Our People

Patrizia is the mother of Christopher Cassaniti and the founder of the Touched by Christopher Foundation, established after Christopher’s tragic death in a scaffolding collapse in 2019. Determined that no other family should face such grief alone, she created the foundation to provide immediate, practical support to those affected by workplace fatalities.

As part of her dedication to preventing future tragedies, Patrizia is also a passionate safety advocate and the keynote speaker for ‘Let’s Talk About Safety,’ where she shares Christopher’s story to promote safer practices across the industry.

Commencing as a Barrister in 2000, Adam maintains a specialist practice in employment and industrial law. He has appeared in many important and leading cases in this field and also in work health and safety matters, at both trial and on appeal.

Complementing these core practice areas, Adam has extensive experience in  judicial review, administrative and public law, involving complex points of statutory construction.

From 2011 to 2023, Adam practised as a barrister, while simultaneously fulfilling his duties as a Member of Parliament and Senior Shadow Minister. While in Parliament, he championed stronger work health and safety laws and also for the creation of special industrial manslaughter laws, which we now have in NSW.

Since leaving Parliament in March 2023, Adam has returned to full-time practice at the Bar.

Matt Beckhaus has been involved selling and marketing lifting, materials handling, safety, and personal protective equipment since 1988

Matt’s involvement with the Touched by Christopher Foundation is deeply personal. On Saturday 10 October 2015, Matt lost his beloved son Luke, who was tragically killed after being crushed by a B-double trailer.

In honour of Luke, and in solidarity with families like Christopher’s, Matt and his wife, Teresa, are dedicated to the fight for workplace safety and the safety of workers in the industry.

Cecilia is a Senior Executive Assistant for a Global Pharmaceutical Company.

Cecilia has been in the Pharmaceutical Industry for over 20 years and has vast experience supporting Company Heads, High Performing Executive Teams, Chairman and Company Boards.

Cecilia is a mother of 3 boys and hopes to bring her vast corporate experience and passion for fairness to this committee.