People
Greg Toole, M.Sc. Applied Behaviour Analysis - Services Director, Behaviour Specialist.
Hilary Martin, A.C.I.I., F.P.C - Finance and Operations Director.
Greg and Hilary are the founders and directors of Tools For Learning and Chatterbox Preschool. Greg is responsible for the co ordination of the multidisciplinary team and supervision of programmes for clients. Greg is a Behaviour Specialist, training towards full certification by the BACB and is also responsible for devising and supervising individual language and educational programmes for TFL’s private clients. Greg has over 5 years practical experience in Applied Behaviour Analysis with an emphasis on language programme design and management. He is currently completing his MSc. in ABA and is commencing a Masters Degree in Education. In addition to his role at Tools For Learning he works as a Behaviour Programme Manager in adult services for The HSE.
Hilary is responsible for all financial and operational matters at Tools For Learning. Hilary has a sound financial background, having worked for many years in Finance and Financial Services in both London & Dublin and is a qualified Associate of the Chartered Insurance Institute (A.C.I.I). Having researched social skills training for children with ASD and with previous training in the Arts, Hilary developed and set up The Saturday Club, a specialised drama, art and music programme that supports Social Skills development. Hilary is currently completing a BSc. (Hons) Psychology.
Marinet Van Vuren, MSc. Speech & Language Pathology-Consultant Speech & Language Therapist
Marinet is a Speech and Language Therapist working in Ireland for the past 9 years. She obtained a B. Degree in Speech Therapy and Audiology at the University of Stellenbosch in South Africa. Since arriving in Ireland, Marinet has worked for various hospitals and disability organisations including Enable Ireland, St Michael’s House and Children Sunshine Home. In 2008 she obtained a Master of Science degree in Speech and Language Pathology through the University of Cape Town. She runs a private speech and language therapy practice, called Bright Stars, in Rathfarnham, where she and her colleagues see children of all disabilities with various speech, language and feeding difficulties. Her area of expertise is in working with children with Down Syndrome and she is the speech and language therapy advisor for Down Syndrome Centre in DunLaoghaire. Marinet is also Hanen and Bobath / NDT trained. Marinet provides a range of consultation services to Chatterbox Preschool, The Saturday Club and Tools For Learning’s private clients
Cathy Mannion-BSc.(Hons) Speech & Language Therapy - Consultant Speech & Language Therapist
Cathy Mannion is a Speech and Language Therapist, having graduated from the University of Ulster, Jordanstown in 1999 with an honours degree in Speech and Language Therapy. She has spent the past 10 years working with children and young people from 18months to 18 years with intellectual disability, speech and language delay and specific language impairment in a variety of settings including home, pre-school, school and community care clinics. She is a tutor for both the Hanen It Takes Two To Talk programme and the Elklan Programme and has attended many training courses in the areas of receptive and expressive language, speech sound difficulties and social skills. She is a practicing member of the Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists, Irish Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Private Practice and the Royal College Of Speech and Language Therapists. Cathy provides a range of consultation services to Chatterbox Preschool, The Saturday Club and Tools For Learning’s private clients
Triona Tammemagi, M.A. (Cog.Sc), BCBA – Consultant Behaviour Analyst.
Triona graduated from UCD in 1999 with a BA in Psychology and furthered her studies with an MA in Cognitive Science in UCD in 2000. The earlier part of Triona’s career was spent working in a Boston Hospital as a Behaviour Specialist. Before returning permanently to Ireland in 2006, Triona worked in both Ireland and the US in both educational and residential settings for a broad range of clients. Triona previously held the position of Clinical Director at a preschool service for children with autism and language delay. Triona’s expertise is in the areas of behavioural assessment, challenging behaviour, teaching strategies, early intervention, and contingency management with individuals in both one to one and group settings. As Consultant Behaviour Analyst, Triona is responsible for devising, implementing and monitoring individual programmes for Chatterbox Preschool and TFL’s provate clients.
Laura Regan, B.Ed., H.Dip. in Psych, M. Ed. Psych, C Psychol - Educational Psychologist
Laura is a Chartered Educational Psychologist with the British Psychological Society and a lecturer in Educational Psychology in the University of Limerick. She specialises in Autistic Spectrum Disorders carrying out diagnostic assessment and evaluations on children who are deemed to have pervasive developmental disorders including Asperger's and PDD-NOS. She works with children, their families and their schools in the area of Additional Educational Needs. Laura has worked with Pre-school, Primary, Secondary and Special School establishments. Laura carries out assessments for diagnosis, strategy and planning for IEP development for Chatterbox Preschool and TFL’s clients.
Ciara Donegan – Drama Teacher
Ciara trained in Applied Behaviour Analysis and worked as an ABA Tutor for over 6 years. For the past 5 years Ciara has trained as an actress and attended the International Modeling and Talent Association in New York, 2006, where she was awarded with Competition Excellence for her Cold Read and Sitcom performance, an honourable mention for her monologue and a life long guarantee of tuition assistance to attend the New York Film Academy. She then trained with the Gaiety School of Acting and has appeared on Australian television, Fair City, King Arthur & The Honeymooners. She played the lead in 16A Capel Street,, winner of the Dublin Cannonball Run in association with DCTV and Lilian Hellman's "The Children's Hour" for her GSA showcase at Smock Alley. She has recently appeared on stage in Willy Russell’s “Stags & Hens” and Tracy Letts’ “Killer Joe”.
Mary Cate Smith, B.A. – Drama Teacher
Mary Cate is an actor, speech and drama teacher and facilitator based in Dublin. She has trained with the Gaiety School of Acting, Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, the London College of Music and Media and most recently at the Ark, Ireland’s Cultural Centre for Children. Mary Cate worked for 3 years in Cork as a drama teacher at the Declan Wolfe Stage School in Cork and St. Joseph’s Primary School in Kinsale, Co. Cork, where she wrote, directed and produced pantomimes, plays and dance presentations for performance. She has worked as an assistant director and a stage manager for children’s theatre in the Everyman Palace Theatre and the Cork Opera House. As well as her extensive theatre training, Mary Cate has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and Philosophy from University College Cork. As a performer, she has had much success, performing in the Irish Theatre Award-winning production of Trojan Women, touring nationally with new play Bondi Beach Boy Blue, performing the site specific Bram Stoker Wedding which was highly acclaimed by the BBC and the Irish Times. She is a member of the Ha’penny Laughs Comedy Improvisation Group which will be performing in the Kilkenny Cat Laughs Festival this year.
Ruth Barker, – Art Teacher
Ruth Barker is a qualified art teacher who teaches all ages and levels in sculpture, painting, clay and other mediums. She works in playgroups, Montessori schools, primary and secondary schools and with children and adults with additional needs. She runs art camps for children in Enniskerry where she combines art, appreciation and nature. Ruth is also a successful landscape painter who has exhibited locally. Ruth designs and provides continuous creative input into “The Saturday Club”s art programme.
Kelly Boutilier – Music Facilitator
Kelly Boutilier is the creator of Rhythm Seekers and comes from rural Nova Scotia, Canada where she studied Recreation Management at L'Université de Moncton. Her primary instrument is classical flute, which she studied for 12 years. Kelly also plays guitar, piano, harmonica and drums. Kelly has lived in Ireland since 2005 and has worked in the Community & Voluntary Sector where she specialises in working with people with disabilities and minority groups. She also runs a Sunday Circle at the People's Park in Dun Laoghaire. Kelly’s role is to provide musical input to The Saturday Club programme.
