Dr Lisa Furlong is a Senior Lecturer at the Child Well-being Research Institute at the University of Canterbury where she is involved in supporting literacy specialists, teachers, speech-language therapists and teacher aides to implement the Better Start Literacy Approach. Lisa is also an Adjunct Research Fellow in the SOLAR Lab in the School of Education at La Trobe University (Melbourne) and holds Full Academic Status at Flinders University (Adelaide). With a background in speech pathology, Lisa’s research interests focus on policy and practice relating to evidence-based reading and spelling instruction in primary school settings and, educators’ and health professionals’ engagement with the Science of Reading. Lisa has an interest in technology-based interventions for literacy instruction and intervention, including mobile apps and telepractice. Lisa is a Registered Member of the New Zealand Speech-Language Therapists’ Association. She has more than ten years of clinical experience in the private practice sector working with school-aged children providing Tier 2 (small group) and Tier 3 (individual) support to children with learning difficulties and learning disabilities in both face-to-face and telepractice settings. Lisa has a PhD in Speech Pathology (La Trobe University) and a Bachelor of Speech and Language Therapy (First Class Honours) (University of Canterbury).

Rebecca Keeley is a speech pathologist and the founder of Yarn Speech, an Australian healthtech company revolutionising access to speech pathology for children and families on long waitlists. Drawing on a decade of clinical experience in rural and remote communities, she leads Yarn in building engaging, evidence-based digital platforms that deliver therapy directly to homes across Australia’s most isolated areas. A General Sir John Monash Scholar, Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellow, NSW/ACT Rural Women’s Award Winner (2024), and AMP Tomorrow Maker, Rebecca combines clinical insight with business acumen gained through her MBA (Distinction) from Oxford University. Her leadership centres on creating scalable, equitable digital health solutions that empower families and strengthen regional economies. When she’s not driving innovation, Rebecca enjoys hiking around Canberra with her fiancé Paddy and their golden retriever Rover, gardening, reading, and sharing good food and wine.