Jacqui has over 40 years of bookkeeping experience in the not-for-profit sector, including over 28 years of providing long term consultant bookkeeping services to various organisations within the Disability, Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander and other Community and Social Service sectors in South Australia.

When Jacqui’s not “sorting out the numbers”, she enjoys reading, cooking, looking after her family and socialising with friends.

Thais is a proud Latina and a skilled multilingual communicator who moved to Australia in 2020 to start a new chapter in her life.

With over 10 years of experience across the private, government, and nonprofit sectors in Australia, Brazil, and Argentina, Thais combines creativity and data-driven insights to lead campaigns, crafting stories that connect with people and drive meaningful change.

Her expertise includes branding, content creation, communication strategies, digital marketing, and project management, with a strong focus on both B2B and B2C communication.

Thais is also a National Multicultural Advisory Panel Member at CultureVerse, where she collaborates with government and corporate teams to design communication strategies that engage culturally, linguistically, and religiously diverse audiences.

Her commitment to advocacy and equity is deeply rooted in her early experiences in student movements and 1990s Brazilian union activism, which profoundly shaped her perspectives on feminism, democracy, and social justice.

Outside of work, Thais is actively involved with the Brazilian diaspora and multicultural communities in Australia. Volunteering with migrant groups is one of her passions, and she is committed to giving back and advocating for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

When she’s not working or volunteering, you’ll find Thais navigating the joys and challenges of raising a teenager, spending time as a grandmother to her dog, dancing, discovering TV series, or exploring new cuisines.

Maddie is a dedicated feminist and activist, and passionate about social and environmental justice. She has worked and volunteered in a range of community and campaign-based roles.

She was the Executive Officer of SEE-Change, an organisation that educates and empowers the Canberra community to engage with local climate change solutions. She is the founder of youth-led organisation Trash Gather, which runs rubbish clean ups and educational programs about waste for school students. Maddie worked with the Foundation for Young Australians to support South Australian high school students to take action for social change, where she developed and ran educational workshops on campaigning and community organising. She has also worked as a field campaigner in a federal election and as a disability support worker.

She has a Diploma in Sustainable Practice from TAFE NSW and was named 2020 ACT Young Australian of the Year for her work in community-based environmental action.

Maddie is a firm believer that knowledge is power, and that education equips people with the tools to resist systems of oppression. She is interested in ways that communities can live better, and enjoys working with others to reimagine community, work, housing, and having access to what we all need to live meaningful and healthy lives.

Emma is a passionate trainer and assessor with over a decade of experience designing and delivering impactful adult education programs. Before joining the Working Women’s Centre, she spent over 17 years at the South Australian Ambulance Service (SAAS), where she built a reputation for clear, engaging and practical facilitation across emergency operations, healthcare communication, and system management.

Since gaining her Certificate IV in Training and Assessment in 2014, Emma has continued to expand her expertise with specialised certifications, including Responding to Risks of Harm, Abuse, and Neglect in Education & Care (RRHAN) (2021) and ‘Through Their Eyes’ Child Safe Environments (2022). Emma is skilled at delivering training that addresses difficult and sensitive topics to empower participants in creating and maintaining safe environments and change.

A feminist, a strong advocate for diversity, inclusion, and social change, Emma ensures training is accessible, and has experience accommodating diverse learning needs, including those of participants with disabilities, trauma histories, and language barriers. Her facilitation style emphasises respect, collaboration, and empowerment, fostering meaningful engagement and practical skill development.

She believes education is a powerful tool for driving social change, creating safer, more inclusive workplaces and communities. Outside of work Emma loves to be with family & friends. Often, she is busy building Lego, navigating the tricky questions and wrestling her with her son.

Emma is a community organiser, curator, and activist, and has joined the Working Women’s Centre SA after several decades of working in the arts and cultural sector.

She started her working life in community-based women’s health and feminist peer education, and her varying paid and voluntary roles across 30+ years have intersected with culture, community development, participatory pedagogy, and community organising, most often with a focus on women, artists, First Nations and workers’ rights. Before joining WWC SA in late 2024, she was Artistic Director/CEO of the national arts organisation Vitalstatistix for fourteen years, and custodian of the heritage-listed trade union landmark, the Waterside Workers Hall.

Emma is Co-Chair and a long-term member of the Executive Committee of the Arts Industry Council of South Australia; co-founder of policy and practice thinktank, Reset Arts and Culture Collective; Industry Adjunct at UniSA Creative; and has been a member of the South Australian Government’s Artists at Work Taskforce.

Emma was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2020 and was inducted into the South Australian Women’s Honour Roll in 2017.

She is active in local climate, democracy, heritage, and justice politics in her local community, the proud union city of Port Adelaide, Yartapuulti. She is passionate about the public and democratic purposes of the not-for-profit sector and the union movement, and she is dedicated to contributing to progressive social change. Emma is also a Proud Cat Lady, and guardian to four rescue moggies.

Maddie coordinates the Advocacy and Education team at the Working Women’s Centre SA. She has a background in community organising, campaigning and training across movements for workers’ rights, climate justice and gender equity. She is passionate about working collaboratively to dismantle the patriarchy in our workplaces.

Maddie grew up on Peramangk Country in the Adelaide Hills. Driven by concerns about the local and global impacts of climate change, she became active in the youth climate movement as a teenager. She joined the campaign for a just transition from coal to renewable energy in Port Augusta. This campaign had a great influence on Maddie’s worldview and career; after witnessing the strength of workers and the community fighting for a safer future, Maddie decided she wanted to become an organiser.

Since then, Maddie has worked in different organisations including the Australian Services Union SA/NT, the Working Women’s Centre SA and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, where she was most recently the Organising and Training Director. In this role, she coordinated training programs for young people across the country.

She has a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts with a Major in History from the University of Adelaide.

Genevieve is an Executive Assistant and Client Services Officer and is proud to work at the Working Women’s Centre. She offers an empathetic, non-judgemental and people-orientated approach to the intake process and is always happy to help.

Known as ‘Nev’ to those around her, she has many years of experience working in different industries with majority of her time being spent working in manufacturing. Working in male dominated industries she has experienced discrimination in the workplace and is passionate about feminism and helping others fight for fair rights at work.

Genevieve enjoys connecting with clients and understands how challenging it can be to face various employment related matters or even calling for support. When Nev is not taking calls, you’ll find her helping the team with reception duties as an all-rounder. Outside of work Genevieve enjoys art, jewellery making, music, cooking and spending time with friends, and family.

India is a proud feminist, unionist and advocate for standing up for yourself and others.

India studied Women’s Studies and Legal Studies at university and has a longstanding interest in Employment Law and politics. This has provided her with a sound understanding of the Australian legal system and the issues that workers face.

India is a natural people person who has worked in various customer service roles for the past 15 years. She has first-hand experience navigating the complaints process for a breach of employment law (as an employee in previous employment), and she is empathetic to the varied emotions and stress this can involve.

Sarah is the Client Services Officer and is the first point of contact for incoming enquiries to the Centre.

She is a long-serving staff member of the WWC and has extensive insight into the issues that workers face and a wide referral knowledge of other relevant organisations.

She has a Certificate III in Business Administration and a Certificate IV in Front Line Management. Before working at the Centre, Sarah worked in Administration at a Freight Group, in client services and the hospitality industry.

Sarah is a mother to three beautiful girls and is raising them to be strong, independent young women, who can strive to do anything they want.

Morgan supports the Centre’s legal team to prepare cases, assist clients, and maintain files. She holds a First Class Honours Degree in History and has experience in Academic Research as well as working with Worker’s Compensation and Industrial Law. She is a proud Unionist and Feminist and is passionate about working for the Working Women’s Centre as she understands how the intersection of class and gender can be a barrier for justice.

Lejla recently graduated from a Bachelor of Laws and Arts with a major in Politics and International Relations from the University of Adelaide. During her studies, Lejla developed a passion for employment law, with a particular interest in advocating for the issues that affect women and vulnerable workers.

Lejla deeply values the work done by the Working Women’s Centre, and believes it is the perfect place for her to enhance her legal skills.

Suzy is studying for a Bachelor of Laws degree at the University of Adelaide, and is passionate about criminal and employment law.

Eager to gain practical legal experience and communication skills, Suzy is volunteering at the Working Women’s Centre to contribute meaningfully to advancing justice and equity for all women.

Suzy is deeply motivated to understand not only the theoretical underpinnings but also how the laws manifest in practice, particularly in the context of women’s rights and workplace equality.

Corinne completed the Juris Doctor at the University of Melbourne in 2015 and was admitted to practice in Victoria in 2017, and South Australia in 2021.

She began her legal career in Victoria, working in the areas of public liability and workers compensation. She has represented workers from the manufacturing to transport industries, clerical employees, police, ambulance officers and everyone in between.  She has also worked in the Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions in the Proceeds of Crime division.

While in Victoria, Corinne also worked as a volunteer migration agent at Refugee Legal.

As a committed defender of workers’ rights, Corinne was the Victorian President of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance from 2007 – 2012 and Federal Vice President of the Equity section of the Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance from 2013 – 2015.

Corinne has also served as a board member of the Fitzroy Legal Service, and as an ambassador for the National Breast Cancer Foundation and World Vision. She is proud to be a current ambassador for Children’s Ground.

Moving to Adelaide in 2021, Corinne initially worked in the private sector, representing and advising both workers and employers in the areas of worker’s compensation and employment law. She also has experience in privacy law and commercial litigation.

Corinne joined the Working Women’s Centre in 2024, wanting to focus exclusively on the rights of workers. She passionately believes everyone has a right to be heard and respected, and to feel valued.

When not at work, Corinne enjoys baking overly ambitious cakes for her wary family and watching trash TV.

Angela has a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice from Flinders University. She completed her Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice in June 2022 and was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia in August 2022. She completed her Practical Legal Training at the Centre in February 2022 and continued to volunteer thereafter.

Angela has always had a passion for social justice and wanted to use her law degree to create a meaningful impact in the community. She has volunteered for organisations such as the Smith Family and the Salvation Army and Women’s Legal Service SA (WLSSA). Angela volunteered on the Legal Advice Intake Line at WLSSA for almost 2 years, prior to commencing her role as their Project Officer/Paralegal. This involved conveying legal advice about domestic and family violence, children’s matters, and property law.  In her subsequent role she worked on the Warm Up & Serve Soup Drive, 25^th Anniversary Gala Dinner and the Ask Maria Project. This involved working with services that help women living in rural, regional, and remote South Australia.

Angela believes strongly in advocating for vulnerable members of the community, particularly fighting for women’s rights (in every facet of life – work, home and everywhere in between). As a committed feminist and unionist, Angela wants to work towards a world where everyone who identifies as a woman feels safe, is valued, is paid correctly, and can live the life they choose.

In her spare time Angela loves exploring social justice topics in her book club, enjoying good food with good people, growing chillies, exploring new wineries, and spending time with her furbabies.

Dharani holds a Juris Doctor from the University of New South Wales. She was admitted as a Solicitor in NSW in 2021 and in South Australia in 2022. Dharani also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) from the University of Toronto.

Since she was a law student, Dharani has worked mainly for not-for-profit organisations, including Community Legal Centres in inner Sydney, the Cancer Council Pro Bono Program and NSW government.

Before joining the Working Women’s Centre, Dharani was the Coordinator & Solicitor of Homeless Legal at JusticeNet SA, a legal outreach service helping people experiencing or at risk of homelessness. There, she assisted with a wide range of civil law queries, including tenancy matters in South Australian Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

As a migrant immigrating to different countries since she was a child, Dharani has been acutely aware of systemic injustice from a young age and became interested in progressive causes, including feminism, anti-racism and workers’ rights. She is driven by a desire to empower women, workers, tenants, migrants and other undervalued peoples.

In her spare time, Dharani enjoys traveling, photography, world cinema, listening to R&B and attempting to recreate her mom’s recipes.

Alice graduated from a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of International Studies from the University of Adelaide in 2016 and was admitted to practice as a solicitor and barrister in 2017.

After two years as a Judge’s Associate at the District Court of South Australia, in 2019 Alice began working as a lawyer on the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. In this role, Alice conducted investigations exposing serious negligence and misconduct at aged care facilities and instructed Counsel Assisting during public hearings held around the country. She would also travel to regional areas to meet and interview vulnerable older Australians receiving care and their families including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, LGBTIQ+ people and those living with disabilities, and prepare them to give evidence during public hearings.

Before coming to the Working Women’s Centre, Alice spent three years as a Federal Prosecutor at the Commonwealth Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. In this role, she prosecuted contested and uncontested summary and major indictable Commonwealth offences including online child sexual abuse, tax and social security fraud, drug importation, and carriage service offences related to stalking and domestic violence. As an experienced criminal prosecutor, Alice has appeared in the Magistrates Court, District Court and Supreme Court in metropolitan Adelaide as well as regional circuits in Port Augusta and Mount Gambier.

Since joining the Working Women’s Centre, Alice has expanded her love of employment and industrial law. As a fierce and tireless advocate, she has dedicated her legal career to championing the rights and personal safety of all, particularly women and children. As a committed feminist unionist, she is also a vocal advocate against workplace sexual harassment.

When she’s not fighting for the best possible outcome for her clients, Alice likes to potter around her vegetable garden with her dogs, knit, and watch garbage television.

She graduated from the University of New England with a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Law in 2012. Emma was admitted as a solicitor to the Supreme Court of NSW in 2013.

Before making the move to Adelaide, Emma worked for six years in both private practice and the Community Legal Centre sector in NSW.

In 2013 Emma worked at a private law firm in Central West NSW.  She gained experience in commercial law, family law, wills and estates and traffic matters.  Emma successfully represented clients in the Local and District Courts of NSW as well as the Federal Circuit Court of Australia.  

In 2015 Emma obtained a generalist solicitor position with a Community Legal Centre in Dubbo NSW. It was here, she found her passion for employment law and representing vulnerable clients.  She obtained diverse and extensive experience representing clients in the Fair Work Commission, Australian Human Rights Commission, NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, Federal Circuit Court and Local and District Courts.  

Since joining the Working Women’s Centre Emma has developed her love for employment law matters. She has been successful in recovering substantial underpayments for her clients including pecuniary penalties.

Emma currently sits on the following committees: Women’s Lawyers Association SA & the South Australian Abortion Action Coalition.

In her spare time, Emma enjoys having a drink with friends, playing water polo and walks along Henley Beach.

Anne is the Deputy Director at the Working Women’s Centre SA.

Anne is a legally trained community organiser whose work has centred around movements for gender equity and fair workplaces. She holds an Honours Degree of Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice from Flinders University, as well as a Bachelor of Social Sciences from the University of Adelaide.

Anne has worked in trade unions for a significant portion of her career doing both organising and industrial work. As Director: Industrial & Legal at the Australian Services Union (SA & NT Branch) she was proudly engaged in historic campaigns for domestic and family violence leave, and pay equity for workers in traditionally feminised caring industries. Later at the United Workers Union, she undertook a hybrid industrial and organising role where she had the opportunity to lead complex enterprise bargaining negotiations in food and beverage manufacturing worksites and support workers to strike and win fairer workplaces.

Previously Anne was also Coordinator of the Young Workers’ Legal Service and has worked in the domestic and family violence sector undertaking a primary prevention project centred around sharing lived experiences of gendered violence to create positive change.

Anne is a long term and passionate supporter of the work of the Working Women’s Centre SA and in fact started her career here as a relief Industrial Officer 15 years ago. She has returned to the Centre at various points since to undertake industrial and project roles, and also served on the Centre’s Management Committee for a number of years.

Nikki is the  Director at the Working Women’s Centre SA.

Nikki has a Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and a Bachelor of Arts from Flinders University. Nikki also studied political science and international law at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Nikki has experience as a practising lawyer and has been admitted as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of South Australia.

Nikki has been employed at the WWC since July 2020 initially as an Industrial Officer and Lawyer, and was promoted to the position of Deputy Director in October 2022. Nikki’s experience across these positions at the WWC has provided her with broad and extensive organisational knowledge and a deep understanding of the Centre’s work on both a functional and ideological level. Nikki became the Director of the WWC in July 2024 and now leads the Team. Her longstanding connections with the union movement, and her deep-rooted knowledge of the objectives, functions, ambitions and strategic direction of the Centre, ensures the Centre will continue to thrive while staying true to its core values and mission.

Nikki has more than 15 years’ experience working in the union movement and employment law sector, representing disadvantaged workers and union members. Nikki worked as the Principal Industrial Officer at the Queensland Working Women’s Service where she prosecuted sexual harassment and discrimination matters in the Australian Human Rights Commission and the Equal Opportunity Commission. Nikki was also the Coordinator of SA Unions’ Young Workers Legal Service where she trained and mentored Law Student Volunteers to assist young people with wage theft claims, unfair dismissals and discrimination matters.

Before coming to the Working Women’s Centre, Nikki spent five years as a Legal Officer and Advocate in the Construction and Maritime Divisions of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union, where she assisted union members in a wide a range of employment matters including disputes, industrial action, and enterprise bargaining issues.

Nikki has previously held positions on the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) South Australia Committee and was a member of the Policy Council of the South Australian Council of Social Services.

By trade, Abbey Kendall is an employment and industrial lawyer. Over the last decade, Abbey has worked for small and national labour law firms and unions.

Abbey has dedicated her career to representing and advocating for worker’s rights and has successfully represented organisations against unlawful police raids, defended employees against dodgy traineeships enforced by national food franchises, and represented hundreds of workers in discrimination, sexual harassment, dismissal and worker’s compensation matters.

Abbey holds a Bachelor of Law and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice.  Abbey also holds governance qualifications from the Governance Institute of Australia.

Abbey is a member of the Respect@Work Council and of the South Australian Gender Pay Gap Taskforce. Abbey is the Vice President of the Australian Labour and Employment Relations Association (ALERA) national committee and the President of the ALERA SA committee. She is also a member of the SA Union’s Women’s Standing Committee, the Welfare Rights Coalition, and on the South Australian Concessions Review Reference Group. In 2019, Abbey was elected to the Policy council of the South Australian Council of Social Service.

Abbey is a feminist unionist and advocates for collectivist gender, sexual and political justice. Presently, Abbey is working in the movement calling for the full implementation of the 55 recommendations of the Respect@Work report.