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Young Workers Centre YWC
The Team
Supporting young workers
Yolanda Robson
Yolanda brings policy and stakeholder engagement skills to the union movement. Before joining the YWC, Yolanda worked for the Department of Premier and Cabinet, developing policy and legislation to embed the rights of First Peoples and progress Treaty in Victoria. 
With a career background in community engagement, government negotiations, and advertising, Yolanda approaches her work through building strong relationships, grounded in shared understanding to achieve common goals. When she’s not working, you’ll find Yolanda parked by a river fossicking for gems, exploring Corhanwarrabul (Dandenong Ranges), or barracking for Richmond - even when an L is inevitable. 
Paloma Cole

Paloma is passionate about using the law as a vehicle for justice and progress through individual client representation and wider law reform advocacy.

Paloma started her legal career as an employment lawyer at a national plaintiff law firm. Prior to joining the Young Workers Centre she worked as a senior lawyer and acting manager at Fitzroy Legal Service and as a Senior Associate in a national firm’s pro bono practice. She has also worked in legal policy roles in state government where she focused on progressive civil law reforms.

Outside of work, Paloma enjoys hiking with her partner, baking and going to live music and comedy shows.

Michael Giannopoulos

Michael is a senior lawyer at the Young Workers Centre. For more than a decade, Michael has appeared regularly in the Fair Work Commission and the Federal Circuit Court. Notable cases Michael has acted in include Butlin v ACA Home Improvements Pty Ltd & Ors [2018] FCCA 3555. Michael previously worked for various employee-focused legal services, including JobWatch, Anderson Gray Lawyers and Ryan Carlisle Thomas Lawyers.

In his free time, Michael enjoys going to art galleries and playing clarinet.

Shannen Bethune 

Shannen (she/her) is a junior lawyer passionate about worker’s rights. Prior to the YWC, she worked at the United Workers’ Union for over 5 years, primarily assisting Cleaners and Early Educators. Off the clock, Shannen enjoys spending time with friends, walking and cooking.

Alessandra Galletti 

Alessandra (she/her) had no idea what area of law she wanted to specialise in after completing her legal studies until she became involved in the union movement. She developed her passion for unionism and workers' rights whilst working as an Industrial Advocate.  

She continues to hold the title of owning the most cats in the Young Workers Team (four) and spends her free time with friends and family watching, playing and talking about sport. 

Maddy Spooner 

Maddy (she/they) has been a union member for their whole working life, but became more of an activist during their time as an Advocate at the Young Workers Centre in 2023. Maddy was an Advocate Team Leader from 2024, until their admission as a lawyer in March 2025.

Maddy spends their free time learning how to sew, and venturing to the footy, theatre, and museums.

Renee Burns

Renee (she/her) is an enthusiastic unionist and proud to support the Young Workers Centre legal team in the role of YWC Legal Assistant.

Renee has previously led an employment rights think tank; supported employment law, and business & human rights research centres; and researched and published in the areas of freedom of association, collective bargaining, and trade union training. Renee holds a Masters of Employment and Labour Relations Law and once held the title of NSW CWA junior long stitch champion.

When not writing about herself in the third person - or actively avoiding doing so - Renee enjoys live music, theatre, film, sleep, and raising a young unionist.

Grace Holmes

Grace is a law student who undertook a double degree in Criminology and Arts before starting her JD. She has always been passionate about social justice, especially human rights and environmental justice. She was an advocate with the Young Workers Centre early in 2025 and this is what cemented her passion for helping others and the law. Outside of work, she studies (lots) and loves to go to trivia nights and be in nature with her friends and family.

Clare D'Alessandro

Clare is in her final year of studying Law & started as an advocate with the Young Workers Centre in 2025. Through her placement she developed a passion for helping young people with employment issues.

Outside of work, she enjoys cooking, going to the Pilates, playing tennis and hanging out with friends and her housemate’s dog Sally.

Nina Mountford

Nina (she/they) has a background in theatre making and a strong commitment to unionism. Dedicated to worker’s rights, accessibility, and the arts, Nina joined the YWC excited to help young people reach safe, secure, and well-paying employment through education and support.

Outside of their union work, Nina can be found making and watching theatre, reading, lounging, and gesticulating wildly.

Angus Leech

Angus (he/him) began his career entering the engineering trade as an apprentice boilermaker at the young age of 16. Although he found great independence and value from his newfound career, Angus experienced many instances of unfair treatment that had become the norm in the industry. Working closely with his union, Angus sought justice for his unfair treatment and won.
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Since then, he has pursed studies within mental health to help advocate for young workers experiencing similar treatment and aims to elevate working conditions across the board. Angus understands the pressures involved in speaking out and aims to educate and encourage those around him to speak out and tell their story.
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In Angus' spare time he enjoys riding motorcycles and enjoying recreational activities in nature. 

Harper St Clair
Harper (they/them) came to the YWC excited to be on the ground floor helping young people.  With a background in finance and payroll, they spent many years in the arts sector discovering that their true passion was in using their knowledge of workers’ rights to educate and empower fellow workers to fight for better working conditions for them all collectively.

Outside of work Harper can be found either cuddling their cat named Garbage or tearing up dance floors both in front or behind the decks.
Rhys Foran
Rhys (he/him) started his working life in hospitality before moving to the construction industry and has been behind his fellow workers every step of the way. He has seen how poor working conditions can affect young people and the effect disengagement has on the community. Joining the YWC has allowing him to channel the energy he has for justice to arm young workers and apprentices with the knowledge to protect themselves in the workplace. Spreading the good word of our storied labour movement is important to him as young people should not learn the lessons of what rights we have the hard way. Outside of work you can find him riding his bike, hiking and swimming.
Izzi Selfe

Izzi (they/them) has a background in visual art and a fierce passion for social and class justice, which is what brought them to the YWC. Joining the workforce at 15 yrs old and working across many industries from hospitality to events and community services, Izzi has learnt what it's like to have beef with your boss.Izzi believes that the union movements ability to drive collective action is a real way to make change in the world, because we wouldn't have the rights we do today without the labor of activists and unionists who fought for those rights. Aside from being a working-class baddie, Izzi love's playing Mario Kart, hosting dinner parties, and dancing; sometimes all in one evening

Edward Enoka

Edward (he/him) is a young Samoan creative and advocate with a background  in community and youth organizations in the Pacific and abroad. With personal experience in the front lines of the fast food industry, he understands the importance of educating young workers on their rights. As a communications graduate and pop culture aficionado, Edward is passionate about creating new and exciting forms of media that anyone can relate to.

In his free time outside of doom-scrolling, Edward can be found enjoying new eateries with his friends, or catching up on a new show at home.