Nat Munro

Biography

Dr Natalie (Nat) Munro is Professor of Speech Pathology and Deputy ADR (Researcher Support & Governance) in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University. Nat is a Fellow of Speech Pathology Australia, a certified practising speech-language pathologist (1996) and has worked in academic, clinical research settings, NSW Health, public and independent schools. Nat is a graduate of The University of Sydney where she completed a PhD (2008) on the word-learning abilities of children with language disorder and a Graduate Certificate in Higher Education Studies (2009). Nat held leadership positions including Course Director for the undergraduate speech pathology program at The University of Sydney, Honours Coordinator, Academic Advisor, Sydney Women’s Leadership Program mentor, and APRU Asia-Pacific Women in Leadership Mentor.

Dr. Munro's work contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals

Research

Dr. Munro explores individual differences in speech, language, and communication development among children with developmental language disorders, speech sound disorders, ADHD, and autism. She also focuses on evidence-based interventions to support children and their support systems. As a heritage language speaker, Nat has a keen interest in multilingualism. She received the DVC Research/Brown Fellowship and has been a keynote speaker at international conferences, establishing her as a global leader in developmental language disorder research.

Community Engagement

Dr. Munro was an Associate Editor for the International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders and is currently the Editor-in-Chief for The International Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. She is also a founding committee member of SpeechBITE, an online database for speech pathology interventions. Her collaborations with local health districts, early childhood education, and non-government organizations have earned her recognition for integrated care and collaborative achievements. Nat has appeared on ABC Sydney and the Talking DLD Podcast and serves on the research advisory committee for SATB2 Connect.

Supervision

Dr. Munro has supervised eight PhD, four research Masters, and over 20 Honours students, many of whom have received awards and grants. She has also examined postgraduate theses.

Teaching

An award-winning teacher, Dr. Munro is committed to advancing speech-language pathology. She is a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (2021) and a former National Tour Speaker for Speech Pathology Australia. Nat has co-led and developed online professional development modules on Developmental Language Disorder and is dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion, having participated in the SAGE Self Assessment Team at The University of Sydney.