Sally McManus
Secretary, Australian Council of Trade Unions
Sally McManus is the 10th Secretary of the ACTU. She was the leader of her Union, the ASU in NSW representing community, public sector and private sector workers. She commenced work with the ASU as an ACTU Trainee Organiser in 1994. Sally has also worked as a Pizza Hut delivery driver, shop assistant and cleaner and studied Philosophy at University.
Dr. Christina J. Colclough
Founder, The Why Not Lab
Widely regarded as a thought leader on the futures of work and workers, and the politics of digital technology, Dr Christina J. Colclough is an advocate for the workers’ voice and for strong, quality public services. She founded the Why Not Lab with the aim to reshape the current digitalisation trajectory, so human rights, freedoms and autonomy are respected and protected. Christina is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in the UK and Advisory Board member of Carnegie Council's new program: AI and Equality Initiative. She is also a member of the UNESCO #Women4EthicalAI Platform, the OECD One AI Expert Group and is affiliated to FAOS, the Employment Relations Research Center at Copenhagen University.
Gareth Murphy
Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns, Financial Services Union (Ireland)
Gareth Murphy is Head of Industrial Relations and Campaigns at the Financial Services Union (Ireland) and has worked in the union for 16 years. Prior to this, he worked briefly in the finance sector. He leads the union's negotiating and organising teams across the finance and tech sectors. Gareth holds an MA from Trinity in Peace and Conflict Studies and is currently engaged in a PhD on trade union renewal. He coaches his daughter’s football and camogie team.
Julia Powles
Associate Professor, The University of Western Australia Law School
Julia Powles is Director of The University of Western Australia's Minderoo Tech and Policy Lab and Associate Professor of Law and Technology at UWA Law School. Scientifically trained and experienced in national and international policy-making, Julia’s research focuses on civic and rights-based responses to emerging technologies. She is an expert in privacy, intellectual property, internet governance, and the law and politics of data, automation, and artificial intelligence. Julia is known for her work on data protection law and, in particular, citizens’ rights to correction and explanation, as well as her detailed investigations of Google affiliates DeepMind and Sidewalk Labs and their incursions into health, cities, and governance.
Dr April Merleaux
Research Manager, Rainforest Action Network
Dr April Merleaux joined the Rainforest Action Network (RAN) in 2022 as the Research Manager with the Climate and Energy team. An experienced researcher and writer, she guides strategic research for RAN’s campaigns to stop fossil fuel expansion and financing. She also coordinates production of RAN’s annual Banking on Climate Chaos report. Before joining RAN, she taught environmental studies and history at the college level and published regularly in academic journals. April holds a Ph.D. from Yale University, a M.S. from Tufts University, and a B.A. from Reed College. Outside of work, she has campaigned on climate change, healthcare, and racial justice for more than a decade, working closely with faith communities. She lives in western Massachusetts, where she spends her free time hiking, gardening, and watching dumb TV.
Wil Stracke
Assistant Secretary, Victorian Trades Hall Council
Wilhelmina Stracke is the Assistant Secretary of the Victorian Trades Hall Council. She was previously an Associate Solicitor at Slater & Gordon before commencing as an organiser with the Australian Service Union. At the ASU, Wil worked with members on workplace and industry wide industrial campaigns. She was the Victorian Lead for the ASU national ‘Equal Pay’ campaign that, in 2012, achieved wage justice for underpaid, predominantly female workers in the community services sector. In 2013, Wil moved to the VTHC to coordinate movement wide political campaigns. More recently, Wil coordinated the Victorian field campaign for the ‘Yes’ campaign for marriage equality. In 2014, Wil was elected as VTHC Assistant Secretary.
Julia Angrisano
FSU National Secretary
Julia Angrisano is the National Secretary of the Finance Sector Union, where she has held various roles, including the position of NSW/ACT Local Executive Secretary. Julia has for over 20 years represented working people and campaigned for a fairer and more equitable finance sector. Julia is a member of the ACTU Executive and a Member Director of AustralianSuper. Julia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Political Economy) from the University of Sydney. She has 3 girls, spends her Saturdays at the soccer fields and loves ice cream!
Wendy Streets
FSU Queensland Local Executive Secretary
Wendy Streets is the Queensland Local Executive Secretary of the Finance Sector Union. Wendy’s entire working life has been within the finance sector both as a union member representing workers in the industry and later as a union official. In 1998, Wendy began working for the FSU and for the past 25 years she has worked as an Industrial Advocate, Organiser, Lead Organiser, National Director of Campaigning and Bargaining, and for the last 11 years as QLD State Secretary. Wendy has assisted countless FSU members in individual disputes and hundreds of unionised workplaces in their collective disputes.
Jason Hall
FSU SA/NT Local Executive Secretary
Jason Hall is the SA/NT Local Executive Secretary of the Finance Sector Union. After working in the industry for over a decade Jason joined the FSU in 2007 as an Organiser. He later became an Industrial Advocate before becoming State Secretary in 2013. Over that period Jason has represented many individual FSU members and fought to improve and maintain worker rights. As well as Jason’s campaigning responsibilities he is also responsible for the infrastructure of the union including Finance, IT, Property and Admin and is very proud that the FSU now has a budget that will sustain it into the future. When not at a rally of some sort you may find him sitting behind a Dungeon Master's screen or at the beach with his family.
Nicole McPherson
FSU Vic/Tas Local Executive Secretary
Nicole McPherson is the Vic/Tas Local Executive Secretary of the Finance Sector Union. After starting her career as a lawyer, Nicole joined the FSU and worked as an Industrial Advocate and National Industrial Officer. She led the Union’s campaign to secure paid vaccination leave for more than 220,000 finance workers, and with members, established the FSU Human Rights Network. Nicole leads the FSU national Organising and Industrial teams, where they fight for progressive rights for all finance workers. Nicole holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Laws with Honours, Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice and Master of Laws.
Angela Budai
Finance Sector Union’s National Policy Officer
Facilitating Organising for gender equity workshop.
Angela is the Finance Sector Union’s National Policy Officer. Angela has worked in the union movement for over 20 years and has experience as an organiser and campaigner, as well as in negotiating Enterprise Agreements across the industry. Angela has had primary responsibility for developing and implementing the FSU’s Women’s Agenda for over five years. Angela sits on the ACTU Women’s Committee and NSW ALP Women’s Forum and coordinates the FSU’s work with peak bodies in NSW, ACT and WA. Angela lives and works in the Darramuragal lands of the Eora nation.
Alex Cousner
Finance Sector Union Bargaining Specialist
Facilitating Organising for healthy workplaces workshop.
Alex leads the FSU’s work on health and safety with a relentless focus on addressing the pressing workload crisis within the finance sector. With a passion for advocating for fair and safe working conditions, Alex is striving to improve the wellbeing and productivity of finance workers. Through a combination of advocacy, leadership, and expertise, Alex continues to be a driving force in the pursuit of a healthier and more balanced work environment for finance workers.