Our Team

I am a Research Speech and Language Therapist and founder of Talking Mats. I worked with people with acquired communication difficulties with the NHS for many years and began working at Stirling University in 1989 as a researcher. Since then I have led a number of research projects and have a wide portfolio of publications. Together with my colleagues, I have developed Talking Mats into a well-respected communication framework, which is used worldwide with a wide range of people.

Lois is one of the founding directors of Talking Mats Social enterprise. She has worked with Joan, the other founding director, developing Talking Mats since 1998. By profession, Lois is a Speech and Language Therapist and worked in various roles in the NHS primarily in learning disabilities . She was heavily involved in building the research evidence base for Talking Mats and since 2011 her focus has been to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from this transformational communication framework.

Margo became Operations Director in December 2019 after joining the Talking Mats team in 2012. She previously practiced as a Speech and Language Therapist in the NHS and worked collaboratively in a variety of settings to  support children and young people with Additional Support Needs. She is a strong advocate for rights based practice and in 2019 wrote a report for the Scottish Government called “Can Scotland be brave?” to help practitioners to understand what full incorporation of UNCRC means in practice.

Nicki joined  the Talking Mats Team in January 2016 and is our Lead Associate for Licensed Trainers. She has a background in social work and worked in adult services, latterly as a planning and commissioning officer for people with learning disabilities. She became an accredited Talking Mats trainer in 2013 and enjoys delivering training across the UK and internationally. She strongly believes that Talking Mats improves the quality of life for people with communication difficulties by ensuring that they have their voices heard.

Paula qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist at University College London in 2002. She worked with adult inpatients in Ayrshire and Arran before moving to work in the community in Dumfries. She had career break to raise her family and we are delighted that she is now part of our office team

Laura joined the Talking  Mats Team in 2016 and is based in North West England.  Laura also works for NHS Stockport Foundation Trust as a Highly Specialist  Speech and Language Therapist with the Stockport Virtual Schools Team.  She is committed to supporting children and young people to express their thoughts and feelings using Talking Mats, enabling their voices to be heard and responded to by those around them.

Heather’s background is in Business Administration and Education and she joined Talking Mats in early 2020. Heather will be your point of contact for organising training and general enquiries.

Mark is a modern languages graduate and completed his masters at the beginning of 2020. After stints working for a farm and an educational publishing company, in the Summer of 2021 he joined the Talking Mats team where he deals with all things digital.

Associate Tutor

Mary is a Speech and Language Therapist working with children and young people with physical disability and additional support needs. She has been one of our Licenced Trainers since 2015 and is now applying her experience and knowledge to her role as a tutor on our online Foundation Training Course

Associate Tutor

Rachel is a freelance occupational therapist working in and around Gloucestershire.  She works with people who have experienced neurological impairment following a brain or spinal cord injury and those who have sustained traumatic life changing physical and psychological injuries.  She also acts as an expert witness with the medico-legal process.  Rachel has been a team member since 2018 and is particularly interested in the use of Talking Mats as a thinking tool.  She currently tutors on the Talking Mats online Foundation Training course.

Associate Tutor

Sharon qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2005 and her specialism is working within the Acute Stroke Team of Forth Valley. She has also worked within the 3rd Sector in a training and consultancy role. Sharon believes this experience allows her to offer support to our online participants and introduce them to a practical tool that can make communication easier.

Associate Tutor

Based in Edinburgh, Julie currently works as a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Queen Margaret University Musselburgh

Julie has extensive clinical experience including working as a specialist neuro Occupational Therapist in an inpatient setting; working in the community supporting adults with neurological conditions to access digital technology, and also has experience in renablement and care management. Julie became one of our trainers in 2014 and she is keen to promote how Talking Mats can help those living with cognitive impairment have a voice on areas that matter to them.

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Owen is a graduate in Psychology from Stirling University. Having graduated in 2020 in the height of lockdown Owen started his working career as a support worker for people with additional needs. He joined us in May 2022 as a Digital Support Intern through GCAS.

Interesting fact- Owen is fluent in Turkish.

Eilidh is an environmental science graduate and is finalising her PhD research which focuses on climate justice issues for women in rural Malawi. Eilidh joined the team in the summer of 2022 as our Development Associate and is working on our SMART funded project which aims to embrace future technologies to enhance the Talking Mats digital communication framework.

Fun Fact: Eilidh is netball daft

Qualified as a speech and language therapist in 2000. She has been a Talking Mats trainer since 2019 and joined the Talking Mats team in 2022. Laura works for NHS Lothian specialising in working with children and young people with complex additional needs. She is very committed to giving children and young people with communication difficulties a voice and the confidence to share their views. She believes that Talking mats are a great tool to help us do that.

Nicki joined  the Talking Mats Team in January 2016 and is our Lead Associate for Licensed Trainers. She has a background in social work and worked in adult services, latterly as a planning and commissioning officer for people with learning disabilities. She became an accredited Talking Mats trainer in 2013 and enjoys delivering training across the UK and internationally. She strongly believes that Talking Mats improves the quality of life for people with communication difficulties by ensuring that they have their voices heard.

Paula qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist at University College London in 2002. She worked with adult inpatients in Ayrshire and Arran before moving to work in the community in Dumfries. She had career break to raise her family and we are delighted that she is now part of our office team

Heather’s background is in Business Administration and Education and she joined Talking Mats in early 2020. Heather will be your point of contact for organising training and general enquiries.

Associate Tutor

Mary is a Speech and Language Therapist working with children and young people with physical disability and additional support needs. She has been one of our Licenced Trainers since 2015 and is now applying her experience and knowledge to her role as a tutor on our online Foundation Training Course

Associate Tutor

Rachel is a freelance occupational therapist working in and around Gloucestershire.  She works with people who have experienced neurological impairment following a brain or spinal cord injury and those who have sustained traumatic life changing physical and psychological injuries.  She also acts as an expert witness with the medico-legal process.  Rachel has been a team member since 2018 and is particularly interested in the use of Talking Mats as a thinking tool.  She currently tutors on the Talking Mats online Foundation Training course.

Associate Tutor

Sharon qualified as a Speech and Language Therapist in 2005 and her specialism is working within the Acute Stroke Team of Forth Valley. She has also worked within the 3rd Sector in a training and consultancy role. Sharon believes this experience allows her to offer support to our online participants and introduce them to a practical tool that can make communication easier.

Associate Tutor

Based in Edinburgh, Julie currently works as a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at Queen Margaret University Musselburgh

Julie has extensive clinical experience including working as a specialist neuro Occupational Therapist in an inpatient setting; working in the community supporting adults with neurological conditions to access digital technology, and also has experience in renablement and care management. Julie became one of our trainers in 2014 and she is keen to promote how Talking Mats can help those living with cognitive impairment have a voice on areas that matter to them.

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Qualified as a speech and language therapist in 2000. She has been a Talking Mats trainer since 2019 and joined the Talking Mats team in 2022. Laura works for NHS Lothian specialising in working with children and young people with complex additional needs. She is very committed to giving children and young people with communication difficulties a voice and the confidence to share their views. She believes that Talking mats are a great tool to help us do that.

I am a Research Speech and Language Therapist and founder of Talking Mats. I worked with people with acquired communication difficulties with the NHS for many years and began working at Stirling University in 1989 as a researcher. Since then I have led a number of research projects and have a wide portfolio of publications. Together with my colleagues, I have developed Talking Mats into a well-respected communication framework, which is used worldwide with a wide range of people.

Lois is one of the founding directors of Talking Mats Social enterprise. She has worked with Joan, the other founding director, developing Talking Mats since 1998. By profession, Lois is a Speech and Language Therapist and worked in various roles in the NHS primarily in learning disabilities . She was heavily involved in building the research evidence base for Talking Mats and since 2011 her focus has been to ensure that as many people as possible benefit from this transformational communication framework.