Patron and Ambassadors

Senior Judge Administrator of the Supreme Court of Queensland
24 August 2017-23 August 2021

Judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland
10 July 2006-23 August 2021

Justice Lyons is a graduate of The University of Queensland-Bachelor of Laws (1977) and Queensland University of Technology-Master of Laws (1997).

On 2 February 1977, her Honour was admitted as a solicitor of the Supreme Court of Queensland and continued to work at Macrossan Byrne & Co. As a solicitor, Justice Lyons practised principally in criminal law and civil litigation. Her Honour was a tutor (1978-1980) and then lecturer (1980-86) in constitutional law and contract at the Queensland University of Technology's Law School and Built Environment School. Her Honour worked from 1987 to 1994 with the Queensland Law Society and became an accredited mediator in 1993.

Justice Lyons also worked as an anti-discrimination lawyer with Queensland Rail, was a legal member of the Social Security Appeals Tribunal (1995-2001) and a legal member of the Panel of Assessors under the Health Practitioners (Professional Standards) Act 1999 (Qld) (2000-05).

Justice Lyons was appointed as the inaugural president of the Guardianship and Administration Tribunal (2000-06).

The Women Lawyers Association of Queensland named Justice Lyons their Woman Lawyer of the Year in 2004 in acknowledgement of her Honour's contributions to the Queensland legal profession.

Justice Lyons has held a number of positions in various professional and charitable organisations including: canon lawyer and assistant judge, Brisbane Catholic Archdiocesan Matrimonial Tribunal (1984-1994); member and later chair, Brisbane Archdiocesan Communications Commission (1990-94); member and later chair of the Loreto College School Council (1990-97); member, Mater Private Hospital Research Ethics Committee (1998-2001); executive member, Council of the Australasian Tribunals (COAT) and convenor of the Queensland chapter (2006); member, Churchill Fellowship Queensland Selection Committee (2008-2016), member, Advisory Committee QUT Law School; member, Loreto Ministries (2015-18) member, Supreme and Federal Court Judges' Conference Committee (2012-18), and member, Legal Profession Breakfast Committee (2017-2021).

Justice Lyons was appointed a judge of the Supreme Court of Queensland in 2006 and was appointed Senior Judge Administrator (SJA) in 2017. Her Honour previously held positions on the court as the Criminal Listings Judge, member of the Mental Health Court (2008-2011), president of the Mental Health Court (2011-14) and chaired a number of court committees.

Marisa Vecchio AM is owner of beautiful Hanworth House, one of Brisbane’s oldest residences, awarded the 2014 Qld Heritage Council Gold Award; the John Herbert Memorial Award for most outstanding nomination; and 2015 Premier’s Sustainability Award.

Previously Marisa was a national CEO of Australian General Practice Accreditation Limited (AGPAL) and Quality Innovation Performance Limited (QIP), the leader in primary care accreditation. A business leader and company director for nearly 20 years, Marisa’s acumen was acknowledged when she was named 2004 Queensland Telstra Business Woman of the Year.

Marisa is an avid philanthropist with involvements in: Zonta International, QUT Alumni (President and Council member), WANTZ committee, and active fundraiser for Qld Ballet, Mater Foundation and Women’s Legal Service.

In 2017 Marisa was recognised for her corporate and philanthropic works in being awarded both an Order of Australia in the Queen’s Birthday Honours and the 2017 Queensland Community Foundation’s Community Philanthropist of the Year. QUT honoured her contribution to the University and community in 2019 by awarding her Doctor of the University.

Rachael is a Professor in the Law School at Bond University, co-director of the Bond Dispute Resolution Centre and a member of the Executive of the Centre for Professional Legal Education. She is an Australian Learning and Teaching Fellow and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy. Rachael teaches first year law threshold concepts and transition as well as dispute resolution. She has received national recognition for teaching excellence through a national citation in 2008, a national teaching fellowship in 2010 and a national teaching excellence award in 2014.

Rachael is the founder of the Australian Wellness Network for Law, which is now expanding internationally. Her areas of research expertise include dispute resolution, family law, domestic violence and legal education. She is also co-founder of the Australian Dispute Resolution Research Network. She has a portfolio of more than 80 scholarly publications, and is co-author of four books.

Since 1994, Rachael has volunteered on the management committee of Women's Legal Service in Brisbane, and she has been president of the Service since 2004. In 2013 Rachael was named Queensland Woman Lawyer of the Year.

Famin graduated in a Bachelor of Laws (first class honours) and Arts from UQ in July 2019. With a full-time job in law lined up for January 2020, Famin began a project called "Famin Makes", where she sews reversible hats and scrunchies and donates all the proceeds to Women's Legal Service Queensland. Since starting full-time work in the law, Famin has continued running the project in her spare time. To date, Famin has raised over $24,000 for Women’s Legal Service. Famin is also passionate about raising awareness about domestic violence, using her platform to inform others on the issue through social media, podcasts and interviews.

Lorilie Cunningham was CFO and founding owner of Results Physiotherapy based in Nashville Tennessee in the US. Whilst working and living between the US and Australia, she also did much work for charities in various forms and loves organising fabulous fundraising events. She now invests in start-up companies and loves mentoring young people.

Lorilie's charity work has focused most recently on raising money for Domestic Violence for Women's Legal Service and particularly through Dancing CEOs. She was the Fundraising Champion for 2021 and was also the Record Breaking Fundraiser, raising more than $160,000.

Lorilie is also passionate about raising funds for horse welfare, particularly equine therapy and male mental health.

Lorilie is on various Committees and Boards involved in finance, the arts, and fashion.

Her great love is her family including 8 divine grandbabies!

Katelyn Aslett is a passionate, energetic and dynamic businesswoman who is currently Director and Founder of - Taste Whitsundays, Whitehaven Event Co, My Giving Table and is Adagold Aviation's Market Development Manager.

In her 20's Katelyn worked facilitating community and environmental projects in Africa, part of a team that built dispensaries and schools across Kenya, supporting at-risk and marginal communities. Her time doing this front-line community work in the third world gave Katelyn an understanding of the obligation of privilege and a sense of responsibility for those in a position to give support. This has shaped her business and personal life since.

Katelyn is a two times State Government Export Award winner, as Director of the textile and fashion design business she began and operated for 20 years, recognized for her innovative business development in new markets globally. Her corporate role at Adagold Aviation has seen her support the Dancing CEOs over the past 5 years, particularly with the development of the Private Jet raffle prize, raising funds in excess of $160,000 for the Dancing CEOs, as well as raising awareness for the work of Women's Legal Service Queensland.

Katelyn is an active and passionate humanitarian and philanthropist and is most proud to have founded her philanthropic fundraising platform My Giving Table in 2020. Developed to offer a new transparent fundraising model, raising funds for WLSQ and many community-based charities across Queensland. Katelyn is honoured to be an ambassador for WLSQ.