CME 2015 Women in Resources Awards Finalists Announced
CME is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2015 Women in Resources Awards
In addition, registrations are now open for the breakfast presentation event and voting for the People’s Choice Awards. Details of these is contained below.
Outstanding Company Initiative
Atlas Iron – Women in Atlas
Women in Atlas is a strategic and proactive group with clear objectives set to improve diversity and the work environment for female employees.
BHP Billiton Iron Ore – Kworp Kooling Mining Skills Program
Kworp Kooling is a residential program providing training in haul truck operations to prepare Indigenous women without resources sector experience for a seamless transition to site.
Newmont – Global Inclusion and Diversity at Newmont
Global Inclusion and Diversity at Newmont is an initiative embedded in their business with a vision of creating a diverse and inclusive culture where all people can achieve and contribute to their greatest potential.
Rio Tinto Iron Ore – Diversity’s Edge Campaign, Nammuldi Below Water Table Extension
Diversity’s Edge is a successful recruitment campaign designed to improve diversity within the workforce by promoting career pathways to women and Indigenous talent.
Women in Resources Champion
Linda O’Farrell (Fortescue Metals Group)
Linda considers supporting diversity as a vital aspect of her role as a leader, helping people to grow and work together to create safe, vibrant and successful organisations. She has raised awareness of diversity issues and inspired women to take on challenges through sharing her story. Linda has offered employees practical assistance through implementing flexible work practices, restructuring jobs, mentoring and role modelling best practice.
Lynn Olssen (Snowden Group)
Lynn is a strong advocate for women in mining and resources in her company, Western Australia and Australasia. Lynn’s extensive advocacy work focuses on the attraction and retention of women in the resources sector. Lynn is the current Chair of the national AusIMM Women in Mining Network committee, and has been involved as a mentor in the Women in Mining WA mentoring program since it began in 2012. She wants a level playing field for everyone in the sector where people are employed and promoted on merit.
Sharon Warburton (Brookfield Multiplex and Fortescue Metals Group)
Sharon champions workplace flexibility and is committed to improving diversity and retention within the industries she works. Sharon actively mentors many and speaks regularly about diversity, flexibility and elimination of the gender pay gap. Sharon has also recently launched an online mentoring toolkit to support the success and grow the self confidence of women in resources and other male dominated industries.
Outstanding Woman in Resources
Bronwyn Barnes (Alliance Mining Commodities)
Bronwyn’s 15 year mining career has included roles at companies from BHP Billiton to emerging juniors in director, leadership and operational roles. She has a passion for the industry and an outstanding track record of ensuring effective corporate governance, winning government endorsement and approval, and driving equity for Indigenous people. She has steered major projects from exploration to operation, and connected the Western Australian resources sector with international mining investment.
Liza Carpene (Northern Star Resources)
Liza’s career in the resources sector began by accident, covering reception at Wiluna Gold for a week. This turned into a seven year stint at the fly-in fly-out operation and started a love affair with mining. During Liza’s tenure at Northern Star Resources, the company has transformed from a single mine company to the second largest Australian gold producer with five operations. As Liza’s role encompasses statutory compliance, corporate governance, human resources, administration and IT, she has been integral to the company’s activities during this growth phase.
Cheryl Edwardes (Atlas Iron)
Cheryl advises companies in relation to the range of complex statutory approvals with a focus on environment, native title and land access. Cheryl was the lead negotiator on the Roy Hill State Agreement, currently works as a strategic advisor at Atlas Iron and FTI Consulting, and is Chair of Energy and Minerals Australia, a small uranium explorer. Cheryl’s advice and leadership is valued across these organisations, particularly in their engagement with government and traditional owners.
Anousha Hashemi (BHP Billiton Nickel West)
Anousha is a highly energetic person who manages a professional career at BHP Billiton Nickel West, with academic and research commitments and motherhood. Anousha was born in Iran and became the first female Head of Airborne Geophysics for the Geological Survey of Iran. She was responsible for the discovery of five new manganese projects for Consolidated Minerals and was part of the team that discovered the Venus nickel sulfide deposit at Leinster in 2012. In Anousha’s current role as Geology Services Leader, she has overseen a 40 per cent cost reduction in administration expenses for the exploration team and automation of an exploration data capture process.
Geeta Thakorlal (WorleyParsons)
Geeta has had a highly successful and inspiring career spanning over four continents. She has 28 years’ experience in the oil and gas industry and a proven track record of leading specialist teams of engineers and scientists to deliver significant and measurable outcomes despite challenging circumstances. Key achievements include leading the merger of a new engineering discipline and securing significant new business in international locations. Improvements Geeta has implemented have been adopted by locations around the world and have been critical in streamlining work processes.
Outstanding Young Woman in Resources
Vanessa Bullock (Woodside Energy)
Vanessa is at the start of her career in oil and gas, having commenced work with Woodside in February 2014. Vanessa has already achieved some remarkable milestones including being selected to speak at the 8th Australasian Congress on Applied Mechanics on the topic of ‘Vortex Induced Vibrations of Subsea Pipelines’ and presenting to management, helping to better foster inter-departmental communication. Vanessa is also active in the community, working with the Society of Petroleum Engineers as a high school ambassador.
Kalpana Maharage (Rio Tinto Iron Ore)
Kalpana is an accomplished Mining Engineer. She was selected for Rio Tinto’s graduate program in 2009, and within a year of completing the program achieved a promotion to Superintendent. At this time she was the youngest operational Superintendent on site at 26 years of age. In the year between finishing her graduate program and progressing to Superintendent, Kalpana undertook the role of Shift Coordinator where she managed a production crew of 30 operators. She was not only the first female to undertake this role at Rio Tinto’s Greater Paraburdoo Operations, but was also the youngest to do so.
Samantha Wood (Mount Gibson Iron)
Samantha (Sam) is Production Supervisor at Mt Gibson Iron and is the company’s youngest and first female supervisor. She is also captain of the site Emergency Response group which she says gives her a deeper understanding of safety systems. In less than three years Sam has developed from trainee truck driver to being fully competent in a wide range of mobile equipment before obtaining a Certificate 4 in Training and Assessment for her role as Driver Trainer. Soon after, she was promoted to Crew Team Leader and earlier this year to Production Supervisor.
Outstanding Operator / Technician / Trade Woman
Francesca Bardoe (Alcoa of Australia)
After a 20 year career in the aged care sector, Francesca applied for an operator position with Alcoa recognising the potential career growth opportunities available in the resources sector. Her hard work and determination to take on different responsibilities has seen Francesca progress from operator to training coordinator and take on a range of other voluntary roles at Alcoa. Francesca’s enthusiasm makes her stand out and she is often called upon to drive projects across the business.
Margeaux Janenko (Kentz Engineering and Construction)
Margeaux is a talented female tradesperson working as an Electrician at Chevron’s Gorgon site. She stands out through her high quality of work and as one of the few female tradespeople on the extensive Gorgon project. Margeaux also stands out in her electrical trade by possessing a unique combination of specialised qualifications which include hazardous areas and rope access. Margeaux has proven to be an example for females to thrive in the resources sector and become stand out leaders in their trade.
Amanda Pearse-White (Alcoa of Australia)
Amanda actively pursued her dream of working in the resources sector when she accepted a position with Black Swan Nickel Operations as a laboratory manager, moving from New South Wales to Kalgoorlie in 2004. Amanda is currently Laboratory Group Leader at Alcoa’s Wagerup Refinery, and is recognised by her peers and supervisors for her efforts in up-skilling her workforce and providing opportunities to improve on existing skills. In addition to her role, Amanda has also been involved in facilitating internal leadership training modules.
The Awards
CME is impressed with the excellent response received for the 2015 Women in Resources Awards. Ninety four submissions were reviewed as part of the preliminary judging round. The quality of submissions was very high and shortlisting finalists was a very difficult task. The awards will be presented over breakfast at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday 6 March 2015, commencing at 7.00am (for a 7.30am sit-down). The event will include a panel discussion, to be hosted by popular journalist, commentator and media personality Annabel Crabb.
People’s Choice Award
Voting is now open for the People’s Choice Awards. After reviewing the finalists’ stories you can vote for the person you believe has made the most outstanding contribution to the Western Australian resources sector and is enhancing the participation of women. All the finalists of each individual category (excluding the Outstanding Company Initiative finalists) are eligible for the People’s Choice Award. Please visit the CME website here to submit your vote. Only one vote per visitor is accepted.
Registrations Open
Registrations for the awards breakfast event are now open. To register your attendance please visit the CME website here. Registrations will close on 26 February 2015.
Inspiring Girls
For the second year CME is inviting members to become Inspiring Girls sponsors at the awards. This initiative enables companies to host female school students at tables to encourage them to take up careers in the resources sector.For the first time CME is hosting an Inspiring Girls careers seminar immediately following the awards breakfast. The seminar will outline the breadth of career pathways in the industry through a series of guest presentations.
Sponsors of the Awards
CME would like to thank the following sponsors for their support of the 2015 Women in Resources Awards.
Further Information
Award Enquiries
Contact: Susan Cull
Phone: (08) 9220 8500
s.cull@cmewa.com
Event Enquiries
Contact: Anne Owen
Phone: (08) 9220 8509
a.owen@cmewa.com
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