The Animals Australia Team

Executive Director, Glenys Oogjes BBSc.

Glenys is one of Australia's most experienced and respected animal advocates. She has held the position of Executive Director at Animals Australia for the past 24 years as well as serving on the RSPCA Victoria Council for 10 years.

Glenys completed a Behavioural Science degree and, since the 1980s, has worked as an animal advocate. She was instrumental in the lobby effort to establish the first-ever ‘Senate Standing Committee on Animal Welfare in Australia’ in 1983.

Glenys is a member of numerous committees including the National Consultative Committee on Animal Welfare – advising the federal Minister for Agriculture, a number of institutional Animals Ethics Committees and the ‘Code Liaison Group’ which determines the national policy and Code relating to animal in research She is also a long-standing member of the Victorian Animal Welfare Advisory Committee, and represents the animal view on many special purpose Government-initiated review and writing groups.

Communications Director, Lyn White

Formerly a South Australian police officer, Lyn then worked with the Animals Asia Foundation on South East Asia animal cruelty issues before joining Animals Australia in 2003. Lyn has conducted three investigations in the Middle East into the treatment of live exported animals. Evidence gathered resulted in a leading live export company being prosecuted for animal cruelty and two 60 Minutes segments highlighting the brutal treatment of exported Australian animals. Lyn's January 2006 investigation in Egypt resulted in the Federal Government suspending the live trade to Egypt.

Lyn's work was recently featured in Australia's most respected publication The Bulletin.

Legal Counsel, Dr Malcolm Caulfield

Malcolm Caulfield has undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in biological science from the University of London and pursued a scientific career in the UK, both in industry and universities, for just over 25 years. He has published a significant number of scientific papers and reviews and has been a member of the editorial board of scientific journals. Malcolm came to Australia in 1998 and obtained a law degree from the University of Western Australia, after which he worked as a solicitor with various law firms in Perth. During that time Malcolm became involved in the work of People Against Cruelty in Animal Transport, spending a year as the Secretary of that organisation. He also commenced providing legal advice for Animals Australia, with the help and encouragement of his then Managing Partner, Perth barrister Martin Bennett. It was during that time that Martin and Malcolm pursued the writ of mandamus against the WA Department of Local Government which eventually resulted in the prosecution of live exporters Emanuel Exports. Malcolm joined Animals Australia in 2006 in what he says is his dream job - Legal Counsel for Animals Australia.

Campaign Coordinator, Laura Krause

Laura is originally from the UK has been involved in animal welfare since the age of 7. After travelling the world from an early age, she felt Melbourne was the perfect place to live and emigrated in 2006. Laura has a degree in marketing (and completed her dissertation on Cause-Related Marketing). Laura gained experience in the business sector before moving into the not-for-profit sector—she now works for Animals Australia as Campaign Coordinator.

Creative Project Manager, Karen Nilsen

Karen has been working as a graphic artist and web developer for almost a decade. In recent years she has also worked as a circus performance artist, but has cast aside the bright lights of the stage—and the office—to become the creative project manager for Animals Australia, working from her home in Brisbane. A passionate campaigner for change, Karen has worked with many animal protection organisations, and is also a web designer for PETA.

Office Administrator, Sarah Evans

Sarah has had a long-standing interest in animal welfare, and joined Animals Australia in late 2005. She is currently the (honorary) President of AA member society BOAR - a grass-roots group based in Ballarat (Vic) which campaigns against animal exploitation, with current focus on recreational duck shooting and the intensive farming of pigs in Australia.

Accounts Manager, Alecia Watson

Alecia was raised in the Victorian rural community of Portland. Her love of mathematics and her passion for animals and their welfare has led her to her dream job as office/accounts co-coordinator with Animals Australia.

Four years ago Alecia was handed a pamphlet alerting her for the first time to the injustices that animals face. It was the catalyst for her committing her life to creating further awareness in the community of animal cruelty issues in order to facilitate lasting, meaningful changes that will improve the lives of all animals, ourselves and our planet.

Office Assistant, Piper

At 16 years of age, Piper is one of our most loved and famous staff members. Piper has her own page in Animals Australia's magazine Animals Today where she humorously reports on office happenings and has appeared with Lyn in The Bulletin, Women's Day and on Australian Story. Rescued by Lyn 10 years ago from a shelter, Piper enthusiastically 'assists' in the office kitchen before overseeing other office activities from the comfort of her basket.

Piper's Assistant, Rosie

Rescued by Animals Australia in mid 2005. Rosie works on a voluntary basis by assisting Piper with her many office activities (especially those undertaken in the kitchen!). All who visit the Animals Australia office are ensured of a warm and enthusiastic 'border collie' greeting!