Olga has been a social worker for more than 30 years with a BA, BSW, and MSW from the University of Melbourne.  As the National Manager of Social Work Services at Slater & Gordon Lawyers Olga established the first, and currently only, free social work service for clients in a law firm in Australia in 2009. She leads a team of four, assisting clients across Australia. Prior to this, Olga worked in Melbourne acute and rehabilitation hospitals for 21 years. She has worked with people along the continuum of care who have sustained a wide range of injuries and illnesses, including cancer. Her area of clinical focus at Slater and Gordon is in addressing the chronic emotional and social impact of injury and illness in the compensation context.  Clients include those who have asbestos related diseases (primarily Mesothelioma); occupational related cancers; and those with missed or delayed cancer diagnoses.

Olga was a member of Cancer Social Work Victoria and through to its transition to OSWANZ VIC. Olga has been a member of OSWANZ (formerly OSWA) since 2009 and became National Secretary in 2014. Olga is also an active member of numerous Social Work committees, special interest groups and practice groups.

Olga and her team have worked hard to demystify the law and make it accessible to social workers and their clients through the provision of free legal education, their national e-newsletter ‘Social Work and the Law’ and articles and presentations. She has presented at past OSWA conferences on this topic