Professor Bronwyn Hemsley is the Head of School, School of Health Sciences, at the University of Newcastle, NSW. A Certified Practising Speech Pathologist, she has 35 years of clinical experience, and is a Fellow of Speech Pathology Australia, and of the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication.

 The high translational impact of her work on augmentative and alternative communication, swallowing, mealtime assistance training, and choking prevention has been recognised with a Sax Institute Research Action Award and the UTS Vice Chancellor’s Medal for Research Impact. She led a national, multi-site inclusive project on “Co-creating Safe and Enjoyable Meals” funded by the NDIS Quality & Safeguards Commission and a National Disability Research Partnership project “Safe-MEALS” (2025-6). 

This work helps to inform many factors that need urgent attention to reduce the harms associated with choking on food and aspiration pneumonia for people with disability.