Meet the team

Gabriella Ptasznik

Gabriella is the CEO, Founding Director of GRP Speech Pathology and a certified practising Speech Pathologist. Gabriella is a passionate clinician committed to assisting people on their journey of restoring their ability to communicate, capacity to eat and swallow safely and ultimately to enhance their quality of life through the highest quality and most evidence-based approaches.

Gabriella comes with a wealth of experience both locally in Australia and at internationally acclaimed teaching hospitals throughout the UK. This includes working as a speech pathologist at Monash, Austin and St Vincent’s health’s neurological department as well as time spent working in the UK at the Royal Free and Wellington hospitals and St Bart’s Health.

Gabriella established the Melbourne based mobile speech pathology practice in 2017 in order to provide a functional approach to therapy which facilitates the implementation of intervention within the comfort of client’s own homes. Gabriella believes in therapy that makes a tangible difference to each client’s communication function and overall quality of life.

Georgia

I am a dedicated and experienced Speech Pathologist with a passion for helping individuals of all ages achieve their unique, functional goals. Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work in community and hospital settings across Australia and the UK, which has enabled me to develop a broad and nuanced understanding of speech pathology.

With a strong focus on the aging population, I completed a Master of Dementia: International Experience, Policy, and Practice at Edinburgh University in 2021. I believe in creating genuine, personalised connections with my clients, understanding that therapy is most effective when it is grounded in the practical context of their everyday lives. My goal is to enhance each client’s overall quality of life by providing interventions that lead to meaningful, positive changes.

In addition to my clinical work, I am passionate about mentoring and teaching, helping to guide the next generation of speech pathologists in their careers. Outside of work, I enjoy baking and traveling with my husband and two young daughters.

Renee

Renee is our Practice Manager at GRP Speech Pathology. Renee comes with a plethora of talent, having completed a Bachelor of Nursing and garnered extensive leadership experience in retail management across sales, logistics and operations.

She is passionate about coaching and mentoring, leading teams to achieve success and outstanding client outcomes. Being results-driven and client obsessed, Renee believes that a great service provider values both their clients and their team.

Emma

I am a senior speech pathologist and clinical educator at La Trobe University with over 10 years of clinical knowledge working in health and education. After qualifying as a speech pathologist in England and completing extensive work with adults in a variety of hospital and community settings, I moved to Australia to work for Austin and Monash Health followed by attaining a role as voice clinic coordinator at La Trobe University. I have extensive experience working with adults and children and is enthusiastic to help you and/or your loved one in achieving every therapy goal. In my free time, I enjoy playing and coaching field hockey for Yarra Valley Hockey Club, travelling and volunteering my time supporting animal rescues around Victoria.

Lauren

Lauren is an experienced administrator and coordinates the GRP team to ensure an excellent client experience. Outside of the GRP team, Lauren is a mother to two sons and is passionate about enhancing her client’s quality of life through her personal training work. Lauren enjoys being active and helping others look after their health. Lauren looks forward to being in contact with you to commence your journey with GRP Speech Pathology.

Rommi

Ella

Ella brings valuable experience in sales and administration, having spent the past few years dedicating her time to raising her young family.

With a passion for organisation and a keen eye for detail, Ella is excited to be part of the GRP team, where she looks forward to making a meaningful contribution to our community. She approaches every situation with kindness and empathy, ensuring a positive experience for those she supports.

Outside of work, Ella enjoys spending time with her husband and their two young children. Together, they love exploring the outdoors, visiting playgrounds, and traveling to new places.

Quincy

Quincy is an Administrative Assistant who is so excited to be working with GRP Speech Pathology. Quincy recently relocated to Sydney from London, where she was getting her Masters degree in piano performance.  In addition to her administrative work with GRP Speech Pathology, Quincy teaches piano and accompanies students of all levels and ages. In her spare time, Quincy loves to cook, travel, spend time with her family and has recently started a small beading company with her sister and best friend called ‘Sister Jaq’.

Sylvia

Natalie

Finley (they/them)

Finley is a non-binary Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist based in Naarm/Melbourne. They hold a Master of Speech Pathology and a Bachelor of Creative Arts, and bring with them over eight years of experience working with children, adolescents, and adults across private practice, mainstream and specialist school settings, not-for-profit, mobile, clinic-based, and Telehealth settings.

Finley’s work has spanned both individual therapy and group programs. In group settings, Finley has designed and facilitated creative programs that integrate music, singing, dance, play, and drama to foster self-confidence, social connection, and self-expression. Finley loves to bring this same creativity into individual therapy sessions as well, tailoring therapy to each client’s communication preferences, interests, and goals.

Finley is passionate about delivering therapy that is neurodiversity-affirming, gender-inclusive, and grounded in genuine connection. Their approach blends clinical knowledge with compassion, curiosity, and respect for each client’s unique way of being. They aim to create safe, engaging spaces where clients feel supported to explore communication in ways that work for them.

Finley’s deepest wish is to help clients feel affirmed, validated, and empowered to achieve whatever their heart desires—while recognising that this journey is never walked alone. Finley is equally committed to supporting families and caregivers, whose wellbeing, growth, and confidence are just as vital to the client’s success, as they are the ones walking alongside them every day. Finley believes therapy is most impactful when it’s a true team effort—rooted in connection, collaboration, and shared care.

Outside of Speech Pathology, Finley is an avid musical theatre performer, singer, and all-round creative. They also love cuddles with their dog, watching terrible reality television shows, and attending as many live theatre performances as they can possibly manage.

Georgia T

Georgia is passionate about helping people communicate and connect across all stages of life. She has worked with clients of all ages and abilities and particularly loves supporting early language development and helping neurodiverse individuals flourish in their communication. Georgia takes a collaborative, client-centred approach, blending evidence-based strategies with creativity and fun to make every session meaningful and engaging. Whether it’s celebrating a toddler’s very first words, empowering a teenager to express themselves with confidence, or guiding an adult toward their communication goals, she strives to make therapy functional, impactful, and enjoyable.

Alexis

Olivia

Shikha

Shikha is an ASHA-certified Speech Pathologist with a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology. She enjoys working with people of all ages and is passionate about using her skills and experience to make everyday life a little easier for her clients.

Shikha brings valuable international experience to her practice, having worked in a long-term acute rehabilitation setting in California, USA, as well as a paediatric private practice in New Delhi, India. Her clinical experience has given her the opportunity to support people with a range of communication and swallowing needs across different stages of life.

Shikha is particularly passionate about combining research-based interventions with client-specific goals, ensuring therapy is meaningful, functional and tailored to each individual. She takes a thoughtful and collaborative approach, working alongside clients and their support networks to achieve practical outcomes that make a difference in everyday life.

Outside of work, Shikha enjoys Zumba, going on road trips, cooking and catching up on her favourite TV shows!

Phoebe

Meet Phoebe, a dedicated and compassionate speech pathologist who graduated with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology from La Trobe University.

Passionate about person-centred care, Phoebe prioritises each individual’s unique needs, ensuring they feel supported and heard. She has a special interest in dysphagia management and is committed to helping people of all ages navigate and improve their swallowing challenges with confidence and care.

Beyond work, Phoebe enjoys playing cricket, diving into a good book, and listening to true crime podcasts. She is excited to embark on this next chapter of her career, continuing to learn and grow while making a meaningful impact in her community.

Miwa

Miwa grew up in Japan and moved to Australia to complete her Master of Speech Pathology at Flinders University, graduating in 2023. She’s now settled in Ballarat with her young family.

Miwa is passionate about helping clients and their families feel confident and supported in their communication journey.
Miwa loves building fun, relaxed connections with the children she works with and making therapy something to look forward to. One of her proudest moments was supporting a farmer to grow his confidence and effectively use communication strategies in his daily life. She visited the local livestock market with the farmer, supported practice using communication strategies, and worked on literacy skills to help the farmer choose the right gate for his sheep from a catalogue.

Miwa is an innovative, functional therapist and is truly person-centred.

When she’s not at work, Miwa’s usually busy being a mum to her baby boy or hanging out with her two cuddly American Staffies. She also enjoys curling up with a good book when she gets a quiet moment.

Sienna

Sienna holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Master of Speech Pathology from La Trobe University. Sienna has experience working with clients across the lifespan, supporting a range of communication and swallowing needs. Her clinical experience includes social communication, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), and dysphagia.

She is passionate about providing person-centred care and tailoring therapy to each individual’s needs, strengths and goals. Sienna enjoys finding practical ways to support meaningful communication and make a functional difference in her clients’ everyday lives.

Outside of work, Sienna enjoys spending time with family and friends and making the most of her time outside of work.

Bianca

Bianca is an experienced Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist committed to ensuring that anyone can access speech pathology services, no matter their location, mobility, or needs. Bianca has experience supporting communication and swallowing difficulties across the lifespan from young infants through to elderly adults. She is passionate about working with clients to achieve their goals so they can live life to the fullest.

Outside of work, Bianca is travelling around Australia in a motorhome. While on the road, she loves to hike, paddleboard, read a book in her hammock, and learn a new craft.

Kerrie

Kerrie is a Speech Pathologist who is passionate about supporting clients to develop their communication skills and work towards their individual goals. She has experience working across a range of needs and brings a practical, thoughtful approach to her therapy.

Kerrie has a background in education, having previously worked as an educator and Assistant Principal before becoming a Speech Pathologist. This experience has helped her develop a range of practical strategies that she incorporates into her therapy, tailoring her approach to each client and the way they learn best.

She enjoys getting to know her clients and finding strategies that are meaningful, achievable and relevant to their everyday lives.

Outside of work, Kerrie enjoys spending time in the garden, spending time with her sons and caring for her much-loved menagerie of pets.

Kate

Kate is an experienced Speech Pathologist with a background in both public and private practice. She specialises in complex neurological rehabilitation across Melbourne’s public hospital network. She also has previous experience in private practice, supporting clients across aged care and disability settings.

Kate is passionate about improving outcomes for the people she works with, particularly through creating communication access and supporting safe, enjoyable and social mealtimes. She takes the time to build strong relationships with her clients, getting to know their individual goals, motivations and what is important to them.

Kate believes that mealtimes are about more than just eating and drinking. They are an important part of connection, enjoyment and quality of life, which is something that strongly informs her clinical approach.

Outside of work, Kate enjoys buying and cooking fresh produce, spending time in the kitchen and enjoying good food with the people around her.

Catherine

Cath is a Speech Pathologist who is passionate about supporting people to maintain and regain their communication and swallowing skills. She believes that the ability to communicate and eat and drink safely are fundamental to a person’s quality of life.

Cath enjoys getting to know each client and their family, taking the time to understand what is important to them and the things they value in everyday life. She takes a person-centred approach to therapy, working alongside clients to support meaningful goals and improve their quality of life.

Outside of work, Cath enjoys watching her children play sport, playing sport herself, reading and travelling with her family in their caravan.

Nia

Nia is a Bachelor of Health Sciences student at La Trobe University and a qualified Allied Health Assistant.

She is passionate about supporting children with early language skills or helping adults regain confidence in their communication. She brings a compassionate, creative and fun approach to every session. She’s committed to creating a safe space for her clients where they can achieve their goals and get back to their passions!

Outside of studying and work, Nia loves to travel whilst learning about new cultures & languages, cooking for her loved ones, going to the beach, and going to the gym.

Jade

Jade holds a Bachelor of Health Science and a Master of Speech and Language Pathology. Her interest in Speech Pathology was also shaped by her personal experience supporting her youngest son through his own speech pathology journey. This experience gave Jade a strong appreciation for the importance of connection, patience and inclusive communication, and continues to influence the way she supports her clients.

Jade has experience working across primary schools, community sporting groups and team leadership roles. She enjoys getting to know each person and finding practical ways to support communication in everyday life. She takes a person-centred approach to therapy and values celebrating progress, both big and small.

Jade has a particular interest in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and neurodiversity-affirming practice across the lifespan. She is passionate about creating supportive environments where people can communicate in ways that feel natural, meaningful and empowering.

Outside of work, Jade enjoys running, spending time with her family, exploring new places, cooking and getting lost in a good book or playlist.

Steph

Stephanie is our Receptionist at GRP and brings a warm, positive energy along with a diverse set of skills to the team. Her background spans from delivering excellent customer service to providing compassionate support in her previous roles as a Support Worker and Dental Nurse. With strong expertise in client care, communication, and relationship-building, she is dedicated to creating meaningful connections and supporting others.

Stephanie is excited to make a difference, support our clients and our team so that every experience at GRP is the very best it can be.

Cate

Nick

Nick is a qualified Speech Pathologist with experience supporting both adults and children across a range of communication and swallowing needs. His clinical experience includes working with adults with communication and dysphagia difficulties following traumatic brain injury (TBI), as well as supporting people through stroke rehabilitation, including Early Supported Discharge (ESD) services.

Nick also has experience in transgender voice care, supporting clients to work towards their individual communication and voice goals in a respectful and affirming way. His paediatric experience includes supporting children with their communication and literacy development.

Nick has also worked as a Teacher’s Aide, supporting students with literacy development. This experience, combined with his degree in Literature, has shaped his strong interest in language, communication and the ways people connect with others.

Nick takes a thoughtful, reflective and person-centred approach to therapy. He is passionate about building on each person’s strengths and goals and continues to develop his skills across a broad range of clinical areas.

Outside of work, Nick lives in Melbourne’s north and enjoys skateboarding and reading.

Emma

Kharlea

Zara

Zara is GRP Speech Pathology’s Community Engagement and Outreach Officer, bringing a strong background in communications, partnership building and community connection. With extensive experience in relationship management and stakeholder engagement, she is passionate about creating meaningful collaborations that help more people access the support they need. Zara works closely with support coordinators, allied health providers and community organisations to strengthen referral pathways and build lasting partnerships that benefit clients and families.

Outside of work, Zara is a mum of two, a devoted LEGO lover who never says no to a creative build, and you may spot her out and about at community events or family adventures alongside her family’s assistance dog, Sox.

Ramishka

Ramishka is a Speech Pathologist with experience working across Australia and internationally. Since completing her Master of Speech Pathology, she has continued to expand her clinical and research expertise and is currently undertaking a PhD at Curtin University in Perth.

Ramishka supports people of all ages with communication and swallowing difficulties, with a particular interest in complex needs, neurorehabilitation and dysphagia management. She takes a person-centred and collaborative approach, working alongside each individual and their support network to understand their goals and tailor therapy to their unique needs.

Ramishka believes meaningful progress happens one step at a time. She is passionate about providing thoughtful, evidence-based support that meets people wherever they are in their communication journey.

Outside of work, Ramishka loves getting outdoors, whether that’s hiking, snorkelling or travelling to explore new places and cultures. She enjoys meeting new people and, most importantly, spending quality time with her family, who are incredibly important to her.

Malshi

Malshi is a Speech Pathologist with experience supporting both children and adults across a variety of settings. She has a special interest in neurological communication disorders, swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), and supporting preschool-aged children to develop their speech, language and early communication skills.

Malshi is passionate about providing evidence-based, client-centred therapy that is tailored to each individual’s unique strengths, goals and needs. She takes a collaborative approach, working closely with clients, their families and support networks to build confidence, foster meaningful progress and achieve outcomes that make a positive difference in everyday life.

She is committed to creating a supportive and encouraging therapy environment where each person feels heard, understood and empowered throughout their communication journey.

Phoebe Marquardt

Phoebe values building strong, trusting relationships with clients and their families. She prioritises functional therapy and person-centred care tailored to the client’s interests, life and goals. She strives to make an impact on a client’s quality of life. Phoebe enjoys working collaboratively to assist individuals in recognising their unique strengths and ensuring they feel heard. She is passionate about supporting communication and swallowing needs at all stages of life and strives to learn and grow continually.

Outside of work, Phoebe enjoys travelling, spending time in nature, going to the cinema and being with friends and family.

Cyrus

Cyrus is a Speech Pathologist with experience supporting both children and adults across clinic and community settings. He takes a functional, collaborative and strengths-based approach to therapy, working alongside clients and their families to build confidence, develop practical skills and work towards meaningful goals.

Having grown up with hearing loss himself, Cyrus brings a personal and empathetic perspective to his work. His lived experience has helped shape his understanding of the challenges that people with disabilities may experience and the importance of creating a supportive, inclusive and client-centred therapy environment.

Cyrus is passionate about building genuine connections with his clients and delivering therapy that is relevant to their everyday lives. He looks forward to supporting GRP clients and communities to achieve their goals and participate more confidently in the things that matter to them.