Photos by SALTS
On 8 November 2023, over 50 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) gathered in a cosy room to connect, mingle and enjoy dinner and a panel discussion organised by SALTS.
The panel comprised three SLPs who shared their thoughts on the local SLP community's history, present strengths and challenges, and areas for potential future growth and exploration, as well as burnout and compassion fatigue.
Do join us for the next gathering!
From left to right: Ms Yee Kaisin, Dr Elizabeth Teh, Ms Chithra Kathiresen.
SALTS Committee Members
More about the speakers
Ms Chithra Kathiresan. After graduating from Flinders University of South Australia, Chithra began her career in Singapore in 1994, working with adults at TTSH Neuroscience Institute. She moved to paediatric work at KK Hospital thereafter, where she headed the ST team, and was instrumental in organising the first paediatric dysphagia certification training for Singapore. Later on, Chithra left hospital life to consult in a large multi-disciplinary private practice in Singapore, where she began to incorporate sensory processing in her work, inspired by the OTs. She founded her private practice, Connect and Communicate, in 2013, which supports infants to adults with a diverse range of functioning.
Growing SLTs has been close to her heart. Chithra was part of the inauguration of SHA(S) in 1994. She has held several committee positions on SHA(S) including VP. Later, Chithra founded and led the Social Communication SIG (Special Interest Group) for SALTS pre-covid. She was part of the team that developed the curriculum for our local SLT undergraduate program at SIT. Chithra is guest lecturer and clinical educator for the NUS and SIT SLT programmes.
Dr Elizabeth Teh. Liz started her career in speech therapy at SPD in 2006. She was excited to be part of the newly-created “therapy hub services” and also SPD’s new paediatric rehab centre. Later, she moved to a special school and private practice. Liz joined the NUS Speech and Language Pathology programme in 2018, where she now teaches linguistic frameworks, child language, and social communication disorders. Her research has been mainly focused on Autism Spectrum Disorders, but recently she has branched into Dementia and other cognitive-communication problems. She was SHAS Vice President in 2008-2009 and Acting President in 2009-2010
Ms Yee Kaisin. Kaisin recently completed her Master of Public Health in Global Health from Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. With over a decade of experience at Singapore General Hospital, she specialised in speech and language therapy for head and neck cancers. She has been instrumental in driving the development of interdisciplinary services in head and neck rehabilitation, leading both clinical and service research while introducing technologies for improved patient outcomes. She now holds a dual role at the SingHealth Duke-NUS Global Health Institute and the MOH Office for Healthcare Transformation, expanding her interests to health systems innovation. Kaisin served as SALTS president from 2019 to 2021. In her term as President, she set up seed funding, moved internal operations online to Notion, and moved the SALTS website to a more flexible and cost-effective service provider.