Our Team

Shannon Eeles

CEO

Shannon’s passion for working with children began while studying nursing science at university. A subsequent diagnosis of autism in the family triggered her journey to improving

education and life outcomes for autistic children. With over 20 years of experience in the field, Shannon has dedicated her career to helping families access the support they need, while pushing for systems that recognise and respond to the individual needs of every child.

At the heart of Shannon’s leadership is a deep belief that every autistic child deserves the opportunity to learn the skills they need to define their own future. She is passionate about equipping families with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to advocate for their children – and about ensuring the right support can be accessed when it matters most.

Driven by a commitment to excellence, Shannon is focused on creating and delivering the highest-quality services. She inspires her team to stay solutions-focused and to always pursue what’s possible – continually raising the bar to provide world-class, life-changing support that every child and family deserves.

Karen McKinnon

National Clinical Director, Psychologist & Certified Behaviour Analyst

Working in the field since 1995 and with a career spanning three decades, Karen’s work centres around her belief that autistic children and families deserve every possible opportunity in life.

Her expertise includes the design and implementation of a range of supports for autistic children and their families.  Her work includes diagnosis, assessment and consultation for children across centre-based, home, education and community settings.  She leads Autism Partnership’s clinical standards and staff supervision pathway to ensure every child and family receives the highest quality of services.

Karen has the privilege of working collaboratively with parents and professionals both nationally and internationally, with a focus on ensuring meaningful outcomes for the children we serve.  To share the important work of Autism Partnership, Karen is an active public speaker and published author.

Karen’s leadership is grounded in a deep commitment to empowering autistic children and their families through high-quality, individualised support.

Chris Stocco

Director of Operations

Chris Stocco has been an integral part of Autism Partnership since 2001, bringing over two decades of leadership and operational expertise to the organisation.

Chris plays a central role in overseeing the day-to-day functions of the business—ensuring systems, processes, and teams run smoothly to support the consistent delivery of high-quality services.

In addition to managing finance and client enquiries, Chris also oversees facilities, property management and compliance obligations. She has led major building projects and site fit-outs, ensuring Autism Partnership’s physical environments are thoughtfully designed and fit for purpose.

With a genuine commitment to making a difference, Chris is known for her ability to get things done. She is dedicated to supporting staff and families to create meaningful, lasting outcomes for children.

Melissa Wall

Clinical Director QLD, Developmental Psychologist & Board Certified Behaviour Analyst

Melissa brings over 25 years of dedicated experience supporting children with autism and their families, both in Australia and internationally. Throughout her career, she has worked across a wide range of settings—including early intervention and schools—developing a deep understanding of the unique needs of each child and family.

With a compassionate, child and family-centred approach, Melissa is a passionate advocate for early, individualised, and evidence-based support. She firmly believes that with support that is tailored to their unique needs, children can achieve so much.

Louise Baldwin

Clinical Director NSW & Board Certified Behaviour Analyst

With over 25 years of experience in the field, Louise first started working with autistic children and their families as a volunteer at university. Since then, she has worked with children and families in homes, schools and centres spanning the UK, USA and Australia.

Louise is a firm believer that children learn best when they are happy, engaged and having fun. She is dedicated to fostering joyful, nurturing, and safe environments that are thoughtfully tailored to each child’s unique strengths, interests, and needs. Her practice is grounded in the understanding that emotional well-being, combined with individualised evidence-based support, leads to the most meaningful outcomes.

Louise places a strong emphasis on empowering parents through capacity building, ensuring skills taught are transferable to everyday life at home – helping families feel confident, capable, and supported in their child’s journey.

Laura Jones

Regional Manager Little Learners North Melbourne

With a background in Psychology and Psychophysiology, a Graduate Certificate in Autism Studies and a Masters in Teaching, Laura began her journey with Autism Partnership in 2012. Since then, she has supported autistic children and their families across a wide range of settings—including homes, schools, centres, and the broader community.

Laura is deeply committed to creating nurturing, engaging environments where children can flourish. One of her greatest joys is helping our new families settle into the program and seeing how excited our Little Learners are to come in each day.

Kate Joyce

Family Services Manager