Robyn Johnson - Chair
I started my career as a speech pathologist in Sydney in 1992 and came to the UK eighteen months later. I worked in an independent special school until 1995 and then an NHS trust in mainstream schools for almost ten years, mainly with adolescents. I joined ASLTIP in 2002, when I started working independently part time. In my NHS post, I was responsible for, in addition to my clinical work, a range of recruitment initiatives and coordinated the SLT student placements.
My sixteen months as Vice Chair was a steep learning curve, punctuated by a new arrival to my family in July 2006. There are certainly great challenges ahead for ASLTIP and for the profession as a whole.
As Chair, I hope to continue to promote Independent Practice as a widely accepted and respected career pathway for Speech and Language Therapists within the current climate of change nationally in healthcare provision. I will also continue to promote ASLTIP within the wider profession, developing a strategic plan for the future through member consultation and discussion. I will encourage as many members as possible to be involved with the work of ASLTIP, through working with members of the Executive Committee and Project Group on a range of projects; for example, giving feedback on (and proofreading!) revisions of the CD and factsheets. I will continue to work with the Executive and members to foster a supportive atmosphere within the Association.