The finalists have been selected for Western Australia’s 2025 Women in Resources Awards (WIRA).
The annual awards ceremony – now in its 16th year – showcases those breaking the mould and leading the charge for change in the state’s resources sector.
Organised by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), WIRA is a celebration of some of the best and brightest women in industry.
CME chief executive officer (CEO) Rebecca Tomkinson said the six award categories recognised both professional excellence and the people, programs and initiatives driving greater female participation in mining.
“Women are integral to WA’s resources sector and their significant contributions are underscored by the calibre of finalists for WIRA 2025,” Tomkinson said.
“From crane operators to chemical engineers and CEOs, it is encouraging to see women increasingly represented across a much broader range of roles than even a decade ago.”
The CME’s latest Diversity and Inclusion Report, released in September, found women accounted for nearly one in four jobs (24.8 per cent) among surveyed members in 2023.
That was a significant improvement on 17.8 per cent in 2015. Of particular note were substantial gains in the proportion of female managers (23.5 per cent in 2023, up from 15 per cent in 2015), machinery operators and drivers (21.4 per cent, up from 14 per cent) and technicians and trade workers (12.9 per cent, up from 6 per cent).
Tomkinson said WIRA celebrates success stories while acknowledging the immense effort that has gone into creating a sector that is more welcoming and appealing to women.
“WIRA shines a light on exceptional women, many of whom are pioneers in their field who have been forced to tear down gender barriers over the course of their careers,” she said.
“Not only have these women blazed a path for others to follow, their industry-leading expertise, professionalism and leadership are invaluable to the sector as a whole.”
The 2025 WIRA dinner will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday February 13.
The 2025 finalists are:
Outstanding Young Woman in Resources award
- Claire Leete, Tronox
- Irene Chandra, Woodside Energy
- Ting Ni, Alcoa
Outstanding Operator/Technician/Trade award
- Dusti Rowden, South32
- Krystal Findlay, Roy Hill
- Kylie Brown, Monadelphous
Technological Innovation award
- Amanda de Azevedo Marques, Rio Tinto
- Nicole Patterson, Newmont
Champion of Women in Resources award
- Becky Felstead, Strong Mind, Strong Mines
- Brendan Harris, Sandfire
- Jessica Zambrano, Woodside Energy
Outstanding Company Initiative award
- BHP – Rail Academy
- Fortescue – Mentored Road Train Traineeship
- Rio Tinto – Project Balance Boost
Outstanding Woman in Resources award
- Julie Fallon, Woodside Energy
- Shalini Saldanha, Rio Tinto
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