Our board
The Law and Justice Foundation of NSW is governed by esteemed board members within the NSW legal and justice sector in our community. Under the Law and Justice Foundation Act 2000, the Attorney General appoints seven board members. The eighth member is the current Director of the Foundation. As per the Act, one member is nominated by the Leader of the Opposition of the Legislative Assembly. Board terms are typically three years in duration, and one of the board members is appointed as Chair of the Board. More than one term may be served by each board member.
Sharon Cook BA. LLB (Hons)
Jackie O’Brien BA LLB
Olivia Nguy BA MSW(Q) MBA
The Hon Susan Carter MLC BA (Hons) LLB (Hons)
Professor Paul Gray BA BSc (Hons) PhD
Kate Eastman AM SC
Danielle Captain-Webb BCrim/LLB, MBA (Social Impact)
Professor Linda Steele LLB, PhD
Sharon Cook BA. LLB (Hons)
Sharon is the Chair of the Law and Justice Foundation of NSW’s Board. Sharon is the Group Executive, Legal & Commercial Services at NAB, responsible for Legal, Corporate Affairs (including Social Impact), Governance, Complaints, Remediation and the Customer Advocates. She has been prominent in the legal profession for over 25 years, working for top tier private law firms, initially as a litigator and later as Managing Partner. She is a champion of women in the legal profession and has been a leader in addressing mental health and well-being among lawyers. In 2012 she was named as one of the AFR’s inaugural Women of Influence.
Jackie O’Brien BA LLB
Jackie O’Brien is an intellectual property disputes partner at global law firm, Norton Rose Fulbright. She is head of Norton Rose Fulbright’s Corporate Social Responsibility program and the firm’s National Pro Bono partner. In those roles, she has been part of a team that has provided assistance and advocacy in areas such as homelessness, domestic violence, modern slavery, and in support of Australia’s First Nations peoples. Jackie won the Partner of the Year Award in the 2014 Lawyers Weekly Australian Law Awards and is a current member of her firm’s Graduate Recruitment Committee and National Diversity & Inclusion Committee.
Olivia Nguy BA MSW(Q) MBA
Olivia commenced as the Director of the Foundation in January 2023, providing executive leadership and delivering on strategic development and governance of the Foundation. She is a passionate advocate and executive leader focused on systemically improving social justice and wellbeing outcomes for individuals and communities. Immediately prior to joining the Foundation, Olivia was Chief Executive Officer of Detour House, where she led the delivery of crisis accommodation, outreach and alcohol and other drug residential services for women and girls experiencing homelessness. Olivia has also held leadership positions at Western Sydney MRC and Australian Red Cross.
The Hon Susan Carter MLC BA (Hons) LLB (Hons)
The Hon. Susan Carter MLC is a member of the Legislative Council of NSW and serves as Shadow Assistant Attorney-General, Shadow Assistant Special Minister for State, and Shadow Assistant Minister for Corrections. Susan is a solicitor who has worked both in a large commercial practice and in-house. She has also lectured in law at both Macquarie and Sydney Universities and served as Director of the Law Extension Committee of the University of Sydney. She is a published author within the areas of law and public policy, with a particular emphasis on family policy.
Professor Paul Gray BA BSc (Hons) PhD
Dr. Paul Gray, a Wiradjuri man, leads the Indigenous child protection hub at UTS Jumbunna Institute. His work collaborates with First Nations, critically reassessing child protection systems, amplifying their voices, and advocating for transformation. With a background spanning roles in psychology, policy, and leadership, Paul focuses on developing community-led child protection systems, policies, and practices. Paul also leads initiatives to enhance child protection practices and serves on various committees, contributing to significant positive change. This includes serving as co-chair of the Family Matters National Leadership Group, as a member of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Leadership Group for Safe and Supported: the National Framework for Protecting Australia’s Children, and the national Early Childhood Care and Development Policy Partnership and Social and Emotional Wellbeing Policy Partnership under the National Agreement on Closing the Gap.
Kate Eastman AM SC
Kate Eastman is a barrister practising in human rights, discrimination, employment, public and constitutional law. She serves as a Commissioner of the NSW Law Reform Commission and as a Councillor of the NSW Bar Association. In 2021, Kate was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for significant service to the law, human rights, and professional organisations.
Danielle Captain-Webb BCrim/LLB, MBA (Social Impact)
Danielle Captain-Webb is a Wiradjuri and Gomeroi lawyer and Solicitor Advocate of the Coronial Inquest Unit, leading its statewide service. She has worked across civil litigation, criminal defence, law reform, and the establishment of a multidisciplinary legal advice service. Danielle is the first Aboriginal person elected to the Council of the Law Society of NSW and serves on several committees advancing Indigenous justice and representation. She was appointed First Nations Practitioner-in-Residence at the University of Sydney Law School in 2025.
Professor Linda Steele LLB, PhD
Linda Steele is a Professor of Law at UTS and a socio-legal researcher focused on disability, law, and social justice. A former solicitor at the Intellectual Disability Rights Service, she works closely with disabled people and Disabled People’s Organisations. Linda teaches civil procedure and disability law, has authored Disability, Criminal Justice and Law (2020), co-authored Civil Procedure and Dispute Resolution in NSW (2025), and received the 2024 Hudson-Primer Fellowship Award and 2021 Australian Legal Education Award for Excellence in Teaching.