SPEAKERS
Sharing lessons from campaigners and organisers from across Australia and the world.
Here are the speakers joining us on stage at FWD+Organise:
ELOK FAIQOTUL MUTIA (INDONESIA)
Co-Founder, Enter Nusantara; Campaign Manager, Purpose
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Elok Faiqotul Mutia is a climate campaigner with over eight years of experience in advancing energy transition and environmental sustainability in Indonesia. As the co-founder of Enter Nusantara, a youth-led movement, she has been pivotal in mobilizing young people to engage in renewable energy and climate action. Elok also works with Purpose, a global social impact agency, where she leads Sedekah Energi, an initiative that leverages digital platforms for almsgiving to support solar energy installations in mosques. Her work focuses on combating misinformation and disinformation related to climate change while promoting the concept of Green Islam, which merges Islamic principles with climate advocacy. Elok is passionate about using digital tools to amplify grassroots movements and shift public narratives toward environmental justice.</span>
DOM KELLY
(USA)
Co-Founder, President and CEO, New Disabled South
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Dom Kelly is the Co-Founder, President & CEO of New Disabled South, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and New Disabled South Rising, its 501(c)(4) arm. New Disabled South is fighting for disability rights and disabilty justice by building a coalition of disability justice activists, advocates, and organizations in the South. Dom has been organizing in the southern United States for 15 years. Dom is one of a set of triplets with cerebral palsy and a lifelong disability advocate. He received a Master of Science in Nonprofit Leadership degree from the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. Dom is a part of the 2025 global cohort of Atlantic Fellows for Health Equity, was chosen as a 2024 Rockwood National Leading From the Inside Out Yearlong Fellow, and was one of ten winners of The J.M. Kaplan Fund’s 2023 Innovation Prize. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. with his wife Catie, their daughter Mahalia, and their dog Vivi.
SARAH DURIEUX
(FRANCE)
Feminist activist and organiser
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Sarah Durieux, is a Feminist activist who supported and led social movements in the past decade. She has been organizing civil society efforts between and during the last two french parliament elections in 2022 and 2024 and led campaigns that changed the countries laws and conversations including the campaign enshrining abortion right in the French constitution. She launched and led Multitudes Foundation to support grassroots movements to reimagine politics and mobilization platform Change.org in France and supported hundreds of people-powered campaigns. Her first book “Changer le Monde” made available to the greatest number the campaign methods that have made the success of thousands of people she has supported. She continues to train and support collectives on organizing, mobilization and narrative change, encouraging them to building on their values to build collective power.
RICARDO BORGES-MARTINS
(BRAZIL)
Cofounder and Strategy Director, Quid
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I am Ricardo Borges-Martins, co-founder and Strategy Director at Quid. I hold a degree in Social Sciences from USP, a Master’s in Social Influence, and an MBA in Government Relations from FGV-SP. My work centers on civic engagement and mobilization within pro-democracy social movements and NGOs. Over the past decade, I have co-created initiatives like Pacto pela Democracia, Advocacy Hub, and Virada Política. I am also a visiting professor at FGV-SP, teaching Advocacy and Public Policy.
NGARRA MURRAY
Co-Chair, First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria
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Ngarra Murray is a proud Wamba Wamba, Yorta Yorta, Dhudhuroa and Dja Dja Wurrung woman who grew up in Shepparton, and is Co-Chair of the First Peoples’ Assembly of Victoria (the Assembly). She has significant cultural and familial connections to many parts of Victoria and NSW. Living and working on Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Country, Ngarra represents the diverse Aboriginal Communities of the Metropolitan region.
As the elected Co-Chair, Ngarra is a spokesperson for the Assembly. Her role is to elevate the voices and priorities of Community members on the journey to Treaties in Victoria. She is committed to meeting with all Traditional Owner groups and spending time ‘talking Treaty’ with communities to foster nation-building and consensus-building throughout her term.
Ngarra is passionate about community mobilisation, the inalienable power of sovereignty and lore, and Treaties in our near future. Before commencing her full-time leadership role at the Assembly, Ngarra was the Executive Lead of the First Peoples’ Program at Oxfam Australia.Un her role, Ngarra worked across local, national and global alliances and led a team working across multiple national priorities; including building constituency for change, policy and influencing activities and the Oxfam Straight Talk program. Ngarra played a critical role in the success of the Straight Talk program, supporting hundreds of First Nations women to engage with political systems and forge important connections globally. Ngarra has made immense contributions to Oxfam Australia and devoted more than ten years of service to the organisation.
Ngarra has held a range of positions at The University of Melbourne, City of Melbourne, Co-Health and Museum Victoria. Ngarra was previously a Member of the National NAIDOC Committee and Member of Creative Victoria’s First Peoples Direction Circle. She is an Alumni of the Fellowship for Indigenous Leadership.
GAUTAM RAJU
Global Director, Policy and Advocacy, Movember
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Gautam is the Global Director, Policy & Advocacy at Movember. Gautam has over 14 years experience leading a number of public campaigns and advocacy strategies across Europe, Kenya, India, and the US on youth policy, health, democracy and digital rights. Most recently at Purpose, Gautam led the United Nations Secretary General campaigning response to combat misinformation on COVID-19 which has reached over 1 billion people.
At Oxfam International, as Head of Digital Campaigns he headed the digital worldwide influencing strategy – an ambitious agenda to build the digital campaigning capacity of Oxfam and partners. There, he took on campaigns from Europe, Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and Asia, working with in-country teams, partners, and coalitions to mobilize around issues on land, climate change, inequality, and humanitarian crises. Under Gautam’s leadership, the digital worldwide influencing strategy has mobilized of 2.5 million supporters around the world and built tools and resources that were accessible to over 2,000 partners. Before joining Oxfam, Gautam co-founded OurSay.org – an independent organization started by a team of young people passionate about harnessing the power of social media to revitalize critical participation in democracy. He has also worked on public policy and external relations for Teach For Australia and in the Australian public service.
Gautam was Visiting Fellow at Oxford University (2022) and has a Master’s in International Development and a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) and Arts (Advanced Chinese Mandarin). In his spare time, Gautam loves to cook, travel and play the bass guitar. He is a native of Melbourne, Australia and has lived in Shanghai, New Delhi and London.
JACKIE TURNER
Director, Trans Justice Project
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Jackie Turner (she/her) is the Director of Trans Justice Project a national movement fighting for freedom, justice, and equality for all trans and gender-diverse people. She is passionate about community power, developing the leadership of trans and gender diverse people, and building movements that can win. Over the last 10 years as an organiser and campaigner she has led national mobilisations, trained and mentored hundreds of volunteers, and run campaigns across movements for climate and economic justice. Her work on movement building, messaging, and combating anti-trans disinformation has been instrumental in pushing back against the attacks of the anti-trans lobby in Australia.
RITA JABRI MARKWELL
Legal Advisor, Australian Muslim Advocacy Network
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Lawyer, writer, scholar and community organiser, Rita has used her skills from working in federal politics to support the work of FIrst Nations organisations and more recently Muslim advocacy organisations, especially the Australian Muslim Advocacy Network (AMAN). Her work leading the ongoing development of definitions on dehumanising material has received widespread interest, as well as her analysis of existing legal frameworks to counter racist disinformation.
CELESTE LIDDLE
Activist, writer and social commentator
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Celeste Liddle is an Arrernte woman, an activist in multiple movements, a writer, social commentator and critic who has accumulated a vast body of work in multiple publications. She is also a performer and big supporter of the live music scene.
SARA SALEH
Curator / Facilitator, Palestine movement
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Sara Saleh is an award-winning writer, human rights lawyer, and longtime organiser for Palestinian justice. She is the daughter of migrants from Palestine, Egypt, and Lebanon, based on Bidjigal land. Her writing has been widely published and showcased at festivals, exhibitions, and events around the world. Sara is committed to elevating and building communities of resistance rooted in the interconnectedness of Indigenous struggles for self-determination. As a grassroots organiser, she has campaigned tirelessly for Palestine across intersecting fronts, including media, policy, law, and the arts. Highlights include organising for Black-Palestinian solidarity and leading with a core team the 2022 Boycott Sydney Festival campaign in protest of the Festival's acceptance of Israeli sponsorship—over 100 artists and creatives withdrew, the largest BDS action in 'Australia' to date.
SCOTT LUDLAM
Freelance researcher
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Scott Ludlam is a freelance researcher and designer. An anti-nuclear campaigner from the late 1990s, between 2008 and 2017 he represented Western Australia in the Senate for the Australian Greens.
TANIA SINCOCK
Senior Advisor, Pew Charitable Trusts
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Tania is currently a senior advisor for Pew Charitable Trusts' protecting Australia's nature program, where she is focused on ensuring Australia meets its global commitment to protect at least 30% of our lands and oceans by 2030.
She is passionate about better health for people and the planet and has led communications, mobilisation and fundraising for campaigns including Australia’s forests, reducing added sugar consumption, and protecting Australia's biodiversity.
During the mid 2000s at the Wilderness Society, Tania was part of a team developing some of the movement’s early mass digital mobilisation tactics. Their efforts resulted in rapid supporter growth and mobilization that helped to win important campaigns including James Price Point, Nuclear-free Australia and Gunns Pulp Mill.
In 2021-22, Tania took a break from campaigning to run a marine restoration project at The Nature Conservancy, constructing three shellfish reefs off the coast of South Australia that are bringing native oysters back from the brink of extinction.
JO SCARD
Founder and Chief Executive Officer,
Fifty Acres
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As the Founder and CEO of Fifty Acres, Jo offers 20 years’ experience in communications and a wealth of knowledge in public relations and project management. Standing as one of Australia’s most highly sought-after strategic advisors, Jo has a proven reputation in the field across corporate and political advisory and journalism.
A trained lawyer and respected former journalist in the UK and Australia, Jo has worked with ITV, Associated Press, Seven Network, SBS, ABC and Fairfax, and previously acted as a senior adviser in the Rudd and Gillard governments as well as the British Labour Party.
EMMA BACON
Founder and Executive Director,
Sweltering Cities
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Emma Bacon is the Founder and Executive Director of Sweltering Cities. Since the beginning of 2020 Sweltering Cities has connected with thousands of people around the country, working directly with communities in our hottest suburbs to campaign and advocate for more liveable, equitable and sustainable cities.
Emma is a passionate organiser, campaigner and activist. She has worked across movements for social and environmental justice for over 12 years on campaigns including an international asbestos ban, 10 cent deposits on bottles and cans, and union campaigns with shopping centre cleaners. She has run successful political campaigns and been part of winning significant outcomes for progressive change at local to international levels.Emma is committed to building a broad movement for climate justice.
Emma lives and works on the land of the Wurundjeri Woi wurrung people.
RILEY ROCCO
Qld Partnerships & Policy Manager, Pew Charitable Trusts / Western Rivers Alliance
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Riley Rocco manages Pew’s work to secure large-scale protections for land and river systems across Queensland, particularly on the floodplains of the Kati Thanda–Lake Eyre basin. Their work focuses on developing and maintaining high-quality relationships with land managers and stakeholders including Traditional Owners and Indigenous Ranger teams, pastoralists, peak industry bodies, regional groups and local government. Before joining Pew, Rocco managed community and stakeholder engagement for natural resource management projects for organisations such as North Queensland Dry Tropics. Rocco holds a Bachelor of Social Science in geography and environmental science from the Queensland University of Technology. They live in Brisbane.
ANISHA SENARATNE
Facilitator
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Anisha is Sri Lankan, migrated to Naarm in 2010, and has been living and working on Wurundjeri country ever since. She has worked and volunteered in movement spaces across the past 6 years including at Organisations such as GetUp and the Foundation For Young Australians. She is passionate about the power of facilitation, political education and art as tools to transform the world, and is particularly interested in the intersections of healing and justice work.
TE RAUKURA
O’CONNELL RAPIRA
Campaigner and facilitator
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Te Raukura O’Connell Rapira (they/them/ia) is Māori and Pākehā (with Irish lineage) from the iwi (tribes) Te Ātiawa, Ngāruahine, Ngāpuhi, Te Rarawa and Ngāti Whakaue. They are an experienced campaigner, community organiser, strategist, facilitator and trainer. Prior to freelancing, Te Raukura was the Executive Director of Movement Building at the Foundation for Young Australians and, before that, the Director of ActionStation Aotearoa. Te Raukura also co-founded the Youth Movement Fund Aotearoa and Tauiwi Tautoko.
MELARLI GOREY
Central Australian Advisory Group, Children’s Ground
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Melarli is a strong Arrernte woman living in Alice Springs – her traditional lands are Irlpme & Irrpmangkere. She speaks Arrernte and English and is currently employed at Children’s Ground as the Admin Coordinator. She is a member of the Children’s Ground Central Australian Advisory Group who are currently leading the design, delivery and decision making that inform Children’s Ground strategy and operations in Central Australian communities. Melarli strongly believes in the work Children's Ground is doing. She grew learning to read write and speak in Arrernte with her family as her first teachers. This is the life she wants not just for her son but for generations to come. For kids to have the right to choose, to feel proud of who they are and to be grow up strong in identity and connection to their country.
MAGGIE MUNN
First Nations Justice Director, Human Rights Law Centre
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Maggie is a proud Gunggari person from south west Queensland, now based in Victoria. Maggie is the First Nations Justice Director at the Human Rights Law Centre and has extensive campaigning, media, and advocacy experience gained from roles at Change the Record, Amnesty International Australia and their many years as an advocate and campaigner. Maggie cares deeply about justice for their people as well as climate justice and land rights and the abolition of the prison industrial complex.
LARA WATSON
Indigenous Officer, ACTU/FNWA
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Lara Watson is a Birri Gubba woman living and working in Meanjin, the Indigenous officer with the Australian Council of Trade Unions & oversees the work of the First Nations Workers Alliance. She has been involved with the Trade Union movement for 20 years, starting as a workplace delegate and moving into community campaigning as a Yr@w co-ordinator. She ran the anti-privatisation campaign ‘Not4Sale’ in Queensland & she has worked on numerous Indigenous campaigns, including the fight for Muckaty, Queensland Stolen Wages, ending the NT Intervention, Wage Justice for Community Development Program Workers, Unions for Yes and now has her sights on addressing racism in workplaces. She is also an artist, co-owner of Mulla Art Studio with her daughter, and the artist of ‘Wadya Gathering’ that was used by the ‘Yes’ campaign in the 2023 referendum.
KRISTIN O’CONNELL
Co-coordinator, Antipoverty Centre
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Kristin is an antipoverty activist and unpaid worker relying on the Disability Support Pension to live. She was previously a coordinator at the Australian Unemployed Workers' Union and established the Antipoverty Centre in 2021 with other unemployed advocates who have direct experience of poverty and the welfare system. The Antipoverty Centre exists to counter problems with politicians, academics, think tanks, researchers and paid advocates speaking over and making harmful decisions on behalf of people they purport to represent. Kristin provides direct peer support to people who rely on Centrelink payments, ensures welfare recipients’ stories and voices are heard through the media, organises grassroots activists, communicates government policy changes, responds to senate enquiries, fights back against job agency abuse of JobSeekers and counters harmful myths about unemployed people. She is a fellow of the Australian Basic Income Lab.
DAVID MEJIA-CANALES
Senior Lawyer, Human Rights Law Centre
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David Mejia-Canales is a senior human rights lawyer at the Human Rights Law Centre, focusing on defending democratic freedoms like, the right to protest, the right to vote and the right to participate in public affairs.
Before this, David was a policy adviser in the Commonwealth Parliament working on legal system reform and on justice issues impacting First Nations people including ending deaths in custody, raising the age of criminal responsibility, protecting Country defenders and the implementation of the Optional Protocol Against Torture.
GRACE VEGESANA
National Director, Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC)
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Grace Vegesana (she/they) is the National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, and a 24 year old woman-of-colour who has been building youth power to end fossil fuel expansion since she was 17. Her legacy includes co-founding the People of Colour Climate Network, pioneering climate justice organising on Dharug Country in Western Sydney with AYCC, and mobilising 3000 Australian businesses to join the Climate Strikes. At the heart of Grace’s work is a fierce belief in a better, brighter, and more climate-resilient world for young people to inherit and thrive in - and a reminder that hope is not just a feeling, but a call to action.
JAMES STINSON
Head of Customer Enablement, Raisely
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James is a experienced Strategist, Marketer, and Creative with a passion for helping charities launch wildly engaging fundraising campaigns. At Raisely, he empowers digital fundraisers to create best-in-class campaigns, through education and coaching.
His deep understanding of digital fundraising has helped the likes of UNOCHA, UNICEF NZ, Leukaemia & Blood Cancer NZ, and Scouts Global, create successful donor and fundraiser campaigns. Engaging with hundreds of charities each year, he advocates for and equips “digital swimmers” who can effectively navigate and leverage technology for good.
James is driven by values of honesty, integrity, and a commitment to empowering others through encouragement and shared success. James lives on the traditional country of the Awabakal and Worimi people, in Newcastle. His joys are family, cycling, and self-learning with YouTube.
ZENAIDA BEATSON
(AOTEAROA / NZ)
Director + Designer, For Purpose
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Zenaida is half Filipina, half Pākehā/settler and lives in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her approach combines visual communication and collaborative design to understand and engage people in issues that matter. She is grateful to the communities she has worked alongside in Alaska and Aotearoa to develop this collaborative practice.
KRISTIN GILLIES
(AOTEAROA / NZ)
Director + Strategist, For Purpose
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Kristin got his start in campaigning in the days before smartphones, holding up coal trains and occupying mines on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. As Actions Coordinator at Greenpeace NZ, Kristin worked to accelerate political action on climate change by coordinating campaign-defining actions. He sharpened his political and digital campaigning skills at the Green Party of Aotearoa as the National Campaign Manager and led the party’s shift to digital campaigning for the 2014 General Election. Kristin is the founder of For Purpose as well as a dad, a renewable energy buff and compost’s #1 Fan.
SAFFRON ZOMER
Executive Director, Australian Democracy Network
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Saffron is a lawyer, campaigner and political strategist with more than a decade of experience leading law reform campaigns. Prior to the Australian Democracy Network, Saffron was Government Relations Manager at the Australian Conservation Foundation. She spent several years living and working in the US, where she held a range of campaign and government relations roles.
In 2017, Saffron co-founded and led the Hands Off Our Charities Alliance which secured critical changes to 2017 Electoral Act amendments to protect the rights of civil society organisations to engage in advocacy.
SARAH BAARANI
Activist & Organiser
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Sarah Baarini is a young woman from Naarm who is of Lebanese, Italian and Maltese heritage. She holds a Bachelor of Arts (majoring in Politics) and is undertaking a Master of International Relations at Latrobe University. She is currently employed as the Manager of People and Culture at Souki Lawyers.
Passionate about human rights and justice, Sarah has been actively calling for an end to the ongoing occupation, genocide and crimes against humanity being committed against the Palestinian people by the Israeli government. She is an organiser of the Free Palestine Sunday Rally in Naarm and organising member of Hobsons Bay 4 Palestine.
GRACE EWART
Community Organiser, The Wilderness Society
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Grace is a Community Organiser for the Wilderness Society in Sydney. She works closely with volunteer groups to build their collective power, exert pressure on decision makers, and secure long term protection for the environment and climate. Since engaging in climate activism during university, Grace has dedicated the last 5 years to training, coaching, and mentoring community members to collectively organise and empower themselves to take action on climate change and environmental threats. Grace has previously volunteered for the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Greenpeace, was a Fellow at the Australian Conservation Foundation in 2021, and a Fellow with Australian Progress in 2023. Grace currently lives in Wollongong on D’harawal Country, where she also organises in her community and volunteers with the Tomorrow Movement.
LAUREN HAYES
Digital and Arts Accessibility Consultant
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Lauren is a creative and passionate Digital and Arts Accessibility Consultant. Lauren has over 8 years’ experience in collaborating with organisations to review and provide guidance on best practice regarding accessible and inclusive design of products and services. After beginning her accessibility journey at AccessibilityOz in 2016, she established Lauren Hayes Consulting Services in 2019. As a freelancer, Lauren has significant experience in providing technical and advisory support to not-for-profit, disability, arts and community organisations, including Able Australia, Intopia, Melbourne Fringe, Canva, the New Zealand Festival of the Arts, and Show Me Shorts Film Festival.
KAZ UY
Organising Director, GetUp
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With roots in the Philippines, Kaz is passionate about decolonisation, people power, and enabling the leadership of others to achieve shared purpose in the face of systemic adversity and uncertainty. She integrates intersectional feminist leadership and community care practices from her home culture into her organising work. Kaz has been campaigning and organising in the Austral-Asia Pacific region for the last 15 years. Her experience extends to roles at the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, Oxfam, Democracy in Colour, Tipping Point, and the Community Organising Fellowship. Currently, Kaz is the outgoing Organising Director at GetUp and serves as a Training Facilitator with AktivAsia. When not organising, Kaz can be found playing her guitar or surfing the waves of the Surf Coast, where she resides on unceded Waddawurrung Country.
JAX BROWN, OAM
Disability and LGBTIQA+ rights activist, writer and educator
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Jax Brown (they/them) is an esteemed disability and LGBTIQA+ rights activist, writer and educator. Jax’s tireless commitment to LGBTIQA+ disability human rights and advocacy has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM).
Jax utilises their experience as a queer, trans wheelchair user to explore intersectional identities. They view disability as a socio-political issue of intersectional equality, access, and human rights.
Jax has served on various governmental advisory committees and has been a board member on a number of not-for-profit organisations.
When they not playing their small role in trying to build a just and equitable society together, they can be found watching documentaries, drinking tea from their favourite rainbow mug and playing with their young children.
KIRSTEN BLAIR
Community and International Liaison, Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation
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Kirsten lives on and benefits from stolen Wurundjeri land and has worked for environmental and social justice for most of her life. While (somehow) finishing a science degree in the early 90s, Kirsten cut her activism teeth at Friends of the Earth Fitzroy working on transport and mining campaigns.Kirsten lived on Mirarr Country at the Jabiluka blockade camp for its duration in 1998 and has worked for and with the Mirarr Traditional Owners ever since. She was Coordinator of the Environment Centre of the Northern Territory and since returning to Melbourne two decades ago has worked for a swag of NGOs, including a long-standing role with the Mirarr’s representative body: Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation.
Kirsten is also crazy for primary school teaching and now that her two kids are in high school, grabs every available chance for emergency days at the wonderful Thornbury Primary.
Kirsten is grateful to be a member of many communities and loves working with others towards shared outcomes in many contexts. She would also just love to talk to you about border collies.
NOURA MANSOUR
General Manager, Community Organising & Advocacy Lead, APAN
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Noura is a Palestinian educator, political analyst, and community organiser, born and raised in the coastal city of Akka. Noura is one the leading advocates in the Palestinian community and has over 20 years experience working on policy, community development, locally and internationally. Noura has worked as a consultant and a strategist with civil society organization in Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as solidarity movements in South Korea and Australia. Noura, a mother of 2, currently leads the movement building strategy for the Australia Palestine Advocacy Network (APAN), where she works as General Manager, Community Organising and Advocacy Lead.
SCOTT SANDERS
Managing Director, Creative Freedom
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For two decades, Scott has strategically led hundreds of Australian nonprofits through successful digital platforms builds that drive impact and growth. As a former CEO of a nonprofit advocacy organisation, and having been the Managing Director of several digital agencies, Scott has a deep understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities that nonprofits face.
Scott now leads the team at Creative Freedom, an impact-focused digital agency working with nonprofits and for-purpose teams to build platforms for change. His background in design and development alongside deep nonprofit experience brings a unique perspective focused on how nonprofits can leverage digital strategies and platforms to overcome the pressing issues facing the sector, while harnessing emerging opportunities in tech. He’s also a passionate teacher, committed to openly sharing these learnings with the sector to build the capacity of Australian nonprofits focused on driving positive social and environmental change.
JAMES SAUNDERS
CEO, Barragi Mawang
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With a robust 15-year track record of engaging with clients from varied socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic origins throughout Australia and Asia, James brings a breadth of expertise to the table. His core proficiencies encompass digital communication, strategic planning, high-caliber campaigning, innovative content creation, mentorship, and adept project management. Fueled by passions in social media, filmmaking, mentorship, politics, media, and digital marketing, his career is marked by a consistent ability to forge new connections and foster enduring partnerships across multiple sectors and diverse communities. James excels in team-centric environments where concerted efforts towards shared objectives.
LARAH KENNEDY
General Manager, Quiip
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Larah is an online community and social media specialist, with a focus on managing safe and productive online spaces.
Throughout her career, Larah has worked across a range of industries including government, broadcast media, retail, NFPs, financial services and health. Now, Larah is General Manager of Quiip, where she works with clients such as VicHealth, Movember, Australian Ethical Super, SBS, Yes23 and Take 3 for the Sea.
Working on the front lines of social media on wide reaching accounts, Larah has a front row seat to the best and worst of the internet and is passionate about creating digital spaces that are welcoming and safe for all.
STEPHANIE DOWER
Filmmaker / Access Coordinator, Dower Productions
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Stephanie Dower is a Brisbane-based Screen Producer, Writer, and Access Coordinator. In 2021, Stephanie produced and edited short film Sunshine, a Bus Stop Films and Taste Creative project funded through Screen Queensland’s RIDE Shorts program. Since then, Stephanie produced short film And The Ocean Agreed alongside Luisa Martiri and Writer/Director Tanya Modini, and served as Access Coordinator for feature films Spit and Amazon Studios’ The Bluff.
As founder and creative lead of production company Dower Productions, Stephanie is developing a slate of exciting and bold projects including travel series Carry On, and romantic/drama feature Seeing Scout.
An advocate for disability inclusion both on and off the screen, Stephanie was appointed to Screen Queensland’s Equity and Diversity Taskforce, and is currently serving as an appointed advisor to the Screen Producers’ Australia Council. Stephanie also co-hosts Attitude Foundation’s ReFramed, and is a regular speaker at prolific industry events.
NEHA MADHOK
Racial Justice organiser
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Neha Madhok is a leading voice in racial justice and anti-racism advocacy in Australia. With over a decade of experience in the non-profit and social justice sectors, Neha is known for her work in transforming workplaces and communities to be more inclusive, equitable, and representative. As a CoFounder and former National Director of Democracy in Colour, she has spearheaded campaigns and programs that center the voices and experiences of people of colour.
A seasoned public speaker, consultant, and thought leader, Neha regularly addresses audiences on the importance of racial equity and diversity in social movements, workplace culture, and policy. Their expertise in anti-racism training and digital campaigning has made her a sought-after campaigner, including for the Yes! campaign for marriage equality, and the Australian union movement.
Neha’s work has been featured across major media platforms including The Guadian, ABC + SMH on the impacts of systemic racism, and effective strategies for inclusive leadership.
SOPHIE HARTLEY
Researcher, The Commons Social Change Library
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Sophie Hartley is a researcher at the Commons Social Change Library, where she works on the Movement Monitor project, helping to measure the impact of the Australian climate movement. Sophie recently completed a PhD at RMIT University, where she researched the impact of emerging technologies on global climate governance. With a background working as a community organiser in human rights and social inclusion organisations, Sophie is passionate about using research to benefit activist communities.
MARIA POULOS
Parliamentary and Political Relations Manager, Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)
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Bio: Maria is a community advocate who has worked in conservation, animal welfare, crisis management and diplomacy. Before her current role heading ACF’s Parliamentary and Government relations work She has worked for the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) since 2021 as Parliamentary and Political Relations Manager. Prior to joining ACF, Maria spent 23 years as a Australian diplomat, where she served in various roles throughout the Indo-Pacific, Africa and the EU. Maria is founder and convenor of the Save the Bay Coalition that successfully campaigned against a cruise terminal in Botany Bay and that campaigns for biodiversity conservation and heritage protection in Sydney. She also serves as a Director of Diplomats for Climate. She recently ran as a candidate in local government elections with the residents action party, Peaceful Bayside.
MADELINE LUCRE
Campaigns and Communications Coordinator, NSW Nurses and Midwives' Association
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Maddie is the Campaigns and Communications Coordinator at the NSW Nurses and Midwives Association. She joined the NSWNMA Communications team following two and half year stint in NSW state politics, and has used her communications and political skillset to create engaging social media campaigns to aid nurses and midwives in their fight better pay and conditions.
MAIY AZIZE
Chair and National Spokesperson, Everybody’s Home
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Maiy Azize is the National Spokesperson for Everybody’s Home, a campaign to fix Australia’s housing crisis. Everybody's Home is made up of 500 housing, homeless and welfare organisations, and over 43,000 supporters who have come together with a shared vision of ensuring that everybody has a safe, affordable and decent home.
Maiy is also the Deputy Director of Anglicare Australia, a network of welfare and caring organisations linked to the Anglican Church. She has authored many reports and studies, including Priced Out for Everybody’s Home and Homes for All: A Roadmap to Affordable Housing for Anglicare Australia.
LAUREN FARROW
Senior Strategist, The Sunrise Project Australia
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Lauren Farrow is a senior strategist at The Sunrise Project Australia, focussed on ensuring the energy transition drives benefits for the environment and people. As part of her role at Sunrise, she has been supporting Renew Australia for All - an alliance of more than 65 organisations from social services, unions, faith, community and multicultural groups, environment organisations and industry working together to ensure a better, safer future for everyone - no matter where they live or what they earn.
Before joining Sunrise she led the Indonesian office of a government affairs consultancy firm, focussing on the areas of renewable energy and sustainable supply chains. Prior to that, she was a journalist for more than a decade, spending time covering courts, crime, politics and international affairs. She was the Southeast Asia Correspondent for Australian Associated Press (AAP), and as a young journalist spent two years travelling throughout India covering stories on the environment and the country’s development.
LANIYUK
Land protector, Return Lee Point to Larrakia People
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Laniyuk (she/her) is a Larrakia, Kungarakan, Gurindji and French political creative whose art practice is grounded in cultural, language and land reclamation.
She is involved in the work to Return Lee Point to the care, ownership and protection of Larrakia people. Laniyuk writes and performs poetry, speculative fiction and is a visual artist
ALEX KELLY
Director, Economic Media Centre
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Alex is the Director of the Economic Media Centre. Alex has a background in arts, strategic communications, organising and documentary filmmaking with expertise in impact producing.
Alex was an impact producer on the films The Dreamlife of Georgie Stone, In My Blood it Runs and Avi Lewis and Naomi Klein’s This Changes Everything. Alex is on the board of Original Power and is a founding member of the Unquiet Collective.
JEDDA COSTA
Senior First Nations Media Advisor, Economic Media Centre
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Jedda is the Economic Media Centre’s Senior First Nations Media Advisor. Jedda is a Wemba Wemba, Yorta Yorta and Mutti Mutti woman from Narrm. She has previously worked as a cross-platform journalist, specialising in Indigenous affairs and reporting on regional communities. Jedda joins as our new Senior First Nations Media Advisor, leading the development of our First Nations Spokespersons Network at the Economic Media Centre.
NICK CASSELLA
Media Adviser, Economic Media Centre
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Nick is a Media Adviser at the Economic Media Centre, specialising in digital campaigning and strategic messaging. Nick has worked on communications programs for progressive campaigns, politicians and organisations in the US and Australia. Nick holds an International Relations degree from the University of St Andrews, Scotland.
AMELIA TELFORD
(FWD+ORG EMCEE)
Chief Partnerships and First Nations Justice Officer, Australian Progress
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Amelia (Millie) Telford is a Bundjalung and South Sea Islander woman. As First Nations Justice Director at Australian Progress, her role aims to build capacity of First Nations-led movements and advocacy across the country. Prior to joining Australian Progress, Millie co-founded and led Seed, Australia’s first Indigenous Youth Climate Network. Since Seed’s launch in 2014, the organisation expanded rapidly, becoming a national grassroots network of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people to protect country, culture and communities from the causes and impacts of climate change.
ANITA TANG
(FWD+ORG EMCEE)
Organising Director, Australian Progress
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Anita Tang is passionate about building people power to secure public policies that benefit the community. During her career, she’s explored many ways to make a difference – through direct service, policy development, consumer protection bodies, and Parliamentary Committees, and non-government policy advocacy. During her 12 years at Cancer Council NSW, she led the development of the grassroots advocacy approach that led to significant campaign wins on smoke-free legislation, cost of chemotherapy, access to treatment, and policies to protect people from known cancer risks. Currently, Anita is focused on increasing the impact of the advocacy work of NGOs by helping them unlock the potential of their grassroots supporters.
GEMMA PITCHER
Associate, Common Cause Australia
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Gemma is an Associate at Common Cause Australia. Common Cause helps progressive organisations shift core cultural values to create a more equitable, sustainable and democratic society. Our approach is based on decades of research from the fields of social psychology and cognitive linguistics. Our work includes conducting research, developing practical resources and creative content, and running training programs across a range of sectors.
PRIYA KUNJAN
Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Volunteer Radio Broadcaster
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Priya Kunjan (they/them) is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Urban Research working on the ARC Discovery grant Precarious Dwelling, which investigates experiences of housing precarity on stolen Indigenous land in Naarm/Melbourne. Their focus areas in the Precarious Dwelling research project are on experiences of housing insecurity in private rental properties and public housing estates subject to redevelopment. Priya is also a broadcaster at 3CR Community Radio in Melbourne, where they co-host the Thursday Breakfast current affairs program. In their work both within and outside the academy, they have ongoing interests in settler colonialism, racial justice and Indigenous sovereignty.
DALE CLISBY
Senior Growth Manager, Code Nation
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Dale is a highly versatile progressive campaigner and growth manager. He has an eclectic skill set from his experience working with the Australian Greens and in his freelance business, which provides strategy, communications, data analysis, website development, and content creation services. Dale's volunteer management experience is invaluable to our SupporterBase users, and helps them maximise their potential using the platform.
RONA GLYNN-MCDONALD
Co-Founder, First Nations Futures & CEO, Common Ground
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Rona is a proud Kaytetye woman with a background in economics and a deep curiosity and passion for disruptive ideas. Rona is the founding CEO of Common Ground, an Aboriginal-led not for profit that works to centre First Nations people and knowledge. Common Ground uses digital platforms and cultural storytelling projects to amplify First Nations voices and experiences, and educate wider Australia. Rona is also the co-founder of First Nations Futures, an organisation that will provide a mechanism for all Australians to coinvest in First Nations leadership, wisdom and self-determined futures. Through her work with First Nations communities across Australia, Rona aims to create future systems that centre First Nations people, knowledge and cultures.
WIL STRACKE
Assistant Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council
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Wil Stracke is the Assistant Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council, the peak body for unions in Victoria, and a long-term campaigner for women’s and queer rights. She was previously an Associate Solicitor at Slater & Gordon before commencing as an organiser with the Australian Services Union where she worked with members on workplace and industry wide industrial campaigns. She was the Lead Organiser in Victoria for the ASU national ‘Equal Pay’ campaign that achieved wage justice for underpaid, predominantly women workers in the community services sector. In 2017, Wil coordinated the Victorian field campaign for the ‘Yes’ campaign for marriage equality. In her role at Trades Hall, Wil leads the ongoing work of the Victorian trade union movement in addressing the challenges faced by working women as well as the union movement’s work in occupational health and safety.
Wil’s work was acknowledged with the 2018 John Cummins Award for Victorian Unionist of the Year and the Jennie George Award in 2024 for outstanding contribution by a woman to the Australian union movement.
KAT REED
CEO, Women with Disabilities ACT
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Kat (they/them/theirs) CEO of Women With Disabilities ACT and a Board Director of Women With Disabilities Australia and of Youth Coalition of the ACT. They have been a queer and disability advocate & community builder in the ACT for the last eight years. Kat was awarded 2021 Young Canberra Citizen of the Year and one of Out for Australia’s 30 Under 30 for 2021.
CAITLIN GORDON-KING
Queensland Organiser, Huddle
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Caitlin is a community organiser based in Meanjin (Brisbane). Growing up in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, she developed an early belief in the capacity of community movements to effect change. She's since worked across movements for gender equality, climate justice and poverty alleviation. Most recently, she's been supporting regional Queensland groups in their efforts to elect community Independents at the upcoming federal election.
JAMES RANKIN
Union Organiser, Independent Education Union
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James is currently the Union Organiser with the Victorian and Tasmanian Branch of the Independent Education Union
TAYLOR HAWKINS
Managing Director, Foundations for Tomorrow
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Taylor is a passionate entrepreneur focused on future-driven leadership, policy innovation, and social impact. She is the Managing Director of Foundations for Tomorrow, a non-profit dedicated to advancing the protection of future generations’ interests in Australia, which recently launched the Australian Parliamentary Group for Future Generations and the Intergenerational Fairness Coalition. Taylor was the only young person invited to speak at the Global Parliamentary Congress due to her significant work in this area. She has also served as an Advisor to the Our Future Agenda initiative of the United Nations Foundation. An accomplished speaker, Taylor has spoken at international events such as the United Nations COP26 Climate Conference, Stockholm+50, and the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting. Additionally, she is the only young person on the World Economic Forum's Global Foresight Network Advisory Board and the Executive Leadership Team for the global Network of Institutions for Future Generations. Taylor’s efforts have earned her recognition through various accolades, including Smart Company’s 30 Under 30, YAIIA’s Young Women to Watch in International Affairs and the NSW Young Australian of the Year Awards.
CARLY ROBERTSON
Community Organiser, Australian Conservation Foundation
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Carly is a Community Organiser with the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) based in Naarm. She collaborates with community groups and volunteers across Victoria to build grassroots power, influence decision-makers, and achieve long-term environmental and climate protections. Carly is deeply committed to fostering collective action and creating meaningful change at local, state and federal levels. Her passion for organising and climate activism began as a volunteer and then staff member with Climate for Change, where over 7 years she took up the roles of facilitator, mentor, trainer and organiser of the Climate Conversations and MP Engagement programs.