The Honourable Ann Lyons AM - Chair

Ann Lyons is a graduate of The University of Queensland—Bachelor of Laws (1977) and Queensland University of Technology—Master of Laws (1997). On 2 February 1977, she was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and continued to work at Macrossan Byrne & Co. As a solicitor, Ann practised principally in criminal law and civil litigation. She was a tutor (1978–1980) and then lecturer (1980–86) in constitutional law and contract at the Queensland University of Technology's Law School and Built Environment School. She worked from 1987 to 1994 with the Queensland Law Society and became an accredited mediator in 1993.

Ann also worked as an anti-discrimination lawyer with Queensland Rail, was a legal member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (1995–2001) and a legal member of the Panel of Assessors under the Health Practitioners (Professional Standards) Act 1999 (Qld) (2000–05). She was appointed as the inaugural president of the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal (2000–06).

The Women Lawyers Association of Queensland named Ann their Woman Lawyer of the Year in 2004 in acknowledgement of her contributions to the Queensland legal profession. Ann has held a number of positions in various professional and charitable organisations including: canon lawyer and assistant judge, Brisbane Catholic Archdiocesan Matrimonial Tribunal (1984–1994); member and later chair, Brisbane Archdiocesan Communications Commission (1990–94); member and later chair of the Loreto College School Council (1990–97); member, Mater Private Hospital Research Ethics Committee (1998–2001); executive member, Council of the Australasian Tribunals (COAT) and convenor of the Queensland chapter (2006); member, Churchill Fellowship Queensland Selection Committee (2008–2016), member, Advisory Committee QUT Law School; member, Loreto Ministries (2015–18) member, Supreme and Federal Court Judges' Conference Committee (2012–18), and member, Legal Profession Breakfast Committee (2017-2021).

Ann was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2006 and was appointed Senior Judge Administrator (SJA) in 2017. She previously held positions on the court as the Criminal Listings Judge, member of the Mental Health Court (2008–2011), president of the Mental Health Court (2011–14) and chaired a number of court committees.

Professor Elena Marchetti - Deputy Chair

Elena is a Professor of Law in the Griffith Law School and the co-Director of the Disrupting Violence Beacon, a strategic research initiative at Griffith University.  Her research focuses on sentencing processes, the justice experiences of Aboriginal and Torres people, access to justice for marginalised groups, and legal reform in the area of domestic and family violence.  Elena is a member of the Australian Research Council College of Experts, a Queensland Patron of the Justice Reform Initiative and an editorial board member of the Journal of Criminology.  Elena has been the recipient of two highly competitive Australian Research Council Fellowships. The first examined the impact of using Indigenous sentencing courts for partner violence offending.  The second, investigated how to better evaluate Indigenous-focused criminal justice programs.  One of the research projects Elena is currently working on examines the use of Indigenous justice reports in criminal sentencing hearings.

Jo Bryant

Jo is currently working in the Aged Care sector after a lengthy career in child protection. She remains as a Board Member of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. From 2019–2021 she was employed as the Regional Visiting Manager Sunshine Coast, Community Visitor Program, Office of the Public Guardian, managing a team of local Community Visitors and advocating on behalf of vulnerable children and young people in care and adults with impaired capacity. She was the CEO of Protect All Children Today Inc., from September 2004 to July 2019, a not-for-profit organisation that supports children and young people aged 3–17 required to give evidence in criminal court hearings as victims or witnesses to crime. Jo has consistently advocated for vulnerable people’s rights and facilitated change through evidence-based feedback.

Julie Dick SC

Julie was a sitting judge of the District Court of Queensland for more than two decades. She was first appointed to the District Court in 2000 and served as a Judge of the Childrens Court of Queensland from 2001 and as the President of the Childrens Court of Queensland from 2007 to 2010. She was also appointed as an acting judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland from 2011 to 2012. Julie was appointed chair of the Forensic Science Queensland Advisory Panel in 2024. She has also led a review of Queensland’s serious and organised crime laws and is a sessional member of Queensland Civil and Administrative Tribunal.

Matt Jackson

Matt is a barrister who practises in criminal and regulatory law. He was admitted as a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2016, as a Solicitor of the High Court of Australia in 2018 and as a Barrister for the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2018. In 2020, he was awarded a Master of Laws from QUT, with his thesis considering how sentencing reforms for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples might operate alongside the Racial Discrimination Act 1975 (Cth) which establishes a right to equality before the law. Matt also has an interest in human rights and discrimination law.

Debbie Kilroy OAM

Sherrie Meyer

Sherrie is the Chair of Board of Management, Queensland Homicide Victims’ Support Group (QHVSG). She became a founding member of QHVSG following her son’s murder in 1993. An accredited mental health social worker specialising in child trauma counselling, Sherrie has also been a victim support case manager, child safety support officer, and domestic and family violence support worker.

Beck O'Connor

Beck O’Connor is the Victims’ Commissioner for Queensland.

Before becoming Victims’ Commissioner, Beck was Chief Executive Officer for DVConnect, Queensland’s statewide domestic and family violence crisis response service, sexual assault helpline, Mens Line and forensic support service. In 2022, Beck also led the implementation of VictimConnect, a 24/7 statewide support service for victims of violent crime.

In recognition of Beck’s expertise and lived experience as a victim of crime, she was appointed Co-Chair of the Independent Ministerial Advisory Council. Beck is also a founding member of the National Lived Experience Advisory Council for the Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence Commission. Through Beck’s work with both the Council and the Commission, she has ensured that victim-survivors' perspectives are integral to both the Queensland and Commonwealth Government’s strategy to combat violence.

Beck’s dedication to enhancing visibility and support for LGBTQ+ victim-survivors, led her to co-found the LGBTQ Domestic Violence Awareness Foundation, where she also served as Deputy Managing-Director.

As Queensland’s first Victims’ Commissioner, Beck supports the recovery, justice, and dignity of all people impacted by crime, through strong partnerships with community groups, government agencies, and cultural leaders.

Dan Rogers

Dan is Principal at private criminal defence firm Robertson O’Gorman Solicitors. He is a Queensland Law Society accredited criminal law specialist and represents clients as a solicitor-advocate in all court levels across Queensland. He is published in various legal texts and journals on criminal law. Dan is also a Member of the Management Committee (former President) of Caxton Community Legal Centre, an organisation that supports vulnerable people facing the criminal justice system. Dan is a member of the Queensland Law Society Ethics Committee and a member (former Chair) of the Queensland Law Society Human Rights and Public Law Committee. He presently sits on the Queensland Law Society Council as the Attorney-General’s appointee.

Brett Schafferius

Brett is the Assistant Commissioner of Police for the Far Northern Region, based out of Cairns. He has extensive experience across a wide range of policing duties, particularly criminal investigations. He has worked across many areas of regional Queensland during this time and has led numerous successful serious criminal investigations. In his current role, Brett is responsible for providing effective policing services in one of the most dynamic and challenging regions in the State which encompasses communities in the Torres Strait and Cape York. He holds post graduate qualifications from Charles Sturt University and the Australian Institute of Police Management.

Thelma Schwartz

Thelma is the Principal Legal Officer of Queensland Indigenous Family Violence Legal Service, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisation providing legal and non-legal support services to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander victims and survivors of family violence and sexual assault. She was previously a member of the Women’s Safety and Justice Taskforce.

Thelma has worked extensively with and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, providing legal services and legal representation as a criminal defence solicitor with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service for over nine years.

Thelma identifies as of Torres Strait Islander heritage alongside her German/Samoan and Papua New Guinean heritage.

Warren Strange

Warren is a lawyer and has been a member of the Council since 2016. Warren now works at Victim Assist Queensland, leading a team that assesses applications for financial assistance made by victims of violent crime. In this, and other previous roles including working in the public assistance legal sector, Warren has considerable experience working with client groups experiencing vulnerability and disadvantage, including victims and survivors of crime, youth and homeless people.

April Chrzanowski - Director

April is the Director of the Secretariat of the Queensland Sentencing Advisory Council, and has unique expertise in law, criminology and mathematics.

Having worked in the private legal profession, the university sector, and within Queensland government, she has applied experience in criminal justice policy, evaluation, research, and teaching.

April is deeply passionate about evidence-based justice policy.

John Robertson

June 2018 - August 2023

James Morton

November 2016 – May 2017