Meet the Executive Team

exec 2023 (do not delete)

Jessica is in her final year at the University of Western Australia and hold a Bachelor of Arts (Law and Society) undergraduate degree. Jessica has been apart of WAJA since mid-2021 in the projects portfolio, going from an officer to a team leader, to the Projects Director and now the Executive Director. She brings ample amount of experience and intends to lead WAJA in 2024 to strive closer to achieving our mission.

Ashton Godfrey (Projects Director)

Ashton is in his third year of the Juris Doctor degree at the University of Western Australia. Ashton has previously been a co-leader of the semester 2, 2023 projects portfolio and will use his skills from this experience and other legal placements such as interning at Aboriginal legal service and being a paralegal at Perth Citizens Advice Bureau to help lead the projects portfolio for 2024.

Ayesha Fernandez (Outreach Director)

Ayesha is studying a double degree of Criminolgy and Law at Murdoch Univeristy. She began as an Outreach Officer at the beginning of 2023 and took the initiative to step up as the Outreach Director mid-2023. Ayesha is passionate about spreading law reform to our student audience and engaging them in WAJA’s mission.

Lauren Walker (Communications Director)

Lauren is in her first year of the Juris Doctor at the University of Western Australia. She volunteered with WAJA in 2023 as a Communications Officer making posts, updating the website and filming TikToks. In 2024, Lauren is utilising her passion for equal and substantive justice and creativity in social media to lead the Communications portfolio.

Tara Innes (Advocacy Director)

Tara is a Law and Journalism student in her 4th year at Murdoch University. She started in 2023 as a Projects Team Leader and stepped up to become the Advocacy Director mid-2023. Tara was also a previous member of the Murdoch Student Law Society as the Publications and Marketing Vice President where she implemented social media strategies. Her experience combined with her enthusiasm for advocating for legal change makes her the Advocacy Director 2024.

Ethan Nicholas (Finance Director)

Ethan is in his penultimate year of the Juris Doctor degree at the University of Western Australia. He started at the beginning of 2023 as a Projects Officer. By the middle of the year he was a Projects Team Leader. WAJA is fortunate enough to receive sponsorships and donations to keep our mission alive and Ethan has taken on the role of organising and regulating our finances for 2024.

Our Team of Student Volunteers (2020-Present)

Executive Team (2023)

From top left: Maria Ambrose, Steven Thiele, Shelby Robinson, Jessica Huynh, Charlotte Salom, Rory O’Sullivan, Sajini Dassanayake and Komal Singh.

Communications Team (2023)

From top left: Rheanne Long, Lauren Walker, Sajini Dassanayake (Director) and Claudia Vacca.

Outreach Team (2023)

From top left: Louisa Cook, Hannah Wilcock, Maranatha Gebremedhin, Yusra Kirsten, Antonia Palermo, Ayesha Fernandes, Shelby Robinson (Outreach Director), Homaira Suhail and Clare Wan.

Advocacy Team (2023)

From top left: Leila Pinilla, Alex Di Rosso, Helen Do, Steven Thiele (Director) and Leteesha Magistro.

Education in WA Prisons (S1.23)

From top left: Rory O’Sullivan, Ethan Nicolas, Joel Burren, Jessica Huynh (Director) and Ashton Godfrey.

Treatment, Support and Discharge Plans Under the Mental Health Act 2014 (WA) (S1.23)

From top left: Harriet Brooke, Paige Brandwood, Bianca Baptista, Hannah Jackson and Tiffany Chrisholm Gardner.

Spent Convictions Project Team (S2.22)

From left: Claudia Genovese, Kilkenny Ong (Team Leader), Hannah Jackson. Absent: Maria Ambrose, Hugo Brossard.

Individual Placement and Support (IPS) Program Team (S2.22)

From top left: Leila Pinilla, Natalya Mulvey, Mishka Isaacs, Jessica Huynh (Team Leader), Olivia Trimboli

Fitness to Stand Trial (S1.22)

From top left: Maxwell Hinch, Hugo Brossard, Maria Ambrose, Lachie Phillips and Charlotte Salom (Team Leader).

From top left: Shiya Tee (Team Leader), Tenille Lazenby (Projects Director), Jessica Huynh, Alexander Di Rosso and Rhianna Dehne. Absent: Aisha Chaudhry

First Nations & Data Sovereignty (S1.22)

From top left: Ailish Dey, Connor O’Sullivan, Laura Walton, Jessica Huynh (Team Leader) and Olivia Trimbol.

From top left: Rory O’Sullivan (Project Coordinator), Tenille Lazenby (Projects Director), Jit Neo, Maria Ambrose (Team Leader) and Charlotte Salom. Absent: Isabelle Bavcevic and Helena Trang

From top left: Leila Pinilla D’Aloya, Sara Ozrain (Communications Director), Ish Sikka, Vivien Pua, Emily Quan, Sarah Christopher and Komal Singh.

From top left: Alicia Thronbury, Bree Fernandes, Aisha. Chaudhry, Sofia Basso, Romany Bailey Brown, Yusra Kirsten, Shelby Robinson, Steven Thiele (Advocacy and Outreach Director), Nicole Johnson and Sophia Jane.