OUR PEOPLE
Meet the Commons Library team, board and volunteers driving social change and knowledge sharing.
Our Staff
Holly Hammond, Director
Holly directs the Commons Library: developing and implementing strategy, overseeing library operations, tracking social movement needs, forging project partnerships and building the financial sustainability of the organisation. She is one of Australia’s foremost activist educators.
Antje Dun, Librarian
Antje maintains the library, creates and publishes new content, supervises volunteers, leads website design and development, delivers graphic design, and contributes her information management expertise to special projects. She has worked in specialist libraries and is an experienced graphic designer.
Iain McIntyre, Historian
Iain brings past social movement stories to present-day changemakers through social media posts, podcasts, articles, campaign case studies and research projects.
He is a social movement historian and author who has written and edited 12 books.
Sophie Hartley, Researcher
Sophie is a researcher on the Movement Monitor project, helping to measure the impact of the Australian climate movement. She draws on her years of experience researching climate activism and working in various community organising and activism roles.
Aoife Carli Hannan, Engagement
Aoife develops engagement pathways for Commons supporters. She plans and delivers social media outreach, fundraising appeals, and events. She draws on many years of grassroots fundraising, community events and solidarity organising.
Other Contributors
The Commons also benefits from ongoing contributions by Glenn Todd (website developer, ActionSkills), Emily Wood-Trounce (website and event support), Upeka Kumarasinghe (fundraising advice), Robyn Gulliver (research advice) and Linda Whittaker (accounts).
Our Board
Sue McKinnon, Chair
Sue (BEc, DipEd, GIA (Cert)) has a background in forensic accounting, lecturing in economics, and educating people about the complexities of poverty and the important role of grassroots community organising in making the voices of the oppressed heard through local and international advocacy. She has been treasurer for a number of organisations and is the director of the McKinnon Family Foundation.
Phong Trinh
Phong (MIR) has worked in advocacy for 10 years in the youth, international development and refugee sectors. He specialises in digital marketing, communication, graphic design and strategy development. Phong currently works at Australian Progress, building the collective capacity of civil society movements to achieve systemic change.
Shanthi Robertson
Shanthi (PhD) is a social scientist with extensive senior leadership experience across academic research and research consultancy. She is currently the Managing Director of The Insight Centre, a values-driven research consultancy that mobilises research towards evidence-led strategic planning, stakeholder and community engagement, and communications and advocacy.
Hugh Rundle
Hugh is a librarian who has worked for two decades in public and academic libraries, mostly specialising in library technology and discovery systems. He also has experience coordinating electoral campaigns and helping lead non-profit organisations. Hugh grew up among the forests and coasts of lutruwita/Tasmania and is always happiest among the trees with a view to sea.
Holly Dawson
Holly is a campaigner, movement and capacity builder with 10 years experience working in both progressive political parties and advocacy NGOs in Australia and around the world. She is currently a communications specialist for the European Center for Digital Action, an NGO that builds the skills and knowledge of progressives to master digital organising tools and tactics.
Toni Beauchamp
Toni (MA Social Pol & Research, BA/BSocStudies) has a background in social policy, advocacy and research. She is now semi-retired but has worked and volunteered in numerous non-profit organisations, most recently with Settlement Services International. She is passionate about social justice and the role of civil society in achieving progressive change.
Our Volunteers
Volunteers make crucial contributions to The Commons. Volunteers have curated resources, helped with events, reported from conferences, done important site maintenance, and promoted resources in their communities and networks. We are also open to student placements in areas such as library and information management, communications, journalism and research.
If you’re interested in getting involved find out more here and contact the Librarians. Please note that The Commons team operates remotely so you will need to have your own space and equipment.
I began volunteering to leverage my experience in curating resources to support their valuable community service. Since then, the volunteer program has provided training and ongoing support that has helped me build new skills. Along the way, my capacity to volunteer has fluctuated and yet I have always felt like a valued part of the team and remain highly motivated to contribute.
ET Smith
Commons Volunteer
