Meet the people behind Elvara.

Sarah leads the strategic direction and development of Elvara Behaviour Support, bringing more than 15 years of experience across disability services, positive behaviour support, clinical governance and executive leadership.
 
She works at the intersection of clinical excellence and business performance, with a focus on building high-performing teams, strengthening governance, scaling services and creating sustainable systems that support consistent, high-quality practice.
 
Sarah is passionate about shaping ethical, evidence-based services that are commercially strong, operationally effective and grounded in meaningful outcomes for the people supported. She has also contributed to applied research and publications focused on positive behaviour support and complex service delivery.
 
Sarah holds a Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis and is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst, Certified Behaviour Analyst, Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner and Board Qualified Supervisor.

Kimberley is a Certified Behaviour Analyst with a Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis and a Postgraduate Qualification in Forensic Mental Health. With more than 10 years of experience across disability, mental health, forensic, and justice-related systems, she has dedicated her career to supporting individuals with the most complex behavioural, psychosocial, and risk-related support needs.

As General Manager of Complex Behaviour Support at Elvara, Kimberley has been instrumental in developing and leading specialist clinical services designed to support individuals whose needs often extend beyond traditional service models. She has built and led high-performing clinical teams that work alongside individuals presenting with significant behavioural complexity, elevated risk profiles, forensic involvement, restrictive practice requirements, and histories of service exclusion.

Kimberley’s expertise lies in understanding and responding to complexity. Her work focuses on the assessment and management of risk, reducing restrictive practices, developing evidence-based support pathways, and helping teams confidently support individuals who are often considered the most challenging to serve. She is passionate about moving beyond risk avoidance and towards risk understanding, ensuring support is informed by clinical formulation, behavioural science, and a commitment to human rights.

Throughout her career, Kimberley has worked across high-risk and forensic environments, supporting organisations to build capability, strengthen governance, and deliver meaningful outcomes for individuals with complex needs. She is recognised for her ability to navigate complexity, develop innovative clinical solutions, and translate evidence into practical strategies that improve quality of life.

Her passion for advancing practice within complex and forensic behaviour support extends beyond service delivery and leadership. Kimberley is a regular presenter at industry conferences and professional development events, sharing knowledge and practical insights with clinicians and leaders across the sector. This includes presenting at Australasia Youth Justice conference and the Australian Behaviour Analysis Conference, where she has contributed to discussions on risk, behavioural complexity, workforce capability, and evidence-based support for individuals with high-risk presentations.

At the heart of Kimberley’s work is a belief that every individual deserves access to high-quality, ethical support and the opportunity to live a meaningful life, regardless of the complexity of their circumstances

Rebecca McLinden is the General Manager of Positive Behaviour Support at Elvara and a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) and Advanced NDIS Behaviour Support Practitioner.

Rebecca is passionate about delivering high-quality, ethical, and person-centred behaviour support that improves quality of life for people with disability. She believes the best outcomes come from understanding the individual, working collaboratively with families and support teams, and applying evidence-based practice in meaningful and practical ways.

With a strong commitment to clinical excellence, Rebecca values continuous learning, thoughtful problem-solving, and supporting practitioners to deliver compassionate, effective services. Her approach focuses on balancing positive outcomes for participants with sustainable, high-quality practice. 

Amanda is a Behaviour Support Leader with over six years’ experience in Positive Behaviour Support (PBS), working with individuals, families, and teams to improve quality of life through person-centred, evidence-based approaches. 
 
Amanda is completing a Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA), strengthening her ability to apply behavioural science in practice. Amanda is committed to high-quality services, mentoring practitioners, and delivering compassionate, respectful care. 
 
As a neurodivergent person, carer and family member to others with disabilities, she brings both professional and lived experience, shaping her strengths-based, responsive approach. 
 
Amanda believes meaningful outcomes come from combining evidence, collaboration, and lived experience, and is dedicated to supporting individuals and their networks to achieve lasting change. 
 
Amanda is an Advanced Behaviour Support Practitioner and is working towards becoming a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst & Certified Behaviour Analyst.  

Christina is a people focused leader who plays a key role in shaping how Applied Behaviour Support operates, connects, and grows. As Business Integration Manager, she partners closely with stakeholders across the organisation to align teams, systems, and processes, ensuring services are delivered in a seamless, efficient, and person-centred way.

With a strong background in operational integration, process improvement, and change management, Christina is passionate about creating clear, scalable ways of working that support sustainable growth. She focuses on strengthening collaboration, streamlining workflows, and building cohesive systems that enable teams to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes for the people they support.

Known for her proactive, energetic, and approachable leadership style, Christina brings both clarity and positivity to complex environments. She is deeply committed to fostering a connected, values-driven culture where people feel empowered, supported, and aligned to a shared purpose.

With three years’ experience as a PBS Practitioner with the team, Mel brings a strong background in working with complex behaviours across youth and adult settings.

Prior to joining Multicap, she held Section Supervisor and Shift Supervisor roles at the Brisbane/Wacol Youth Detention Centre, where she managed whole detention units and
collaborated closely with multiple stakeholders to develop behaviour support plans for young people with highly complex needs.

Mel has a particular interest in working with young people and individuals presenting with complex behaviours, including dementia and psychosocial disabilities.

Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Criminology and a Graduate Certificate in Applied Behaviour Analysis, and is currently completing a Master’s degree in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

Amber joined the team in August 2023 and has since progressed through practitioner, senior practitioner, and regional management roles. She is a Certified Behaviour Analyst Undergraduate (CBA-U) and is currently completing her Master of Applied Behaviour Analysis.

Amber has worked across Townsville, Mackay, and Rockhampton, and currently manages the Rockhampton and Townsville regions. She is especially passionate about supporting practitioners to grow, building strong supervision practices, and improving systems so teams feel confident, capable, and supported in their work.

Amber enjoys bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and finding practical ways to make Positive Behaviour Support feel clear, useful, and meaningful in everyday practice.
Outside of work, Amber loves spending time with her sausage dog, Dior, especially at the dog park in the afternoons. She also enjoys travelling, spending time with friends, being near the beach, and will rarely say no to going out for lunch or dinner.

Emily joins the team with over 12 years of experience in behaviour support and more than 5 years in leadership roles across both the UK and Australia. She is a BCBA and Advanced Practitioner, with extensive experience in early intervention, and positive behaviour support for young people and adolescents, she has a strong reputation for high‑quality, compassionate, clinical services and leadership.
 
Emily comes to us having worked as Practice Lead and Project Manager previously, where she led clinical practice development and service innovation. Emily is deeply passionate about neuro‑affirming, trauma‑informed, and evidence‑based practice, and brings a thoughtful, values‑driven approach to both clinical work and leadership. 

Bec brings over 15 years of experience in management roles, before transitioning into the Positive Behaviour Support space driven by a strong desire to make a meaningful difference in the lives of people with disability. Her background in leadership, combined with her values‑led approach, has translated into impressive growth and impact within PBS.

Since joining us in 2023, Bec has supported growth in the Mackay team from a single practitioner to a team of three, while increasing the local customer base by a whopping 212%. This growth reflects Bec’s ability to build strong teams, deliver high‑quality supports, and develop trusted relationships in the community.

Bec is deeply passionate about supporting early‑career cliniciansto grow confidently into their roles, as well as delivering evidence‑based, person‑centred supports. She places a strong emphasis on the genuine inclusion of stakeholders and is known for building collaborative, respectful relationships that lead to better outcomes for participants and teams alike.

Sarah started her career in the child protection space, working for CS and Resi organisations. Sarah has been with the PBS team since mid 2021, working from practitioner to manager in 2024.

During her time as a manager, Sarah has enjoyed focussing on work with incoming students and building and supporting the Brisbane, Gold Coast and Darling Downs teams. In her role, Sarah is passionate about building a positive and supportive culture within our team. Sarah believes that fostering a work environment where all practitioners feel valued and supported naturally extends to our customers and enhances the quality of care we provide.

Providing strong clinical guidance, upholding ethical practices, and maintaining an understanding of the challenges practitioners face all contribute to developing well-rounded professionals.

Looking ahead, Sarah is committed to building and strengthening pathways for incoming students. Over the past two years, we have been fortunate to see several students transition into practitioner roles following their placements. As Elvara continues to grow, Sarah would love to see this pathway expand and become an integral part of our development strategy.

James is passionate about seeing others thrive in their role and has enjoyed putting effort into the professional growth of the practitioners he supervises. Another interest area for James is the quality of PBSPs being developed by practitioners, and he has been looking at processes such as training staff in 4-term contingencies to improve customer
outcomes. James aims to continue learning how to shape strategic thinking in PBS by taking initiative in service improvements and seeking opportunities to grow further.

Prior to his current role, Christopher worked as a Child Safety Officer, where he developed strong experience in trauma-informed practices and gained valuable insight into supporting children effectively. During this time, he discovered a genuine passion for working with children with complex needs. He was fortunate to collaborate with an exceptional Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) practitioner, which inspired him to pursue a career in the PBS field. Over the past three years, Christopher has continued to build his skills and experience, supporting a diverse range of individuals with varying needs. He finds great fulfillment in this work and continues to be inspired by the positive impact PBS has on the lives of the people he supports.