Meaghan Sullivan
BSpPath, BMus (Voice), CPSP
Meaghan Sullivan has been working as a Speech Pathologist since graduating from La Trobe University in 2002. Prior to entering speech pathology, she completed a Bachelor of Music specialising in voice at the Victorian College of the Arts. She brings more than 20 years of clinical experience across acute and sub-acute hospital services, adult neurological rehabilitation, laryngology and voice, as well as a broad paediatric caseload. Her clinical background includes experience with acquired brain injury, neurological speech and communication disorders, dysphagia and a range of developmental communication difficulties.
Meaghan has maintained a strong connection with music and performance throughout her career. She has worked as a university lecturer, Musical Director and singing teacher, including with Federation University’s Musical Theatre degree, and has enjoyed a successful career as a singer and performer. She continues to perform in both choral and solo concert settings. This combination of clinical speech pathology, music and performance experience gives her a strong understanding of the physiological and functional demands of voice use, particularly in performance.
Meaghan has been part of the Voice Medicine Australia sister practice team since 2010 and has consulted with the Melbourne Voice Analysis Centre since 2013. At MVAC, she works as part of the multidisciplinary team with laryngologists, contributing detailed perceptual and acoustic voice assessment alongside laryngological examination and videostroboscopy to support accurate diagnosis and individualised management. She has a particular interest in applying a strong physiological framework to clinical assessment and management and in understanding the factors that influence vocal health, efficiency and function.
Her clinical interests encompass performance and occupational voice, neurological voice disorders including spasmodic dysphonia and vocal tremor, functional voice disorders, chronic cough and inducible laryngeal obstruction/vocal cord dysfunction. She also has a longstanding interest in the application of exercise science to speech pathology and voice management.
Alongside her clinical work, Meaghan is actively involved in professional education and has presented at national and international speech pathology and ENT conferences and workshops on clinical voice assessment and management. She has contributed to the profession through service on the Board of the Australian Voice Association and involvement in professional education and standards development. More recently, she has contributed to advanced clinical voice education through Voice Medicine Australia’s VMA Connect program, including workshops focused on clinical reasoning, physiological interpretation and the assessment and management of complex voice presentations.
Meaghan is the Clinical Director and Principal Speech Pathologist of Voice Medicine Australia Ballarat, where she provides voice services to people in Ballarat and regional Victoria through face-to-face and online consultations. She also continues to work in private practice with children, adolescents and adults across a broad range of communication and swallowing needs.