Meet the speakers: Early Childhood Workshop 2026

Dr. Susana Gavidia-Payne is an Adjunct Professor in Educational and Developmental Psychology at RMIT University’s School of Education. Susana’s expertise lies in the field of early childhood intervention (ECI), having worked extensively with young children with developmental disabilities and their families as a practising psychologist, ECI service manager and researcher for the last 40 years. Susana’s research prioritises evidence-based policy and practice that enable and constrain children’s development and family well-being. Susana’s service and research work has led to the establishment of close research collaborations with community-based services and practitioners, which has supported the joint development of conceptual models and methodologies and guided the implementation of ECI evidence-based practices. Of note was her role as lead researcher of a 3-year collaborative study between RMIT’s School of Health Sciences and EPIC (Education Program for Infants and Children), a non-government ECI service. Susana has been awarded research grants and tenders, generating numerous reports and practical resources for children, families, and practitioners. Susana has published widely in a range of peer-reviewed national and international journals, receiving research awards in 2009 and 2015 for publications on ECI-related topics. She is on the editorial board of Topics in Early Childhood Special Education and acts as a reviewer for several other journals in the fields of child development, disability, and family well-being. She is a member of the Coordinating Committee for the International Society on Early Intervention (ISEI) and a founding board member of Professionals and Researchers in Early Childhood Intervention (PRECI). In her role as a member of the Victorian Children’s Council (2015-2025), Susana has advised various State Ministers of education, child protection, disability, ageing and health and human services. Susana’s current research examines ECI practitioners’ and families’ experiences in the implementation of Early Childhood Intervention in Australia.

Dr Christine Johnston is an Associate Professor in the School of Education at Western Sydney University. She primarily teaches in the Master of Inclusive Education course, focusing on person- and family-centred practice and practitioner research. A strong thread throughout her research program is that of linking research to practice. This can be seen in two current projects: Living Well with Global Developmental Delay and The Journey Continues, which have used co-design to develop a website for those living with Global developmental delay and their families. The project team comprises researchers, practitioners, those with lived experience of global developmental delay and parents who are working together to develop resources to support individuals and families. Another project, in conjunction with PRECI, focuses on identifying the learning needs of ECI professionals. Chris has served on several boards for early childhood intervention services and professional associations. She is a founding Director of PRECI (Professionals and Researchers in Early Childhood Intervention), which is working to bring together practitioners and researchers to champion and support evidence-based practice in ECI through the implementation of the National Best Practice Framework in Early Childhood Intervention.

Sam Page is the CEO of Early Childhood Australia, the national not-for-profit peak body advocating for the rights and wellbeing of young children and the importance of the early years, including high-quality early childhood services. She is also a member of the ACT Teacher Quality Institute Board and has previously served on the boards of Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA), Parentline ACT, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS) and the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW). With over three decades of experience in the human services sector, Sam brings expertise in executive leadership, social and public policy, advocacy and program delivery. She has contributed to major reform and sector-development initiatives working with both federal and state governments and cross-sector collaborations. Sam holds postgraduate qualifications in management and accreditations in governance and leadership.