About Creating Connections Australia


  • Based in Victoria, Australia, we provide a unique approach to professional development (workshops & seminars), mentoring and private consultation.
  • We focus on supporting people with Autism and other neurodiverse needs.
  • At Creating Connections Australia we blend professional expertise with authentic lived experience.
  • We specialise in Autism Friendly Social Skills training and providing strategies to create supportive and successful environments.
  • At Creating Connections Australia we celebrate and embrace uniqueness, and our approaches are neurodiversity friendly!
  • We offer our training, services and programs to the public, as well as individualised services to organisations within both private and public sectors.
  • Our services have extended across Education, Health, Disability and Community organisations, as well as including families, carers and individuals with neurodiverse needs.

A Wealth of Attributes

  • Lived Autistic Experience
  • Qualified Educators, Trainers & Assessors
  • Autism Consultants
  • International Presenters
  • Parents of Autistic Children
  • Disability & Diversity Friendly

Our History

Where we began

In November 2013, after many years of friendship and shared vision, Elissa Plumridge & Sherri Cincotta came together in partnership and founded Creating Connections Australia.

Elissa & Sherri shared a passion for creating a world of connectedness for autistic people, and they each brought their own blend of personal lived experience and professional expertise to together establish autism programs, consulting, training and professional development based on the autistic lived perspective.

Their work spread throughout Australia and internationally – providing individuals, families and professionals with a service that focused on valuing the autistic perspective and seeing autism through a lens of neurodiversity.

In December 2018, Elissa made the difficult decision to leave her place within Creating Connections Australia, and Sherri remains as director – continuing her and Elissa’s shared vision into the future.

Director & Program / Workshop Facilitator/Therapy Consultant

Sherri Cincotta

BEd Grad Cert Dis (Autism Spectrum Disorder) Cert IV TAE

With the wisdom and experience of over 25 years teaching, Sherri’s specialty and passion lies wholeheartedly in Autism education and mentoring. Her approach is extremely practical and ‘down to earth’ and her expertise is sought by professionals, families and community groups alike – a true testament to her comprehensive knowledge and skills. Sherri’s practical insights are drawn not only from her extensive work in Autism but also from her invaluable experience of parenting three children on the Autism Spectrum. Sherri’s post graduate studies (majoring in autism) focused on AAC and also saw her investigate literature and supports relating to social skill development. In recent years, Sherri helped establish and lead an Autism Parent Support group in Northern Victoria (including role of chairperson) as a passionate volunteer, providing positive mentoring for families living with autism. She is a true gem in her advocacy and support of people on the spectrum.

Creating Connections Australia Team Members

Larissa Long
Administration & Therapy Consultant

Cert III Aged Care, Disability & Retail Supervsion

Larissa comes with a background of vast experience in Disability having operated her own business to provide direct support to many individuals with various needs. She also has first hand personal experience parenting her own three children, and just recently one of them with a diagnosis of Autism. She is an asset to our team forming a natural rapport with the therapists and with our clients/participants.


Sarah Lees
Therapy Consultant

Bachelor of Education, Bachelor of Teaching
 
Sarah comes with 18 years of teaching experience. During the past 12 years she has worked in a Specialist School and enjoyed building the rapport with others through her sense of humour and personality. Sarah has personal experience with her son being diagnosed with Autism and understands the challenges parents and carers face. Sarah has been involved in many rewarding positive moments and achievements. She looks forward to working as part of the supportive team and environment already established at Creating Connections Australia.

Donna Metelmann

Bachelor of Education


Leiza Webb

Diploma

Having gained a diploma in 2011, Leiza has worked in many community sectors such as drug and alcohol, aged care, education and the wider community. In comparison, not one of them provided her with the personal insight, than that of lived experience in everyday life of Autism and PDA (Pathological Demand Avoidance). The paths navigated to educate oneself helped develop a passion to support, encourage, equip and educate individuals, families and the wider community on ASD /PDA.