Council

                                      NZCTU Out At Work Council 2011-2012

Convenors

Jo Wrigley (NZNO)

No biographical details

Karena Brown (EPMU)

Karena is the EPMU (NZ Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union) representative on the Council.  She is also employed by the EPMU where she has worked for the last 17 years.  Her current position is Research Director.  She has been on the Council since 2006 and this is her first term as Co-Convenor.  She is currently sharing her home with Janis, her partner of over 20 years, her German Shepherd Xena, and a large number of cats of varying colours and ages, not all of which are theirs.  There are often foster cats in a number of rooms and also seem to get adopted by neighbourhood cats as well.   Karena is also the person who updates the web page so if you have any articles or concerns, please feel free to contact her on karena.brown@epmu.org.nz

Council Members

Ian Gordon (PSA)

Ian is employed by the PSA as an Organiser.  Part of his role is to organise members nationally and locally within a number of public service departments.  Ian has been involved in the gay community through volunteer work at Outline NZ (ex Gay/Lesbian line) in which he, until recently, held positions of treasurer and secretary.  Ian lives in Auckland with his civil union partner of 7 years, Hua, and their German Shepherd named Laifu (Chinese name).

Stephanie Thomas (NZNO)

Stephanie is employed by NZNO as an Educator.  She facilitates education deliveries nationally for NZNO members.  Prior to this role Stephanie was a Lead Organiser with the SFWU working with them for approcimately 7 years.  During her time at SFWU Stephanie was part of a small singing group called the "G-Strings" who sange at the opening of the 2nd Workers Out World Conference held in Sydney in 2002 and has also sung with the Wellington based women's Union Choir "Choir Choir Paints on Fire".  Stephanie lives with Chris her partner and son Oliver.

Andrew Campbell (FinSec)

There are no biographical details available at this time.

Charles Johnson (RMTU)

There are no biographical details available at this time.

Debbie Chappell (NZNO)

Dennie is a Registered Nurse working in a DHB where she is convenor/delegate for NZNP at one of the Auckland Hospitals.  She is also Chairperson for the Greater Auckland Regional Council of NZNO.  She has two adult sons and both Deb and her partner, Cris, are both into motorbiking.  Debi is the National President of the New Zealand Division of Women's International Motorcycling Association.  Cris has developed green fingers and so they are eating out her great Vege Garden.  Deb and Cris have two dogs ... one cat ... 30 budgies ... 3 pet rats ... and 4 fish.

Jo Belgrave (PPTA)

There are no biographical details available at this time.

Kane O'Connell (NZEI)

There are no biographical details available at this time.

CTU Liaison Person

Eileen Brown (NZCTU)

I am the lucky staff member who supports the out at work council.  My boss at the time, Carol Beaumont, CTU secretary heard I had a girlfriend and I was assigned this work area.  I have always had a 'bent' toward diversity and difference and enjoyed celebrating difference.  Virtually all my working life I have been involved in unions and also with social justice issues.  So working with the Out At Work Council and Out At Work members allows me to work on issues and with people I have a natural affinity for and towards.  I do feel privileged to work with a great bunch of creative and interesting people.

I live in a cute little bungalow in Newtown with my partner Jane and our two gorgeous cats (see the phone of rhe new kitten Dolly).  Prior to working at the CTU I was with the Nurses Organisation after spending most of my working life working in the health sector in a varietyu of roles - mostly in nursing.  The two Out at Works have been two of the highlights of my work at the CTU and our strength is growing - Kia Ora to you all. Eileen.