Julie Gifford
Director / Principal Occupational TherapistB. App Sc (OT), OTA
Julie graduated as an Occupational Therapist from the University of South Australia in 1990. She has worked in a broad variety of settings in South Australia and in the USA. Julie’s work has predominantly been with children and their families but she has also worked in a range of adult services.
Across her career Julie has gained a vast amount of experience working with children and adolescents with disabilities, including physical disability, intellectual disability, psychosocial disability, and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). She has also worked extensively with babies and young children with a range of developmental delays and disorders.
Julie lives with her family on a property near the Barossa Valley and has worked in the Barossa community for nearly 20 years.
Julie is a registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA and is a member of the Occupational Therapy Association of Australia (OTA). She is also an endorsed mental health provider through OTA and can support children referred with a Mental Health Care Plan.
Kirsty MacCulloch
Director / Principal PhysiotherapistB. Physio, APAM, APAPG
Kirsty graduated with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of South Australia in 2001. She has spent her career in country South Australia working with children and families. Kirsty works with children of all ages who have movement difficulties, with special interests in early childhood intervention and complex disability. She is committed to providing services which address family goals and have functional outcomes for children. Kirsty also has an interest in supervising Physiotherapy students.
Kirsty and her family have lived in the Barossa for over ten years and she is passionate about supporting rural children, both at work and through volunteering in the local community.
Kirsty is a registered Physiotherapist with AHPRA and is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and the APA Paediatric Group.
Kristin Lambert
Occupational TherapistB. App Sc (OT), OTA
Kristin graduated as an Occupational Therapist from the University of South Australia in 1999. Since then, she has worked in South Australia in the diverse settings of paediatrics, mental health and aged care.
Kristin enjoys living and working in the Barossa Valley. She believes that each child has strengths and hidden potential that can be reached with confidence and support.
Kristin works with children who have Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), Intellectual Disability, Developmental Delays, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), anxiety and depression. She is a trained facilitator of the Secret Agent Society social skills program and is also a certified DIRFloortime provider.
Kristin is a registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA and is a member of the Occupational Therapy Association of Australia (OTA).
Lara Tod
Occupational TherapistB. App Sc (OT)
Lara graduated as an Occupational Therapist from the University of South Australia in 2018 and has over six years of experience working with children, young adults, and their families. She is passionate about building strong relationships with families and using the family-centred model when providing therapy. Lara believes in empowering clients and their families to advocate for their own needs.
Lara works with a range of children and has special interests in early intervention, mental health and social skills. She has undertaken training in social thinking concepts and is passionate about supporting children in this area.
Lara grew up on a farm at Port Broughton and this has provided her with a good understanding of living in a rural community.
Lara is a registered Occupational Therapist with AHPRA.
Shannon Miller
PhysiotherapistB. Physio (Hons), APAM, APAPG
Shannon joined the ValleyKids team in 2022 after graduating with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (First Class Honours) from the University of South Australia in 2021. Prior to this, she developed an interest in working with children and families in her role as a support care worker, and a love for teaching children movement as a dance coach.
Shannon grew up in the Barossa region and is passionate about providing access to inclusive, quality health care in our community. She is committed to working in partnership with families and enjoys working with children in their own environment to achieve meaningful goals. Shannon works with children with a range of gross motor delays, disabilities, and orthopaedic conditions, with a special interest in early intervention.
Shannon is a registered Physiotherapist with AHPRA and is a member of the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) and the APA Paediatric Group.
Tam Auricht
Allied Health AssistantCert III Allied Health Assistance
Tam joined the ValleyKids team in 2021 and has a Certificate III in Allied Health Assistance. She enjoys working with children to help them achieve their goals and have improved outcomes.
Tam works with a range of clients in collaboration with our therapists to deliver high quality interventions. She has a background in playing and coaching sport and has a particular interest in children’s motor skill development and physical fitness. Tam can also be found in the office as a valued member of our administration team.
Tam has lived in the Barossa for over ten years and has three children who keep her busy outside of work.