Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

I dipped my toes into the industry in 2020 and started working in the industry full time in July 2021.

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

Originally from coastal California, I studied coastal processes for my bachelor’s degree. After graduating I took a few years to work in different industries and travel abroad. I made the leap to permanently move to New Zealand in 2019 and completed my master’s degree at the University of Waikato in estuarine ecology in 2020. After graduating, I accepted a temporary role with a regional council to investigate the relative risk of historic closed landfills near the coast which paired contaminated land concerns with physical coastal processes. This opened the door to the contaminated land industry!

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

Through my work at the regional council, I was introduced to the industry. Prior to the project I worked on, I had not ever thought about contaminated land in really any capacity, let alone as a career path. The guidance, support, and technical knowledge from the science team I worked with really helped to show the breadth of what the industry encompasses and the real impacts that people within the industry can make.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Though I’ve only been in the industry for a relatively short amount of time, I’m proud of having been able to become an active member of the industry. As someone who is not naturally outgoing, I have been supported and encouraged by my team at Beca to get involved wherever possible and have found myself on three different ALGA committees!

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

• A mosquito net
• Groundwater tubing
• My dog ��

What advice would you give to your younger self starting out in the industry again?

Don’t be afraid of non-linear career paths! I was raised with the idea that a career was something that could only follow a linear path and that if I made a misstep along the way, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to have a fruitful career. Taking the opportunity to redefine my goals once I completed my bachelor’s degree is probably the best thing I did, even though it felt like I was failing at the time (gap years and overseas travel are not common practice in the US).

Stepping away from the traditional career trajectory made me realise that there is more than one way to reach a goal and everyone’s career path looks different. Ten years ago, I never could have predicted living in New Zealand and working in this industry, and I’m excited to see where I’ll be ten years from now!

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

Between five and six years.

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

I graduated with a Bachelor of Environments (Engineering) degree and then joined Golder initially in Business Support (more on that below), and then as a graduate in the CLM team.

Like most graduates I was on-site for majority of the time during my first four years. Sites I worked on include volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminated groundwater and big linear infrastructure joint contamination and geotechnical investigations. I shifted jobs last year where I am now an Audit Assistant at Senversa. In this role I have been exposed to a broad range of contaminated sites, and have been able to hone my technical skills and my understanding on local regulations.

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

Not so much contaminated lands but I’ve always had a passion and curiosity for environmental issues, and I had a particular interest in science and maths at school. I wanted to combine my interests and pursue environmental engineering which seemed like the right fit for me.

Contaminated lands appealed to me as it also combined the environmental and science aspects of my degree and interests, and I was keen to be involved in having a direct impact on the local environment quality.

I’ve been inspired to stay in this sector because I’m constantly learning and being challenged, I’m really enjoying learning about the audit process and all the associated issues from contamination, on- and off-site receptors and managing risks, but also because of all the senior colleagues who have provided mentoring and training to me.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Switching jobs to try something new at a different company.

I was feeling a bit stuck and uninspired and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Comments from colleagues over the years suggested I should give audit work a go or consider becoming an auditor later in my career. A job opening popped up so I applied, and was lucky enough to get the job.

I had never changed companies before and I found it really intimidating and scary, but definitely worth it. By changing jobs I was able to discover more about what I enjoy from my work, experience a new company culture and make new connections.

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

1. My dog Harry so I have some company (although I don’t think he’d stay or fit in the suitcase).
2. A baking book specifying how to bake using ingredients gathered from foraging on a remote island.
3. A good quality rain jacket.

Did you face any challenges getting into the sector? What were they and how did you overcome them?

I think the hardest thing most people face (including myself) is getting your foot in the door. After I graduated, I had a job within another sector lined up to begin in 6 months and I was looking for a temporary job to fill my time. I applied for a six-week position in business support at Golder, which turned into a six-month contract in the interview. I learned a lot working in business support which I still use to this day.

After a couple months of working in this role and getting to know the broader CLM team, I was encouraged to apply for a graduate position. The team were able to recognise some of the qualities I had working in business support that would be beneficial and valuable as a graduate such as good communication, attention to detail and able to complete tasks.

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

Over 17 years

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

I graduated in Geology honours in 2002 in Brazil (University of Sao Paulo).

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

I did not have a specific "person" who inspired me; However, I always wanted to work in the environmental sector with the aim of making a better world for future generations. During the early years of my career, I aspired to be a part of Greenpeace, conduct research in Greenland, and so forth.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Rejoin the CLM industry in a different country, reshape my career goals, and find a way to pursue these goals while balancing my work and family life.

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

Knife, first aid kit (including antibiotics) and a compass.

Many professionals face changing personal circumstances throughout various stages of their working life (e.g.: Caring for a loved one, Parental responsibilities, travel, study, retirement, etc.). How have you navigated balancing your personal and work responsibilities?

In 2012, My family and I migrated to Australia for a better life for their daughter, leaving behind a successful career in Brazil. Despite intending for a short break, family expansion prolonged my hiatus, making re-entry into the Australian job market daunting due to overqualification and lack of local experience. Discovering the GHD Relaunch Career program offered hope, leading to successful participation and eventual employment as a Technical Director. With dedicated support from the program and colleagues, I navigated challenges and am now pursuing accreditation as an NSW EPA site auditor. My journey reflects personal and professional growth, the balance of career and family life, and the impactful support of career re-entry programs for parents.

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

I started as a graduate in Melbourne in 2005, so it will be coming up to 19 years in the industry. However, in that 19 years, I have taken a few years out on maternity leave.

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

I started my career as a graduate at URS (now Aecom) in Melbourne in 2005. Here I mainly worked out in the field, and was lucky enough to work with a great team on some really varied and interesting projects. A year later, however, I moved to Byron Bay. Not seemingly a great move to propel my career! But through my connections I soon found that there was actually a small consulting company in Byron Bay, and here I have stayed for almost 18 years. I worked on both consulting projects and as an audit assistant, however, I found that working as an audit assistant suited my personality and the way I liked to work, so I leaned more towards the auditing side of things. I have always continued to work on consulting projects, working my way up to project manager and project director, while still getting out in the field. I also continued to work as an audit assistant and acted as the main point of contact for a variety of complex sites.

I was approved as a contaminated land auditor (Qld) in January 2023. I now work as a contaminated land auditor and project director, as well as providing high-level strategic advice to clients. Working as part of a small team, I still conduct all aspects of the project, including winning and delivering projects, as well as conducting the field work, data tables and evaluation, report writing, and client liaison.

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

I always wanted to work in the environmental field, helping improve the environment from the damage that, we humans, have caused. I didn’t specifically search out a job in this industry, but I was offered a job as an environmental scientist working in contaminated land straight out of university. Once here, I loved the mix of field and office work, and the technical challenges, while working to improve the environment - even if just one small contaminated site at a time!

Once in the industry, there were many people who I looked up to and aspired to be like. Most were other women who were not only successful, but incredibly smart, kind and generous.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Becoming an auditor was definitely a career highlight and one that I am very proud of. It wasn’t easy, but I worked hard to achieve the goal I had set for myself. I was also really humbled to have been asked to present as a keynote speaker at Ecoforum in 2023 in Melbourne. This was very much out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I said yes, and am proud of myself for facing my fear of public speaking, and hopefully encouraging others to do the same!

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

My dog, coffee (lots of it!), and my pillow.

Many professionals face changing personal circumstances throughout various stages of their working life (e.g.: Caring for a loved one, Parental responsibilities, travel, study, retirement, etc.). How have you navigated balancing your personal and work responsibilities?

I would start by saying, it’s not always easy! But that I think it is ok to allow your professional career to have ebbs and flows, in that, your career trajectory doesn’t have to be a straight line. I have taken time out for maternity leave with both of my children, and when I returned to work a few days a week, I was happy to do the not-so-challenging work while adjusting to the challenges that come with being a working mother/parent. Then, when the timing felt right, I really pushed myself to reach new goals in my work life knowing I was ready for the challenge. I would say to others that find the balance that suits you and your circumstances - what works and feel right for one, may not be right for you.

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

20 years

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

Environmental consultancy career started with Benbow & Associates in Australia as a graduate doing a diverse range of projects from contaminated land to noise monitoring. I then worked with AGC-Woodward-Clyde (later became URS) as a contaminated land consultant and continued working with URS from their offices in North Sydney to Dublin and onto Abu Dhabi. I returned to Australia in 2011 and have been with AECOM as an Associate Director since then. At AECOM, I’ve been a Team Leader and work as a Lead Verifier, Program Manager and run large multi disciplinary Due Diligence and Contaminated Land projects. My work experience, technical knowledge and strong ethics has enabled me to recently obtain my CEnvP Site Contamination Specialist certification.

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

An ongoing evolving industry that continues to challenge and engage me with very interesting projects across many sectors including power, transport, defence, mining and government.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Diversity of projects I’ve been involved in from compliance audits at large infrastructure sites to Regional Lead for Defence projects in NSW & ACT, to contaminated land lead specialist for linear infrastructure and renewable projects.

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

Snorkel, trail runners & company. I love to get out in the natural environment and love a good chat & laugh (not sure how I’d fit that in the case)! The ocean is a great place for me to recharge my soul after a hard working week.

Many professionals face changing personal circumstances throughout various stages of their working life (e.g.: Caring for a loved one, Parental responsibilities, travel, study, retirement, etc.). How have you navigated balancing your personal and work responsibilities?

I got the best piece of advice from my manager at URS in 2003. I was just about to go on maternity leave with my second son and my husband was taking on an important role in a company that would take us around the world. He advised me to enjoy my maternity leave but to keep my foot in the door and maintain my connections. I went on to work with URS in Dublin and Abu Dhabi through connections I had made, and then when I was returning to Australia, numerous of my former colleagues had moved to different companies in Sydney and I ended up working at AECOM where many former AGC-Woodward Clyde/URS colleagues worked. I have made some very valuable connections and have great mentors that have enabled me to work in this industry and feel valued for my technical knowledge.

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

I have approximately 25 years of experience in the environmental science industry. I have worked in the field of contaminated land for 20 years, with 13 years in environmental consulting firms (initially Environmental Earth Sciences and now Epic Environmental), five years in remediation contracting (Enviropacific) and two years for a tier one contractor (Lendlease).

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

I initially pursued a career as a soil scientist in Forestry and Viticulture including working for Hardys Wines in McLaren Vale, near Adelaide. Working a vintage with Hardys taught me how to use my observational skills, and it taught me how to analyse data for commercial decisions, which gives me a broader perspective on almost any project. I returned to academia then in 2004 become a contaminated land consultant in Melbourne. I have experienced various aspects of our industry such as, research, client side, contracting and consulting. Five years ago I returned to consulting, and became an Auditor, to provide technical oversight and ensure pragmatic outcomes are achieved. Each aspect of our industry has provided me a place to grow, explore and expand my knowledge and understanding on how to approach a complex project.

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

I joined the contaminated land industry as I was seeking to link my passion for soil science with an innovative, dynamic industry – which it certainly is! I am continually inspired by the collective wisdom of our industry members that teach, support and mentor each other. My experience is ALGA members are people that are interested in connection and growth.

What are you most proud of in your career?

I enjoy, and get fulfillment from, providing project team members with technical insights, program timeframes, sharing lessons learnt and understandings on how contamination impacts the end value of assets. I am most proud of firstly, times when I have upskilled non-scientists to understand contamination and know they have the confidence to explain the key points to their colleagues. Secondly, I am proud of my commitment to continuous improvement which fosters a culture of innovation and collaboration among team members. By encouraging each other to take risks, experiment with new approaches, and share their successes and failures with their colleagues, continuous improvement can help to create a community who provide the best possible outcome for their projects.

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

• EPIRB, safety first plus life is about growth and exploration, not achieving a fixed state of balance by spending three months stranded.
• These Truths: A History of the United States, by the Harvard historian and New Yorker contributor Jill Lepore. Perhaps three months would provide opportunity to digest 800 pages of centuries of history (it’s been on my bookshelf unread for far too long).
• Mozzie spray, I can only imagine how hungry those bugs would be – a no brainer essential for a remote island.

What advice would you give to your younger self starting out in the industry again?

Raise your hand. Open your mouth. Volunteer. Say yes. Commit. Sign up. Push yourself. And when you find yourself in over your head, raise your hand, reach out. You are in an industry full of good people, working towards a better world through teamwork and knowledge sharing.

Approximately how many years have you worked in our sector?

I’ve worked for 25 years in the environmental sciences sector, in mining, academia and contaminated land consultancy, across Australia and Europe.

Background information (Please tell us a bit about your career)

I’ve worked in a range of countries and environments, from assessing post-mining landscapes in outback Queensland, to investigating human impact on the ecosystems at an active army artillery range in The Netherlands. I’ve gotten my hands dirty digging out old fuel tanks in Kakadu and managed remediation programs at old oil refineries. I have volunteered with Soil Science Australia, run science outreach programs ranging from the Felton Food Festival to my kids’ local kindy, and been part of community supported agriculture groups to promote soil science by judging the annual ‘Humongous Fungus’ award for Queensland farmers. And on the theme of “if you can’t see it, you can’t be it”, I’m proud that through my community activities many kids (including my own), have seen that women working in hi-viz and STEM is as normal as women working in any other sector. These days, I work as a soil scientist with a specialisation in contaminated land and a diversity of experience across different areas of our sector.

Who/what inspired you to enter the industry?

My city school had a farm and I loved learning about animals, plants and soil in the agriculture program. Fast forward to university and my favourite soils lecturer inspired us with stories about how soil chemistry influenced the post-mining landscape and ecosystem development. And I was hooked.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Accidentally working hard enough as a guest researcher at the University of Amsterdam, to earn a PhD by the time we moved back to Australia. It turns out that bringing experience and a consultancy mindset to the academic setting worked well for me! I am proud of the diversity of projects, environments and countries that I’ve worked in.

If you were to be stranded on a remote island for 3 months, and you were allowed to take only 3 things with you in a suitcase. What 3 things would you pack?

I feel like this is a trick question and I should answer “my soil pH meter, my water quality meter and a big esky” to qualify for this ALGA edition. I would take my family, a couple of good books and no phone and just relax for three months…. which would last about 2 ½ minutes until I got bored, and started characterising the island ecosystems. Where did I leave those meters?.

Did you face any challenges getting into the sector? What were they and how did you overcome them?

When I first started working at mine sites, I found it was a male dominated industry that was challenging for young women. I was asked “Won’t you just marry and have children” (becoming unemployable), and I went to sites where there were no women’s facilities in accommodation camps – I had to use the showers at 2am to be sure of a little privacy. Thankfully I’m tough. I’ve been lucky to have inspiring women in my workplace, particularly when I moved to the contaminated land sector with Julia Wharton and Stephanie Williams being champions for my career.

In my career, I have been very fortunate to have been involved in policy, legislative and guideline development with the South Australian Environment Protection Authority. This was highlighted by my involvement in the progression of legislative reforms to ensure the robust management of site contamination in South Australia.

I am most proud, that this work led to an amendment to the Environment Protection Act 1993 (SA), which has improved the management of site contamination in South Australia.

These changes have also facilitated the introduction of a site contamination audit scheme in South Australia. (Before these crucial developments, the management of site contamination in the state faced significant challenges and limitations). As we approach the 15th anniversary of these transformative legislative changes in 2024, the groundwork laid has been instrumental in ensuring the proper assessment, remediation, and regulation of site contamination in South Australia. This marks a significant milestone in environmental protection within the region, which I am most proud to have played a role in.

My name is Isobel Stout.

I am currently employed by Pattle Delamore Partners Limited in the Christchurch office as a Service Leader in Environmental Science. I came to this role nearly a year ago, after 33 years in local government as a Senior Environmental Health Officer where most of my work revolved around land development, contaminated land, hazardous substances, solid waste and compliance issues. My educational background includes degrees in science, environmental health and public health with specialist qualifications in environmental noise.

The point I want to raise in this article is the benefits I have seen in bringing my local government and regulatory insights into the world of consulting. In many ways I see myself as an emerging professional in terms of consulting, apart from my age that is! I have also been a little surprised at the lack of knowledge of the regulatory machinations of local government amongst some consultants.

Comparing the two sectors I see more in common than differences, the hard skills, the emphasis on knowledge to the point of quite extreme speciality. That’s not to say that these aren’t important qualities, but I believe the flip side is equally important to both sectors.

Shifting to consulting has focused on the soft skills which I found underrepresented in the regulatory world. By soft skills I mean those related more to listening than talking, more to forming a relationship than dictating. I see this understanding of the soft skills better acknowledged by consultants than regulators to the detriment I think of regulators.

On the other hand, I have found my regulatory discipline when it comes to field notes, reporting, record and time keeping, offers me advantages to my consulting career.

I think I have made the transition very successfully to consulting and my knowledge of how regulators work has been incredibly valuable. Yes, I was uncertain to begin with but really the skills are transferable (in both directions) the public service habits, investigative skills and the getting along with everyone to get the job done. Career change later in life is eminently doable and I would love more to join me.

It's a privilege to be in a position to mentor emerging professionals whilst at the same time sharing some of their uncertainties and concerns in a whole new world.

I would like to think I inspire career change, even later in life, and urging people not to underestimate the value of regulatory and public service habits.

The so called ‘soft skills’ are actually hard. It isn’t just what you know but how you apply it.

It’s hard to think of just one – there are so many to choose from!

I’ve been with WasteMINZ since 2008 – the past two years of which I’ve been chief executive.

For the majority of my time with WasteMINZ, I coordinated WasteMINZ’s Contaminated Land Management (CLM) Sector Group. In this role, I managed many projects that fulfilled a need within the contaminated land management sector, organised our annual conference, and provided key guidance to our members.

The Contaminated Site Safety Certificate (CSSC) course is one project that I’m particularly proud of, because it emphasised what our members can do when we collaborate with other organisations. The course was developed by ALGA and WasteMINZ, after an ALGA member identified a gap in training for people who are entering the CLM space and going on to sites. The aim of the course is to draw attention to the hazards people could be exposed to on a site, the controls that should be put in place to manage these hazards, and ultimately keep people safe.

At WasteMINZ, we don’t wait around for governments or other agencies to come up with a solution – we identify a need, find a solution, and get on with the job.

That’s why I’m so proud of the CSSC course, because our two agencies came together to fill the need of our members. Ultimately, that’s what we’re here for – to serve our members.

Another piece of work that I’d like to highlight is the numerous fact sheets and guidance that we release on behalf of our sector. These cover topics such as why a Suitability Qualified and Experienced Practitioner (SQEP) is needed; buying and selling a property that may be contaminated; assessing and managing coal tar contamination in roading; managing the collection, receipt, transport and disposal of asbestos waste; and much more!

Producing these documents can be a lengthy process – for some complex topics, it can take years to get the right expertise, develop the guidance and then consult on it with stakeholders and members.

I always try to live by the rule: “don’t let perfection get in the way of progress”. So, we make sure our documentation is as robust as possible, but we also know that we need to regularly review it, listen to feedback, and go back and update it. We’re really fortunate that we have passionate, dedicated people who volunteer their time to make a difference. Our members have the knowledge and expertise to know what the industry needs. The WasteMINZ team’s role is facilitation and coordination – but our members are the ones who do the mahi!

Something else I’m proud of is dealing with the challenges that the pandemic posed to in-person events.

From 2020 to early 2022, we had been postponing our annual conference because of the pandemic restrictions. When I started the CE role in early 2022, I needed to make a quick decision to either postpone it again or turn it into a virtual summit. I decided to go for the virtual option – and within 2 months, the team had pulled together an amazing programme for our members to attend online. We received so much support from the members. In fact, the number of attendees were similar to that of our in-person conference. Last year, we held our first in-person conference since 2019 – and the members flocked to it! We were so excited to see everyone face-to-face, and provide networking and learning opportunities to those in the waste, resource recovery and contaminated land management sectors.

Our members are powerhouses – they have day jobs, but they continue to volunteer their time and knowledge for the good of the sector. I’m eternally grateful that I’ve ended up in an industry that makes such a difference to our world. I don’t think everybody who goes to work each day feels like this, so I feel very fortunate.

When I was growing up, there weren’t many role models for women in leadership positions. It took me a long time to realise that I could be in leadership as well.

Being in a leadership role is rewarding, but it can be lonely and challenging – you must make decisions all the time, and you have to trust yourself. It’s so important to have a network around you, like I do, of other people – men and women – that you can talk to if you want to sense check something.

I am surrounded by amazing women in our sector who are doing great things and are always willing to offer their support to me to make me better. That makes a huge difference.

I will finish off by saying that being a female in this sector has never held me back. I’ve been offered opportunities, and I have taken them. That is the best advice I could give to anyone – don’t be afraid to say yes!

When asked if I would contribute to this issue of Cronicle, I was very flattered: I don’t see myself as having been a significant contributor to our industry, although I have been around a long time! It’s incredibly difficult to pick out any single project or achievement as being particularly special, since I’ve been lucky enough to have been involved with so many fantastic projects.

Very early in my career I was appointed as expert witness on a contractual dispute over a large colliery remediation project in Yorkshire, northern England. The client was English Partnerships, a quasi public-sector brownfield redevelopment agency tasked with regenerating the coalfields regions in the 1990’s. The idea of the project was that the enormous spoil heap (several million tonnes) would be remediated by coal washing. Unfortunately it didn’t work because there was too much clay, too much acidity and not enough recoverable coal. The contractor ceased work and launched a claim for 30 million pounds, and legal proceedings commenced. I spent the next 3 years poring over the contract and the evidence, and got to learn a great deal about contracts and contract law which turned out to be really useful throughout my career. As part of the settlement, I wrote a new contract and specification for an alternative remediation solution which was eventually agreed and carried out successfully.

My next highlight is having been lucky enough to work on the 2013 revision of the National Environmental Protection (Assessment of Site Contamination) Measure 1999. I led the successful bid for the revision of Schedules B4 and B7 (the health investigation levels and health risk assessment guidance), and delivered the first redraft of both documents in 2009. The project included building the exposure model in excel that generated the HILs and writing both schedules. Conceptually, I followed the UK idea of a fully transparent quantitative method for establishing the investigation levels, accompanied by clear guidance on their derivation and application. Jackie Wright completed the work to produce the final versions of the documents. Schedules B4 and B7 represent a significant step forward in Australian contaminated land assessment, establishing a fully risk based system backed up by defensible and transparent input data to the model. I personally think our ASC NEPM is better than either the US or UK systems, and I’m very proud to have been part of it.

Lastly, I’m going to talk about what I do now, which is delivering the UTS Contaminated Sites Assessment, Remediation and Management (CSARM) short courses. The courses have been highly successful over the last 15 years and I take no credit for that, but I am wholly committed to making them as good as I can and to making them available to more people. The courses cover the key aspects of the contaminated land process, and there are five modules which are each 2.5 or 3 days in length; they are NSW focussed and aimed primarily at consultants and can be attended either in person at UTS, or online. This year, I’ve added a sixth online-only course aimed at Council officers which covers contaminated land basics and NSW regulation from a regulator and land manager perspective.

All the courses are taught by highly experienced industry professional, including NSW Site Auditors, technical experts, regulators from NSW EPA and councils, and legal experts. I think that this model for delivery is one of the most important factors behind the success of the courses. It means that the courses are dependent on the generosity of the employers in allowing people time to come and teach, and also on the goodwill of the lecturers who mostly donate a lot of their own time to preparing their presentations. Having been one of the lecturers myself, before taking on the program director role, I really enjoyed doing it, and appreciated the opportunity to showcase ERM before an audience of potential employees.

As far as I know, it’s the only training of its kind in Australia. Ideally, I’d like to see something like this available for all States and Territories. To maintain and develop professional standards in our industry we definitely need more available training, particularly training that is routinely available and offered by an education provider such as a university or TAFE.

I’m not sure there is a particular project or area of research that I could list as a proud moment or career defining. In my over 25 years, I’ve been involved in such a wide variety of sites across Australia, from assessments of market gardens and service stations to auditing of mining operations, landfills, refineries and Defence estates. I consider myself to be a contaminated site generalist – knowing a bit about lots of things, and I’ve worked really hard. What I’m most proud of is the positive impact I’ve had across the sector and being a role model for other women in the industry.

My career commenced at a time where there were very few women in my field and certainly not in leadership roles. During my undergraduate degree, I commenced working - initially work experience and then on contract employment in the area of environmental planning. After graduating from uni, I commenced working full time as an environmental consultant where my love for contaminated sites and auditing commenced. I was the only female professional in the office so I shared the space downstairs with admin and the photocopier and fax machine. I was told that I wouldn’t be successful because I didn’t have the physical strength needed for field work and why bother when I would just go off and have kids anyway. By the way I could hand auger to 12m, install monitoring wells including setting the screen, fill the well and finish with concreting in the gatic as well as keep the drillers under control - who were inevitably male.

During my time in Melbourne, I expressed my interest in auditing and this is really when my career pathway was set. I was the Auditor’s representative for four auditors and managed a large number of projects. I learnt a lot from these four remarkable men plus our group of experts in remediation and risk assessment who shared with me their knowledge and skills and encouraged me to continue with my technical skills.

Returning to Perth in 2005, I continued to provide auditor assistance for Victorian projects (there was still no audit scheme yet in WA) in addition to providing senior review of assessment reports and advising on scopes and reporting for more complex projects. I continued to increase my technical knowledge and took on the role of group leader for a contaminated sites team (with a total of 30 staff).

In 2012, I was successful in being accredited in Western Australia as a Contaminated Sites Auditor. I was the first Perth based woman appointed (with Ruth Keogh the only other female based in Adelaide). At that time, there were few auditors in WA who were Perth based (only 5). There are still only 3 women who are accredited in WA.

In 2015 I joined Senversa’s Perth office. I was the first female internally promoted to Senior Principal at Senversa, recognising my industry leading external capability and skills. I was accredited as a Queensland Accredited Contaminated Land Auditor in 2016, the first appointed female auditor in that jurisdiction. And yes, there are still only a few women (total of 5) accredited in Queensland. In 2020, I was appointed to the WA Contaminated Sites Committee (an independent statutory administrative tribunal appointed by the Minister for Environment).

Throughout my career, I was faced with a lack of female mentors and role models. Since the early 1990’s, I have strived to advance the standing and impact women play in the contaminated land industry across Australia. I strongly believe in promoting science and science careers to women and am passionate about providing formal and informal mentoring roles within and outside of my organisation including establishing a forum for women in contaminated land to network, engage and support each other. I’m proud of what we’ve achieved at Senversa. In our Perth office we have an equal number of women and women in senior roles (Principal and Senior Principal) and a developing cohort of women who will continue to add to the future growth.

As a mum of two, I’ve also been externally involved in promoting STEM activities for children, particularly young girls, including establishing and running an after school science club for year 1-7 children to help “ignite the spark” and provide an avenue for exploring science outside of the curriculum. Although neither of my children have pursued careers in science, I’m hoping that I’ve at least been a positive role model for them, showing them that women can do anything and that you don’t need to be (or act like) a man to have a success in your chosen career.