilitating resiliency in children with language disorder
Mental health’s impact on social and behavioural well-being of adolescents
Adventures in speech minimal pairs workshop