Tanja Effing has been trained as a movement scientist, physiotherapist, and epidemiologist and has more than 20 years of experience in the field of clinical trials, mostly respiratory and self-management orientated. She has performed multiple systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials, has organized several post-graduate courses, contributed to statement and workshop reports, and has been part of several national and international respiratory expert panels. Tanja is using her skills and knowledge to develop and evaluate sustainable AAC projects to increase AAC capacity and access and to contribute to the body of evidence regarding AAC in countries with limited access to AAC.
Amy Litton is a speech pathologist based in Western Australia who has worked in the disability sector throughout her career. She has worked in government, private and non-for-profit organisations providing direct speech therapy services to clients, supervision and mentoring to therapists and managing teams and projects. Amy loves to travel and has spent time volunteering as a speech pathologist in rural India. She also volunteers as a committee member for the annual Variety Motor Mouth Camp for children who use communication devices. Amy currently works part time for Link Assistive and runs her own small private practice with a special interest in the area of AAC. Amy looks forward to sharing her skills and knowledge through her work with Bridge Assistive.
Bas Tijdhof is CEO of Link Assistive which he founded in 2008 and is one of the directors of Bridge Assistive. He has gained extensive experience regarding alternative communication (AAC) across a number of roles in the Assistive Technology industry. This includes nine years as an Assistive Technology Advisor in the Netherlands - providing everything from assessment to implementation of communication and computer access solutions for children and adults with disabilities. Bas worked as an Account Manager for Tobii AB – the world leader in eye tracking technology. Seeing first-hand the immense impact the right technology can make in people’s lives, he continued on this path and is still as inspired now as he was back then. ‘I have met so many amazing individuals along the way, having had the chance to play a small role in making a difference in their lives is something I am very grateful for and has taught me a lot’. Bas is looking forward to using his experience to continue raising awareness for AAC and to look across country borders to assist those in need of AAC through our not-for-profit Bridge Assistive.
Charlene Cullen is a speech pathologist based in Victoria who has worked in the disability sector throughout her career. She has worked in a variety of roles as an early intervention therapist and resource therapist to rural and remote areas in Western Australia. She has worked in supervisory and coordinator roles to support and mentor other speech pathologists and manage large therapy teams for both child and adult services. She has been involved in running and participating in AAC camps for school aged children who use communication devices in Queensland, Western Australia and Victoria. In her spare time, Charlene enjoys volunteering at her local church as a coordinator and teacher in the children’s ministry program. Charlene currently works full time for Link Assistive as clinical team leader and providing education, consultation and support for assistive technology within Victoria. She is passionate about the area of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC). She looks forward to sharing her skills and knowledge through her work with Bridge Assistive.
