Young Labor Leadership Team

President - Michael Buckland

Michael joined the ALP in 2007 to contribute to the largest political movement in Australia. After volunteering in Tanzania, he became determined to work on the issues facing many vulnerable people at home. Young Labor and its network of passionate young people on University campus’ and in the community provided the perfect opportunity to face these issues. After working as President of the Sydney University ALP Club in 2008, Michael was elected as a board director to the University of Sydney Union in March 2009. A year later he became the Welfare Officer for the National Union of Students. Michael believes it is important that Young Labor take a stand on issues of equality for young people. 

Secretary - Ausseela Thanaphongsakorn

Ausseela joined the ALP in 2004 to make a difference which she believes starts out in the local community. As Young Citizen of the Year for her local council area, she started a community harmony project with the NSW Youth Advisory Council, sponsored by a local grant.  Ausseela interned at the National Association for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (NAPCAN) and later became one of the organisation's youth ambassadors for the Asia-Pacific region.  Ausseela is also a "Global Filipino Youth Activist" for community service and journalism, being a former youth columnist for the Philippine Community Herald. With a passion for social justice and a believer in grassroots action she is a former YL Women's officer and initiated Young Labor's Community Speak program.  She has a degree in Media Communications from UNSW and is interested in e-democracy initiatives having worked on the digital campaign for the 2010 Federal Election.

Senior Vice President - Sara Howson

Sara joined Young Labor in 2006 after deciding that the only way to make lasting social change was from within the political process. Sara is passionate about social justice and human rights. She is a member of Amnesty International, a former Young Labor Women's Officer  and is involved in the campaign for democracy in Burma. In 2006 Sara formed a charity which raised funds for the education of Burmese children and was a recipient of the Order of Australia Youth Medal. A passionate believer that Labor governments are the difference between fairness and injustice, Sara has worked on Federal Election campaigns in 2007 and 2010 and state campaigns in NSW, Queensland and South Australia. Sara lives in Wollongong.

Junior Vice President - Dominic Ofner

Dom joined the ALP in 2005 because he believes that Labor is the only Party that can achieve equality and opportunity for all Australians. He strongly believes that Labor has been the driving force behind the major economic and social changes in Australia’s history, such as Chifley’s post-war reconstruction policies, the reforms of Whitlam, Hawke and Keating and the Gillard Government’s policies to tackle climate change and build the NBN.  He has also worked as a volunteer with the Edmund Rice Camps, an organisation that provides holidays experiences for young people from disadvantaged communities in western Sydney and parts of regional NSW. Dom is in his final year at the University of Sydney, studying a Bachelor of Economic and Social Sciences with majors in Industrial Relations and Political Economy.

Junior Vice President - Charishma Kaliyanda

Charishma joined the Australian Labor Party in 2008 after being inspired by and involved in Your Rights at Work and the campaign to elect a Federal Labor Government. She is particularly passionate about healthcare, education, industrial relations and foreign affairs. Spending time learning Spanish and volunteering in southern Mexico has taught Charishma just how valuable a functioning representative democracy is, as well as the importance of speaking up and getting involved. Charishma has degrees in Psychology and Spanish and Latin American Studies from UNSW, where she served as President of the Students Representative Council in 2009, as well on its Academic Board. In 2009, Charishma was an Australian representative at the International Student Conference on Human Rights (ISWI) in Germany. She is currently pursuing a Masters in Occupational Therapy and wants to work in the public health system, where everyone is afforded equal care, regardless of status or circumstance.

Assistant Secretary - Aaron Duke

Aaron joined the Labor party in 2006 during the Workchoices debate. Aaron saw first hand through both his parents how Howard's unfair laws would hurt working families.As a Western Sydney local, Aaron has worked on local election campaigns since 2007. In 2011, Aaron organised a film night and was able to raise awareness about Mahboba's Promise - an Australian NFP dedicated to helping the women and large number of orphaned children in Afghanistan. Aaron has a passion for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence policy. Aaron is in his final stages of his degree in International Relations at Sydney University majoring in government and modern languages. Aaron is a former Sydney University SRC member, ALP club President and Greater Western Sydney executive member.

Assistant Secretary - Elly Howse

Elly was born and raised in Redfern and went to school in the Darlinghurst/Kings Cross area. She is completing her BA (Honours) degree in Gender Studies in 2011 at the University of Sydney and hopes to do a PhD in Gender Studies from 2012. In 2010, Elly was President of the Sydney Uni Students’ Representative Council and a member of the National Union of Students’ National Executive. She has been involved in NSW Young Labor and student politics since 2008, running campaigns for a fairer education system, social inclusion and gender equality on campus and in the wider community. In 2011, Elly was part of the Young Labor campaign teams for Carmel Tebbutt (Marrickville), Nathan Rees (Toongabbie) and Verity Firth (Balmain), after volunteering extensively in the 2010 Federal Election for the seat of Macquarie Labor candidate, Susan Templeman. Elly currently works part-time for the federal Labor Member for Sydney, the Hon. Tanya Plibersek MP. Elly’s main interests are women’s rights, Indigenous issues, aid and development, and economics. Her favourite Labor politician (not including her boss) is the late Jim Cairns.

General Executive               Ashleigh Mullaly        
General Executive               James Fox

General Executive               Milunka Zivadinovic    
General Executive               Jay Suvaal 

General Executive               Mitchell Wilson 
General Executive               Amy Smith

General Executive               Alex Morrison

                            
Central Coast                        Richard Mehrtens    
Greater Western Sydney   Todd Pinkerton 
Illawarra                                 Jessica Sparks     

Inner West                             Sam Almaliki        
Northern NSW                       Toby Warnes 

Southern NSW                      Peter Hughes 

Southern Sydney                  Kevin Mooney    
South-West Sydney             Jessica Malnersic        
Western NSW                        William Wood  
Western Sydney                    Adrian Wong         
Banks                                       Alfat Karnib
Hunter                                      Deahnna Richardson
Inner Sydney                          Vivienne Moxham-Hall
New England                          Sarah Frazier     
Northern Sydney                   Sam O'Leary
Parramatta & Hills District  Mustafa Khodr Agha

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