Our team is led by Executive Director Zana Bytheway, who has been with JobWatch for over 20 years. Collectively, the lawyers in JobWatch’s Legal Practice have over 80 years of experience in practicing and interpreting employment law.
Our team is supported by a significant number of law students, who assist JobWatch on the Telephone Information Service (TIS) and the Legal Practice. We are grateful for their contributions.
Zana Bytheway, Executive Director
Over her 22 years at JobWatch, Zana has made a significant contribution as a strong advocate for workers’ rights.
A practicing lawyer and qualified mediator, Zana was admitted to practice in 1986 and is an experienced senior executive, board member, committee member, and mentor for young lawyers. Zana is an Honorary Senior Fellow in Law at the University of Melbourne.
In her spare time, Zana enjoys walking, reading and spending time with family and friends.
Gabrielle Marchetti, Principal Lawyer
Gabrielle Marchetti is a principal lawyer at JobWatch. Gabrielle represents clients in contentious employment law matters involving unfair dismissal, general protections disputes, equal opportunity and underpayment of wages as well as undertaking law reform and policy work.
She has a particular interest in the intersection of family violence and employment law, and other employment law issues affecting vulnerable women.
Melissa Favasuli, Lawyer/Office Manager
Melissa Favasuli has worked with JobWatch since 2012. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, a Bachelor of Laws and a Master of Laws and is a member of the Monash University Chapter of the Golden Key International Honour Society. Prior to JobWatch, Melissa spent several years as a court recorder and a conveyancing assistant.
In her spare time Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and reading. Melissa is currently on extended leave.
John O’Hagan, Senior Lawyer
John joined JobWatch as an intern in 2015 and never really left. He enjoys spending time with his partner and two daughters, and getting remedies for people whose employment rights have been ignored.
Prior to his legal career, John enjoyed a thirty-year career as a musician, including a ten-year stint touring the globe with Circus Oz. He still plays double bass on the weekends.
Michael Giannopoulos, Senior Lawyer
Laura Boehm, Lawyer
Laura completed an internship with JobWatch in 2018. After briefly flirting with academia as a legal research assistant at Melbourne Law School focusing on animals and climate change, in 2020 Laura returned to JobWatch to complete her practical legal training. Helping people to understand their employment rights and to seek remedies for their workplace exploitation is now her passion.
Laura spends an unusual amount of time playing sport, a questionable amount of time playing videogames and a thrilling amount of time reading local politics and history.
Katie Gamble, Lawyer
Katie commenced at JobWatch as a Practical Legal Trainee in 2020 before working in employment and education policy for the Federal Government. Katie first developed an interest in employment law when she faced difficulty understanding her employment rights working in various casual jobs in conjunction with her studies at Monash University.
In her spare time, Katie is a keen long-distance runner and avid spin class attendee. Katie’s passion for animal welfare has also led her to volunteer as a lawyer at the Animal Defenders Office in Canberra.
Paul Goddard, Lawyer
Paul worked at JobWatch from November 2018 until September 2019, when he left to experience the darker side of employment law representing SME employers in unfair dismissals, general protections and underpayment claims for over 2 years. He has now returned to JobWatch as a lawyer with this newfound experience to now help employees.
Outside work, Paul enjoys walking Monty, his energetic family border collie. He has an avid interest in politics, current affairs and history, enjoys playing strategy videogames and also volunteers as a member with Whitehorse Rotaract in a range of social causes.
Sharmiah Sritharan, Lawyer
Sharmiah has spent years exploring various paths of law, fatefully leading her to JobWatch. She started in Queensland to assist marginalised cohorts, then travelling to India and Singapore to do the same before moving back to Melbourne and firmly falling in love with employment law.
Outside of work, Sharmiah enjoys long cliché filled drives with the music blaring and wind in her hair. However, these days she happily spends most of her free time exploring museums, zoos and cafes with her partner and kids.
Amanda Chan, Communications Manager
Supporting important social justice issues through effective communication is Amanda’s specialty! She has been with JobWatch since 2021 and was drawn to the role because she’s passionate about working for a community legal centre specialising in workplace rights as she can help people to understand their rights and to take action.
Amanda holds a Masters of Human Services Management, a Bachelor of Arts (Communications), and Diplomas in Languages (Chinese), Project Management, and Business (Governance). She has worked with organisations supporting rights for women and people with disability, leading national teams responsible for marketing, communications, stakeholder engagement, fundraising and events.
On weekends, Amanda enjoys cooking elaborate feasts, engaging in a touch of recreational cycling on her trike, and binging K-dramas.
Lilian Tang, Administrative Assistant
After being personally affected by underpayment, knowing her legal rights helped Lilian to understand what she could do – and she wants to share this knowledge with everyone.
She is currently completing her Bachelor of Law, and has been working at JobWatch since completing her placement in 2017. Lilian is the crafty one at JobWatch – she sews, crochets, and is currently making an 18th century outfit inspired by Hamilton: The Musical!
Priscilla Tung, Accountant
Priscilla first joined JobWatch in 2017 as the accountant extraordinaire. With over 30 years of experience in accounting practice in Australia and Singapore, she loves variety in her day-to-day work, from everyday accounting tasks to providing informed budgeting, accounting and financial analysis advice through a problem-solving lens.
Outside of work, Priscilla loves to relax by reading historical novels with a focus on the Tudor dynasty, listening to classical music and playing table tennis. She’s particularly interested in politics and world affairs.
Geoff Charles, TIS Staff
Geoff brings over 40 years of experience working in industrial relations to his work at JobWatch. He has worked with employer associations in multiple industries, negotiating with unions and employees and appearing in the then Australian Industrial Relations Commission (now Fair Work Commission).
After enjoying a short-lived retirement, Geoff decided to return to work and has been operating in the Telephone Information Service at JobWatch since 2007. Geoff is a music fan, with a particular fondness for classical music of the baroque era. He’s also a book collector (his Zoom background is filled with overflowing bookshelves!) and relaxes by reading.
Alan Hawkey, TIS Staff
Alan worked for over 40 years in industrial relations, human resource management and as a consultant. He has worked in employer organisations as well as the mining and manufacturing industries. In these roles he has had to actively negotiate with employees and unions on the creation and renewal of many enterprise agreements. He has appeared at the AIRC (now the Fair Work Commission) and its predecessors to process award variations, advocate for the certification of agreements as well as handle most other matters related to employment law.
Alan has worked on the TIS since 2010 and he enjoys trying to help callers understand their employment law rights and options. He enjoys playing golf, cycling and reading in his spare time.
Alexander Christie, TIS Staff
Alex started at JobWatch in 2021 as a student intern and volunteer. He is completing his Juris Doctor at Melbourne Law School and is due to take up a graduate position in the Federal Government in early 2023.
Outside of work and study, Alex enjoys playing cricket and golf — and considers himself a trivia aficionado in all things Prime Ministers!
Patrick Groenewegen, TIS Staff
Pat started as a volunteer in June 2022 and enjoys helping callers on the Telephone Information Service with their employment issues and dealing with complex legal questions. He is currently studying Law at the University of Melbourne and has a passion for employment law because of how important it is in our lives. Outside of law, Pat loves niche history trivia, the Dutch national soccer team and everything French.
Craig Whittingham, TIS Staff
Craig started at JobWatch in July 2022 as a student intern and really enjoys helping people to navigate the complexities of employment law. He is studying Law at the University of Melbourne.
Outside of work and study, Craig enjoys listening to international affairs podcasts, reading Agatha Christie novels and is a big Eurovision fan.
Ian Scott, Senior Lawyer
Ian Scott is currently on extended leave.
Our experienced Committee of Management ably guide our strategy and operations.
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JobWatch acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of this nation. We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the lands on which we are located and where we conduct our business. We pay our respects to ancestors, and Elders, past, present and emerging.
