Who We Are

We are parents, teachers, tutors and professionals with a shared commitment to early identification, effective intervention and support for individuals with specific learning difficulties.

In 2018, SPELD NSW celebrated our 50th anniversary year. Since our inception we’ve grown into a statewide organisation with strong connections across Australia to deliver support, resources and professional learning.

Thanks to our dedicated team, each year thousands of parents and teachers have gained the knowledge and skills to help children with specific learning difficulties.

SPELD NSW Board of Directors

Rhonda Filmer

BA GradDipEd, COGE M. EdAdmin (UNSW)

SPELD NSW Chair

Gifted Education Consultant and Teacher, Rhonda is the Principal Consultant at Twice Exceptional Educational Consultancy and an experienced executive function coach to support students with ADHD. Rhonda joined the SPELD NSW Board in 2014.

“It is patently clear from science that by ensuring that all students have access to a quality education and are as literate as we can make them then employment, productivity, mental health, self-esteem and well-being are all positively impacted. This is my vision for all students.” Rhonda Filmer Chair SPELD NSW

Rhonda is an advocate for the early identification of students’ learning profiles and for the reform of Initial Teacher Education so that teachers better understand the developmental needs of students and how to differentiate programs to teach for those differences. Rhonda’s professional practice offers individual tutoring programs, school liaison, advocacy and consulting to gifted education co-ordinators.

Mohua Mukherjee

MAICD, FGIA, FCG

SPELD NSW Board Member

Mohua has held senior leadership roles in several organisations and is an experienced non-executive director.

Dr. Saskia Kohnen

SPELD NSW Board Member

Saskia Kohnen joined the SPELD NSW board in late 2022. Saskia has a long history of supporting people with literacy difficulties, their teachers, tutors and clinicians. An Associate Professor at Macquarie University’s School of Psychological Sciences, Saskia conducts research on how children learn to read and spell, what can complicate this process and how to assess and intervene for reading and spelling difficulties. Her work has resulted in many peer-reviewed publications as well as tests used by teachers, clinicians, tutors and researchers.

Troy Verey

SPELD NSW Board Member

Troy is a deputy principal at Marsden Road Public School (Liverpool NSW) and has over 10 years of teaching and leadership experience in English and Australian schools. His professional interests focus on shifting the culture of education from one based on ideologies to one based on science, and his current projects include developing teacher curriculum content knowledge, cultivating evidence-based pedagogy and improving assessment practices for literacy and numeracy.

Greg McLachlan

Master of Educational Administration (UNSW), Bachelor of Arts, Diploma In Teaching

SPELD NSW Board Secretary

Greg joined the board in late 2020. He has had an extensive career in education holding leadership roles at a range of levels including twenty years as a principal in the public system. As a teacher and an educational leader, supporting children to maximise their abilities is at the centre of his beliefs.

Ingrid King

LLM (Hons) (Casework) (UTS), BA/LLB (ANU)

SPELD NSW Board Member

Ingrid is a barrister at the NSW Bar and has family member with complex learning difficulties so has observed the frustrations of a person with learning difficulties within an education system that is not always responsive to their needs.

David Kinnane

B.Bus, LLB (Hons.), MSLP, CPSP

SPELD NSW Board Member

David Kinnane joined the SPELD NSW Board in 2019. David runs an independent speech, language and reading clinic Banter Speech & Language based in Sydney.

Jackie Connor

MAICD | Dip Teach

SPELD NSW Board Member

Trained as an Early Childhood Educator Jackie moved into the printing industry. As a business owner Jackie brings a wealth of governance and strategic business skills to SPELD NSW.

David Rowlinson

B.Arch (Hons), MMktg, MBA

SPELD NSW Treasurer

David joined the board in November 2015. As Campaign Manager for Planet Ark David brings not-for-profit management experience to his role as SPELD NSW Treasurer.

SPELD NSW Team

Georgina Perry

BA/LLB (Hons)

SPELD NSW Executive Officer

“Growing up with dyslexia, and seeing my son have many of the same experiences, has inspired me to provide support and assistance to children and adults with specific learning difficulties and their families and teachers.” George Perry

Georgina joined SPELD NSW in 2017. George brings strategy, management and corporate governance skills to SPELD NSW. George was previously a lawyer in the pro bono team at Ashurst and the funds management team at Allens and has also held positions on the Boards of Amnesty International Australia and Lou’s Place (The Marmalade Foundation).

As Executive Officer, George works to strengthen partnerships with educators, parents and the community to deliver support to students and adults with specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia across New South Wales.

George works with a staff team of passionate individuals to provide professional learning, membership, resources, assessments, and information and referral services.

Lyndall Murray

B.A. Education – Early Years (Hons), University of Brighton, B. Psychological Science (Hons), Flinders University, M.Research – Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Ph.D., Macquarie University, Macquarie University

Professional Learning Educator

Lyndall joined SPELD NSW as a professional learning educator in June 2023. Lyndall started her career as an early years teacher in the UK during the time of the National Literacy Strategy. She is now focused on sharing her interest in reading with her fellow educators through her continued research and her work at SPELD NSW.

Carina McSweeney

BA, BEd (Primary), Grad Cert Special Ed. (Learning Difficulties)

Professional Learning Educator

With 20 years of teaching experience, including 10 years as a Learning Support Teacher/Coordinator across two schools, Carina has passionately advocated for more effective instruction for all children, in particular, to support those with learning difficulties and neurodivergence.

Asantha Perera

LLB Overseas & Diploma of Legal Practice

Administrative Assistant

Asantha joined SPELD NSW as an administrative assistant in October 2023. She was inspired by SPELD’s vision of supporting individuals with learning difficulties and believes it is especially important during early stages of life.

Mia So

Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

Communications Assistant

Mia joined SPELD NSW in 2023 and has prior work experience in communications. She graduated with a Bachelors of Social Work and she hopes that the knowledge she has learned from her degree will help inform the work for her role at SPELD NSW.

Kerrie Daley

Bachelor of Education

Clinician

Kerrie loves all aspects of learning, problem solving, and client advocacy and has completed specialist training in Learning Difficulties (ECU).

Lee Doyle

B.Teach, B.Ed,M.Ed

Professional Learning Officer

As a SPELD NSW Professional Learning Officer, Lee provides personalised support to children and their families and valuable information to teachers and school executives.

Amanda Wright

Bachelor of Education (Primary)

Clinician

Amanda is passionate about the science of reading and was instrumental in driving change to ensure evidence-based practices be implemented so that all students could benefit from explicit and systematic teaching of reading, writing and spelling.

Amanda Nguyen

BA/LLB Bachelor of Arts and Law

Receptionist

Amanda joined SPELD NSW in August 2022. She has a BA/LLB from the University of Sydney is interested in expanding her experience within the education sector.

Manjita Gurung

Finance & Office Coordinator

Manjita joined SPELD NSW in August 2021 as a Finance & Office Coordinator. She brings extensive experience in the not for profit sector including working with human rights organisations in Australia and overseas.

Danielle Colenbrander

(BLibStud) University of Sydney, Master of Speech Language Pathology (MSLP), PhD Macquarie University

Educational Adviser

Danielle is an educational advisor for SPELD NSW and a researcher in the Macquarie University Centre for Reading.

Veronica Alexander

BA (UNSW) MTeach Primary (CSU)

Professional Learning and Development Lead

Veronica is the Professional Learning and Development Lead at SPELD NSW where she shares her love for the English language and all things reading and spelling with teachers and school leaders.

Dr Jennifer Lorenzo

BA(Psych), GradDip(Psych), MPsych(Ed & Dev), PhD(Med), FAPS

Educational and Developmental Psychologist

Jennifer is an educational and developmental psychologist with extensive training and experience in the diagnosis and treatment of cognitive and learning disorders.

Belinda Dekker

Information & Referral Officer

Belinda brings extensive knowledge to SPELD NSW to help answer parent and professional enquiries. Belinda has experience as a high school teacher and has completed extensive professional development in learning difficulties.

Vanessa Maher

Information & Referral Officer

Vanessa has a Diploma in Education and a daughter with disabilities. As a parent advocate for children with disabilities and a teacher she is dedicated to supporting students and adults with learning difficulties.

Melinda Matthews

Information & Referral Officer

Melinda is a specialist learning and attention tutor and has completed The Orton-Gillingham approach to Multisensory Structured Language Education and the SPELD NSW Teachers Certificate Course.

Nick de Jongh

IT Communications Administrator

Nick has a Cert IV in Information Technology and a varied background in database management, small business administration and freelance journalism.

Kellie Lithgow

Bookstore and Office Administrator

Kellie joined the SPELD NSW team in 2019 as our Bookstore and Office Administrator. Kellie has non-profit experience and a daughter with learning difficulties.

Chantale Dorrington

Professional Learning Administrator

Chantale plays a key role organising the logistics for the SPELD NSW professional learning and parent workshops. Chantale joins SPELD NSW with both non-profit and events experience and is a great addition to our team.

Heather Hossack

Assessments Administrator

Heather joined SPELD NSW in 2021 as the Assessments and Office Administrator. Heather was first introduced to the work of SPELD NSW when she was a teacher and is looking forward to supporting families seeking assessments.

Who We Are

SPELD NSW Board of Directors

Rhonda Filmer

Mohua Mukherjee

19862

Dr. Saskia Kohnen

19860

Troy Verey

19852

Greg McLachlan

6763

Ingrid King

6404

David Kinnane

892

Jackie Connor

891

David Rowlinson

889

SPELD NSW Team

Georgina Perry

Lyndall Murray

19858

Carina McSweeney

19856

Asantha Perera

19854

Mia So

19850

Kerrie Daley

17574

Lee Doyle

17474

Amanda Wright

17470

Amanda Nguyen

16389

Manjita Gurung

9769

Danielle Colenbrander

6343

Veronica Alexander

5368

Dr Jennifer Lorenzo

3245

Belinda Dekker

897

Vanessa Maher

896

Melinda Matthews

895

Nick de Jongh

899

Kellie Lithgow

898

Chantale Dorrington

6354

Heather Hossack

6350

Contact Us

If you are looking for support for your family, yourself, your student or your school contact us.

Connect with @SPELDNSW

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