Early Years and Background
Gallagher was born and raised in the Weston Creek district of Canberra. She was educated in Duffy, and at Melrose High School and Stirling College (now Canberra College (Weston Campus)), before completing a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Sociology at the Australian National University in 1990.
She was initially employed as a social worker, assisting with a community life skills project and working with children with disabilities. From 1994 to 1997, she worked as an advocate for People First ACT, a support and advocacy organisation for the intellectually disabled. Around this time, Gallagher became involved in the labour movement, and took on a position with the Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), first working as a case manager and then a national organiser.
In 1997, Gallagher's fiance, Brett Seaman (also a CPSU organiser), was killed in a cycling accident in Merimbula. At the time, Gallagher was 13 weeks pregnant with her first daughter. An 86-year old female pensioner narrowly escaped a jail term for dangerous and irresponsible driving for the crash. The union movement assisted Gallagher with the funeral and court case that followed the accident.
Read more about this topic: Katy Gallagher
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