Board of directors
Redfern Legal Centre has a Board of eight elected directors who delegate responsibility for day-to-day management of the Centre to the Chief Executive Officer.
Laura Lombardo - Chair
Laura is an experienced litigator in access to justice and public interest matters. She has a proud history of working with community legal centres through her role as special counsel in Wotton Kearney's Pro Bono group and through previous roles as Principal Solicitor of the Justice and Equity Centre (formerly the Public Interest Advocacy Centre), a lawyer at the North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency and a volunteer Board Director of the Welfare Rights Centre (NSW) (2016-2023). Laura has a Bachelor of Media and Bachelor of Laws with Honours and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Laura was appointed to the Board in 2023.
Emma Maple-Brown
Emma is a corporate lawyer with over 20 years’ experience working with and supporting a diverse range of pro bono clients including not for profit entities, charities, social enterprises, and vulnerable and disadvantaged individuals. Emma has worked at Justice Connect where she was Head of Access Programs and also at the University of New South Wales where she was the Director of the Office of the Pro Vice Chancellor Indigenous, Professor Megan Davis. Prior to this, she led and managed the Australian Pro Bono practice of Herbert Smith Freehills, a leading global commercial law firm. Emma has significant expertise and experience in corporate governance, access to justice, working with First Nations clients, fundraising and philanthropy. She currently serves as a Non-Executive Director on the boards of Gidget Foundation Australia, Red Room Poetry and the King's School and is company secretary for The Centre for Public Integrity . Emma has a BA (Hons)/LLB (Hons) from the University of Sydney and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Rose Khalilizadeh
Rose is a barrister at the Public Defenders Chambers. Before that, she was a barrister at Forbes Chambers, practising primarily in criminal law. She came to the Bar in 2017 after a career as a solicitor in various roles within the criminal law. She has experience both working for and volunteering with a number of community legal centres, including as a solicitor with the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT. Rose’s career has spanned across both prosecution and defence and she is passionate about access to justice and continuing legal education. Rose is also the Honorary Secretary of the Bar Council of the NSW Bar Association. She has taught at both UNSW and the University of Sydney, and is an advocacy instructor with the Australian Advocacy Institute. She is the Chair of Diverse Women in Law.
Gemma McKinnon
Gemma McKinnon (LLB, BA) is a Barkindji woman from Wilcannia in far western NSW. Gemma is the Principal Solicitor – Closing the Gap at the Aboriginal Legal Service NSW/ACT. Gemma has a background in legal practice, research, and law reform focusing on public law, social housing, and Aboriginal community engagement. Gemma has a wealth of experience working in Community Legal Centres, including as a tenant advocate at RLC. Gemma is the co-host of Blaksiders on 2Ser community radio