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Meet the Team :

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Sussanne Pyers

 
 
 
Team Leader 
& Engagement

Team Leader  & Engagement  

(BSW Social Work with Honours)

Available Monday to Friday

Sussanne is Founder and Lead Coordinator  of Total Care Team .

Sussanne has been happily married for the past 43 years and has 5 adult children and 9 Grandchildren.

 

Sussanne  graduated with a Bachelor of Social Work (Honors) from Monash University in 1983. Sussanne has worked in various roles which include: Child Protection; Intellectual Disability ; Foster Care ;  Education Dept Student Services & Carer Respite and Support  before moving into a role as Regional Coordinator with Multiple Sclerosis Victoria for 29 years. This role  included working with Neurological conditions eg Huntington’s Disease, Muscular Dystrophy & Motor Neuron Disease. Other part time roles Sussanne has worked in have included:  Carer Respite;  Rehabilitation; Senior Social Worker Warrnambool Hospital, Barwon Health Carer Support, Grief Counselling & Sessional Teaching. 

 

Sussanne Pyers was co-founder of Pyerscarlin Consultants until starting Total Care Team.

 It was from this vast and varied experience and knowledge base that led Sussanne to support those transitioning to the NDIS at the commencement of NDIS rollout in South West Victoria on 1st October 2017 .

 

Sussanne’s extensive knowledge and experience form the foundations of the quality support provided to Total Care Team NDIS Participants.  Sussanne follows the principle that all interactions and supports must reflect participant’s own decisions & choice ,ensuring participants have  control of their NDIS journey.

Sussanne not only supports Participants already accessing the NDIS yet can support those navigating the NDIS for the first time .

 

Qualifications: Bachelor of Social Work (Honours)

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Renee Dodson

Senior & Specialist Support Coordinator

Specialist Support Coordinator 

 Available Monday to Friday

 

Renee has a Diploma in Community Services – Case Management and is currently working towards her Bachelor of Disability and Developmental Education with Flinders University.

Renee has worked in various roles over the last 20 years including Aged Care Facilities, Child Protection, Council Aged and Disability services and as Rural Access and Inclusion Officer. 

Most recently working in the NDIS - as a Local Area Coordinator for Southwest Victoria and as a Specialist Support Coordinator with Gateways Support Services.

 

Renee is passionate about her work and loves supporting participants and their families to enable people to live their best life and make their lives a little easier where she can.

Having a special interest and lived experience in Dementia, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD) 

Renee is a mum of 3 children who have a combination of ASD, ADHD and ODD disabilities. 

Renee is now available to meet in person : participants, families and service providers within the Southwest Victoria   or  by phone  or online  Australia wide. 

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Tom Bishop

Senior Support Coordinator

Senior Support Coordinator 

 Available Monday to Friday

Tom has over 10 years experience working within the healthcare and disability sector where he has gained extensive knowledge in a variety of roles and has been able to form strong partnerships with services and providers within the region.

 

After working within the NDIA as a planner, Tom gained a vast amount of knowledge and endeavored to take on a more hands on approach in being able to further support participants and their families by moving into a Support Coordination Role. 

 

Tom is passionate about what he does and getting positive outcomes for his clients. He is hardworking and has a wealth of knowledge which he is able to utilise to support participants to maximise their funding and access the best supports available for their needs. 

 

Tom has a friendly and relaxed personality, he loves sport and is an avid Carlton supporter. He enjoys the outdoors and spending time with his young family. Tom will be available Monday to Friday to support all of your Support Coordination needs as required

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Mark Sonego

Specialist Support Coordinator

Psychosocial 

Recovery Coach

 

Specialist Support Coordinator &

 

Psychosocial Recovery Coach 

 ( Available Monday to Friday)  

Currently able to accept New Participants 

Mark has an Advanced Diploma in Community Services and has been working in the social welfare sector for over 20 years. 

 

Mark has extensive knowledge of the NDIS having worked with the NDIA as a delegate creating plans for people to support them to achieve their goals. 

 

Mark has also worked as a local area coordinator advocating and working with families to get the best outcomes for their present and future needs. 

 

Mark has experience in aged care and acquired brain injury having managed a neuropsychological clinic for Southwest Victoria and case managing a diverse range of people and needs with community care packages.

 

Mark is passionate about supporting and working with you to achieve your goals. Mark has a friendly and relaxed demeanor and will advocate strongly for you and what you would like to work towards. 

Mark is available Monday to Fridays and looks forward to supporting you meet your NDIS goals             

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Kelly Curran

Support Coordinator

Psychosocial  Recovery Coach

 

Support Coordinator &

 

Psychosocial Recovery Coach 

( Available weekdays and weekends by appointment )  

Currently able to accept New Participants 

Kelly is a loyal and dedicated , who has worked in mental health and disability for many years.

Kelly has extensive knowledge of everything NDIS and strives to achieve the best outcomes for her participants , supporting them to reach their goals whilst  working  alongside  services providers ensuring participants work towards building their capacity . Kelly always ensures her participants feel supported and can improve their quality of life.

Kelly has experience working with participants who come out of the justice system, experiencing AOD  ,or have complex disability and mental health needs.

Kelly has a demonstrated ability working with young children, teenagers and adults and loves supporting participants and their families to achieve the best outcomes.

Kelly supports all participants across Australia via video conferencing and face to face in Geelong , Horsham , Portland, Mt Gambier , Warrnambool and surrounding areas.

Kelly is a friendly person, has lived in South West Victoria all her life and loves spending time with her family and volunteers her time in the community with Rotary.

Kelly has capacity to accept referrals for  Support Coordination and Psychosocial Recovery Coaching having immediate availability.

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Cheryl Umbers

Support Coordinator

Support Coordinator

Available Monday to Thursday 

Currently able to accept New Participants

 

Cheryl has over 30 years in the Community Welfare Sector both here in Victoria and in Far North Queensland.

Cheryl holds an Associate Diploma in Applied Social Sciences (Welfare) ,  Diploma in Financial Counseling,  Advanced Diploma in Business Management as well as numerous Certificates in Mediation, Cultural Competence, Tenancy Law and Quality Assurance.

Cheryl’s last position was working With Multiple Sclerosis QLD as a Support Coordinator assisting people with Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neuron Disease and other neurological conditions to implement their NDIS Plans.  This work across the Far North Parts of Queensland was some of the most satisfying of Cheryl’s career due to the close enduring relationships Cheryl enjoyed with both participants of the NDIS and other service providers.

Cheryl has 2 adult children and 4 Grand Children and now lives locally in Warrnambool. Cheryl enjoys reading, crosswords and socialising with family and friends. 

Cheryl is available to meet you in person, phone or via MS Teams / video conferencing . Cheryl has capacity for new Participants and looks forward to meeting you .

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Alex Priebbenow  Support Coordinator

& Therapy Assistant 

 Support Coordinator, 

Psychosocial Recovery Coach & Therapy Assistant   

Available  Part Time  

Currently able to accept New Participants 

 

Alex is a dedicated professional with a diverse background in healthcare, transitioning from an accomplished 8-year tenure as a Chiropractor to pursuing a career in the Community Health sector as a Support Coordinator and Therapy Assistant. Holding a Bachelor of Health Science (Chiropractic) and a Master of Clinical Chiropractic, Alex brings a wealth of clinical expertise and a deep understanding of patient care to the table.

With a recent stint as an Allied Health Assistant backed by a Cert IV in Allied Health Assistance, Alex has honed essential skills in facilitating therapy sessions and providing crucial support to individuals in need. Passionate about empowering others to achieve their full potential, Alex is particularly drawn to working with children, leveraging a compassionate approach and specialised knowledge to make a meaningful impact.

Alex has completed courses in Neurodiverse Affirming Care, ASD, building resilience in young people, and Paediatric OT. These additional qualifications reflect Alex's dedication to staying updated with the latest practices and methodologies in providing comprehensive care to her clients.

A proud Warrnambool local, Alex is deeply rooted in the community and committed to enhancing the well-being of its residents. Complementing her healthcare background, Alex holds a Cert II in Business, demonstrating a well-rounded skill set and a commitment to professional development.

Outside of work, Alex is a devoted mother of three young children. She enjoys spending quality time with them on the weekends, exploring all that Warrnambool has to offer.

Driven by a genuine desire to make a difference in people's lives, Alex is poised to excel in the role of Support Coordinator and Therapy Assistant, bringing a unique blend of clinical expertise, empathy, and local insight to the position.

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Stephanie Fedley

Occupational Therapist

Occupational Therapist

Available Monday & Thursdays by appointment 

 Current Waiting List of  approx 2 months  

Total Care Team  is currently taking referrals for Functional Capacity Assessments, Assistive Technology Applications , Equipment Trials  and Report Writing.

Stephanie comes to Total Care Team with over 35 years experience, is caring and compassionate and builds effective communication with everyone she meets.

 

Stephanie has a well established network of peers , teachers & therapists enabling her to coordinate  & recommend interventions to best meet & achieve participants goals around skills development & capacity building in daily life .

Stephanie is able to assist NDIS  & Aged Care participants with Functional Capacity Assessments , reports and Assistive Technology Applications. Stephanie has capacity to complete home visits across South West Victoria during School holidays.  , and will maintain involvement during school term through emails or phone etc. 

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Pauline Pearce

Social Worker & Counsellor

Social Worker & Counsellor

Available by Appointment 

Currently able to accept New Participants 

Pauline comes to us with 30 years of experience in the Social Work field in a variety of settings including medical social work, mental health, aged care, child and family services and most recently domestic and family violence. 

Pauline has a range of skills including complex risk assessment, case planning, risk management , critical incident stress debriefing and trauma informed counselling. 

Having worked predominantly in the South West region of Victoria she is familiar with our service network and remains committed to ongoing professional development. 

Pauline welcomes your contact   & can accept referrals for Aged Care participants as well as NDIS .

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