Danielle Brown 

OUT@PSA | MSD

Danielle is one of Out@PSA’s Co-Convenors and has been a tremendous asset to the committee this term. We are very thankful for all of her contributions to our kaupapa! 

Ko Danielle Brown tōku ingoa.  He Takatāpui ahau. Ko Kārena Ngata tōku hoa Rangatira. Tōkorua a māua Tamariki, ko Jace rāua ko Akenehi-Mei. 

I have been a PSA member and delegate for about 5 years, and I am active in the local Rotorua Rainbow community.  I love being part of the committee and am proud of the work that we do.  Including working across all sectors who are committed to ensuring that the LGBTQIA+ voice is being heard and being a champion for our community. 

DJ Jones

Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Taupiri te maunga
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Waikato te iwi
Ko David Kukutai Jones ahau

“I am embarrassed, I am disgusted, I am offended, and I am saddened with the atrocities this current coalition ACT, NZ First and National Government have done to all of us and our whaanau.

David is the Takataapui / Rainbow Representative on the Tertiary Education Union (TEU) Council. He is the TEU Co-Branch President, the Uepu (Maori Union) Representative, the Takatapui / Rainbow Rep and a Union delegate at Manukau Institute of Technology.

David is a Senior Lecturer in Maatauranga Maaori in Maaori Studies at the Otara campus of Manukau Institute of Technology teaching across several different schools in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Health and Counselling, Nursing and Sports and Leisure.

Lauren Craig (she/they)

I am a proud transgender woman with a background in law, activism, and economic policy. I’ve taken the Government to court, I was the field manager for Tory Whanau’s campaign for mayor, and I recently led a campaign to reverse the ban on puberty blockers for trans and takatāpui youth. I’ve spent the last three years working in economic policy and as a union delegate for the Public Service Association. As Co-convenor of the Young Greens I supported our candidates to succeed in the local body elections and this year I’m excited to be standing myself to represent my communities and make this a one-term government.

Dr Lawrence Xu-Nan MP

“Lawrence Xu-Nan is a Green List MP based in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland.

Born in Tianjin, China, Lawrence grew up in East Auckland where he attended school. He then went on to the University of Auckland and received his doctorate in Ancient History.

A passionate advocate for education and students, Lawrence has worked in the tertiary education sector for more than a decade. He taught at the University of Auckland before going on to focus on international education. He has worked closely with international students over the years to ensure that they are fully equipped for their educational journey in Aotearoa. Lawrence initiated a series of workshops at his school on Te Tiriti, sustainability, rainbow, and disability issues to encourage new international students to engage with some of these topics. He also worked with the University of Auckland on the Junior Arts Programme and ran community-based programmes on Egyptology. Lawrence is the Green Party spokesperson for Education, Justice, Trade, Courts, Seniors, Ethnic Communities, and Overseas New Zealanders.”

Lester Briggs

I’m Lester Briggs, The Co-convener of Out at Work Council,  I am  a Senior Reporting & Business Analyst at Auckland Council. I am deeply passionate about supporting our community, a commitment that began when I became a Scarfie in Dunedin and has driven me ever since.

I’m honoured to be part of the OUT@PSA committee and to serve as Co‑convenor for the Out at Work Council at the NZCTU. I represent Out at Work Council at the National Affiliates Council to support and represent our community, standing up and submitting on bills that will affect all rainbow whānau. This advocacy is not optional to me—it is a responsibility I carry with pride and purpose.

I’m proud to be descended from Māori, Celtic, European, and North African people, and I stand here unapologetically as a proud GenderQueer person.

Max Wallace

He/they

Senior Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advisor

Max is a senior DEI advisor at Auckland Council and the researcher behind Beyond the Rainbow Ceiling. He’s a trans-masculine, non‑binary person, and his lived experience drives his passion to improve workplaces in Aotearoa

Melissa Ansell-Bridges

Melissa Ansell-Bridges was elected CTU Secretary in October 2019.

She was previously the Director of Equity New Zealand where she had worked since 2016. She has a particular interest in the rights of contractors and has been a member of the Better Protections for Contractors Tripartite Working Group and the Film Industry Working Group where she has successfully advocated to secure the right for contractors in the screen industry to be able to collectively bargain for minimum terms and conditions.

She is also keenly interested in progressing Gender and Ethnic Pay Equity and is a member of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women to the Minister for Women. She is a trustee of UnionAID, member of the International Trade Union Confederation – Asia Pacific General Council, honorary executive member of the Pacific Island Council of Trade Unions and holds a BA/LLB(Hons) with majors in Politics and Sociology.

Dr. Penni Wolfgramm

Any pronouns of Respect | Project Lead Matala Access & Choice

Dr Penni Wolfgramm supports people to make sense of their life stories – understanding what has happened, how it has shaped their view of themselves, others, and the world, and recognizing their power to heal and grow. She works closely with individuals, families, and communities to help young people harness their strengths and navigate challenges, aiming for a full and meaningful life. In sessions, Penni invites young people to share as much or as little about themselves as they are comfortable with, then works with them to make sense of their experiences and explore strategies for growth and wellbeing. 

Penni has nearly a decade of experience in mental health and is a registered clinical psychologist, having completed her doctoral training at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland. She is driven by a lifelong curiosity about people’s stories and a belief in equity – ensuring no one is left behind. Born of Tongan, Prussian/German, and Irish heritage, and raised in Mangere, Tamaki Makaurau, she brings cultural understanding, tauhi va values, and compassion into her work. Outside the clinic, Penni’s first love is acting – she once won Best Actor in Year 10 for her role as Queen Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and still dreams of the stage. She speaks English and is growing her proficiency in lea faka-Tonga and te reo Maori. 

Rachel Mackintosh

Rachel was elected Vice-President of the CTU in October 2015 and re-elected in 2019. She is the National Secretary at E tū, the largest private sector union in the country.

Rachel’s involvement in the union movement began when she was working as a copy-editor in the publishing industry and became site delegate for the EPMU. She started as an EPMU official in 2003. As an organiser, she worked across media and manufacturing industries. She coordinated the EPMUs plastics industry strategy for several years, before moving into union leadership.

As Vice-President of the CTU, Rachel works with members of Te Runanga and members of the National Affiliates Council, to foster te Tiriti relationships across the union movement. She has worked with the largest public sector unions to negotiate Gender Pay Principles for the broad public service. She was a key worker representative at the International Labour Organisation for the negotiation of a major international convention, the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No190). Rachel works with the CTU President as a member of the tripartite Future of Work Forum.

Shanan Halbert

Shanan was elected to Parliament in 2020 as the MP for Northcote and in 2023 as a Labour list MP.

Shanan is the Labour Spokesperson for Tertiary Education and Whānau Ora. He has previously held roles as Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Select Committee and Petitions Select Committee and as opposition spokesperson for Auckland Issues and Rainbow Communities.

Before he was elected to Parliament in 2020, Shanan spent 15 years working in tertiary institutions including Te Wananga o Aotearoa, AUT and Waipapa Taumata Rau- The University of Auckland.

Shanan is passionate about ensuring equitable access to higher education that allows all New Zealanders to build meaningful careers and live quality lives.

He has Iwi affiliations to Ngāti Whitikaupeka and Rongowhakaata and was raised in Hawkes Bay.

Xavier Walsh

Xavier Walsh (Pākehā/Sri Lankan; they/them) is the Co‑convenor of Stand Up (CTU U35 Network), and is proudly queer, non‑binary and the youngest sitting trade union president in Aotearoa NZ. Their organising is grounded in building worker power, strengthening intergenerational leadership and ensuring rangatahi voices shape the future of the union movement.

Xavier also serves as National Co‑president of Unite Union, representing hospitality workers across the motu. Beyond the workplace, they are the Co‑chair of Te Ohu Whakawhanaunga Tāmaki Makaurau and the Auckland Living Wage Local Board. Their work spans unions, community groups and faith organisations, bringing people together to act collectively on shared issues.

Alongside their governance roles, Xavier is a PhD candidate in Māori Studies. Their research explores how tikanga Māori and te Tiriti o Waitangi can re‑imagine the way workplace grievances are understood and resolved.