Women in Industry Awards 2024

The annual Women in Industry Awards spotlights the talented women making a difference across a range of typically male-dominated industries like mining.

In a night of celebration, champagne, and sequins, the Women in Industry Awards continues to shine brighter every year.

With the aim of supporting outstanding women driving change and breaking down barriers in their respective industries, the Women in Industry Awards spotlights the possibilities for the next generation and rewards those who inspire to succeed.

The sectors celebrated at the awards are traditionally male-dominated industries, underlining the significance of those recognised given the barriers women face.

These winners may have been nominated by colleagues, or those they inspired from afar, or by those they have provided invaluable guidance and support.

As a proud partner of the Women in Industry Awards, Australian Mining believes the dedication and exceptionalism of these women should be celebrated.

In this feature, we profile all the awards winners from the big occasion.

Excellence in Mining Award

Winner: Sinead Booth

As head of decarbonisation delivery at Fortescue, Sinead Booth has been described by her peers as a visionary leader and trailblazer epitomising excellence and innovation in the mining industry.

With a decade of extensive experience spanning international and interstate realms, Booth has spearheaded transformative initiatives, particularly in sustainability and decarbonisation.

“I feel extremely privileged to win the Mining Excellence Award,” Sinead told Australian Mining. “There is incredible work happening across the mining industry and I feel lucky that I get to play this little role in making the mining industry greener.

“It will become a critical focus for the mining industry over the next decade, and at Fortescue we are definitely forging a path of greening the industry.”

In her role at Fortescue, Booth has established pioneering programs aimed at bridging the gender gap in the mining sector, making significant strides towards gender equity.

Booth’s commitment to women’s development extends beyond her professional endeavours, demonstrated by her leadership at the Gomo Foundation, which is dedicated to educating disadvantaged women in Africa.

“Having women represented in the mining industry has always been a focus for me,” Booth said. “And now I get to do that as we transition into the next era of the industry.”

At Fortescue, Sinead is entrusted with a pivotal mandate: overseeing the seamless integration of all innovative green equipment and energy systems within the company’s iron ore operations in the Pilbara.

At the helm of a dynamic team, she not only orchestrates but champions groundbreaking initiatives, solidifying Fortescue’s position as an industry leader in sustainable mining practices.

Her astute leadership is evidenced by the recent milestone in facilitating the delivery of Australia’s maiden fleet of electric excavators to Fortescue’s operations.

This achievement, coupled with her team’s commitment to advancing eco-friendly technologies, underscores Fortescue’s dedication to environmental stewardship and Booth’s visionary approach to shaping mining’s future.

“Not a day goes by where we rest on our laurels. We drive change ourselves,” Booth said. “I’ve only been here just over a year, but I already feel like I’ve found my home at Fortescue, everyone here is completely dedicated to the mission.”

Booth’s enthusiasm knows no bounds as she eagerly anticipates the realisation of forthcoming projects on her agenda.

These initiatives, including the introduction of battery electric mobile equipment and locomotives, embody Booth and Fortescue’s commitment to eliminating emissions across the company’s mining operations.

Through her strategic foresight and dedication, Booth is not only shaping the trajectory of sustainable mining practices within Fortescue but is also setting a precedent for the broader industry to follow suit.

Booth’s dedication to nurturing talent and fostering diversity within the mining sector is underscored by her role as a mentor to a diverse cohort of young women across the industry.

With a network of over 30 emerging professionals, she recognises the importance of cultivating talent to drive industry-wide innovation and productivity.

“You can’t be a leader unless people are willing to follow you,” Booth said. “I love Fortescue because we attract some of the best people in the industry.

“We have a team of young, driven, motivated people, and I feel a certain amount of responsibility to use my role at Fortescue to drive better quality outcomes for the mining industry.”

Booth’s steadfast commitment to breaking gender disparities and promoting diversity is intricately interwoven with her passionate advocacy for decarbonisation.

She firmly believes that by fostering a more diverse and inclusive workforce, the mining industry can achieve a fundamental shift towards sustainability and operational excellence.

“Having women represented in the mining industry has always been a driving force for me,” Booth said. “That’s why Fortescue is the perfect place for me, because it sings to both passions I have around equality and decarbonisation.”

This holistic approach underscores Booth’s leadership and her unwavering dedication to shaping a brighter future for the mining sector.

Woman of the Year and Excellence in Manufacturing Awards

Winner: Derelle Mitchell

This year’s Excellence in Manufacturing Award also took out the Woman of the Year Award. Glowing at the award event in Sydney, Health Focus Manufacturers (HFM) managing director and founder Derelle Mitchell took to the stage.

Mitchell founded HFM in 2011 after purchasing the assets of a cosmetic manufacturing company that was closing.

Starting with just three staff, a basic commercial property and a small office space converted into a lab, Mitchell has built HFM into a multi-million-dollar business on the cusp of launching a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility.

Mitchell is deeply committed to growing local manufacturing capabilities and advocating for women in the field, dedicating her efforts to progress these important areas.

HFM contributes to a number of charities and initiatives in the Moreton Bay region where its headquarters are located, with Mitchell leading the charge in boosting local jobs and encouraging women to enter the industry.

Business Development Success of the Year Award

Winner: Sandra Robinson

Recognising an individual who has created new growth opportunities that allowed their organisation to expand and generate greater revenue, Kennards business development manager Sandra Robinson is an industry stand-out.

In the first six months of her role, she was able to achieve more than 250 per cent of her sales target and increase the size of the company’s project management team by 200 per cent due to the number of new projects won.

Over the past year Robinson has introduced several new initiatives that have helped to grow Kennards’ market share and increase revenue within the commercial business segment.

Her efforts have been instrumental in the success and growth of Kennards’ major projects division.

Safety Advocacy Award

Winner: Kathleen Kelly

Working actively to improve safety for her industry, Kathleen Kelly is deeply passionate about crafting and implementing health, safety, and wellbeing programs.

Kelly has garnered her expertise from a career spanning industries like construction, engineering, and mining.

Currently, Kelly is a significant contributor to the strong safety culture that has been established for the new Bridgewater bridge project in Tasmania.

Throughout her 22-year career, she has earned multiple accolades from projects and organisations alike for her fervent dedication to cultivating a culture of safety excellence.

Rising Star of the Year Award

Winner: Kate Leone

Like a true rising star, this award recognises an individual under 30 who has shown significant promise with their chosen industry or reached new goals at the start of their career.

This year’s winner, Kate Leone, is described as a versatile, multidisciplinary problem-solver, passionate about engineering for change and being at the forefront of technical innovation.

Having graduated from the CIMIC Graduate program in 2021, Leone is now a communications engineer and advocate for increasing global access to technology and diversity in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

Leone has ambitions to lead her own projects with gender balance front and centre. She is also a passionate teacher and mentor with active involvement across various industry organisations and associations.

Mentor of the Year Award

Winner: Kirstin Reblin

Opal transformation general manager Kirstin Reblin has been described as the embodiment of the Mentor of the Year Award.

Reblin has tirelessly fostered female talent at Opal across all functional areas, hierarchy levels, and sites, ensuring inclusivity and empowerment at every turn.

Serving as a National Association of Women in Operations (NAWO) mentor since 2020, Reblin has spearheaded the expansion of mentoring programs, including the driving of Opal’s NAWO Mentoring initiative and engaging senior leaders to participate as mentors.

Her dedication to fostering diversity is evident in the creation of the ‘Thinking Diversity: Women at Opal’ program in September 2022, a network which boasted over 450 members in March 2024.

Industry Advocate Award

Winner: Steph Gee

Steph Gee is a sparkling example of grassroots advocacy for the national electrotechnology sector.

A fully licensed electrician and business owner, Gee has a knack for making the complex seem simple.

She actively promotes gender equality and empowerment on site while holding influential positions on national industry boards and government training and apprenticeship committees.

Through her unwavering dedication and tireless efforts, she ensures that the voices of her sector are heard and represented in the highest levels of decision-making within the electrotechnology sector and national energy market.

Excellence in Construction Award

Winner: Sinead Redmond

GeelongPort’s head of infrastructure delivery Sinead Redmond has been a qualified engineer and project manager in the construction industry for over 18 years.

She has extensive experience in project delivery across various areas and is a proven influential leader who works within business development, directing large teams and managing stakeholder expectations.

Her entrepreneurial approach and engineering background enable her to consistently develop creative solutions to complex problems.

Redmond’s advocacy and volunteering in the industry has led to changes in policies and the development of mentoring programs, reflecting her dedication to growth, gender equity, diversity, and inclusion.

Excellence in Energy Award

Winner: Vesna Olles

BOC South Pacific clean energy and strategy director Vesna Olles has been a member of BOC’s executive leadership team since October 2019.

Here, she has driven the company’s strategic direction in clean energy encompassing renewable hydrogen, alternative fuels and LNG.

In her current role, Olles has championed BOC’s efforts in clean energy, and advocated for the company’s investment in nation-building projects that will support Australia’s transition to net-zero and pave the way for the emerging hydrogen industry to develop.

Olles is a strong advocate for women in the workplace and actively mentors female colleagues in her direct team and the wider business.

Excellence in Transport Award

Winner: Anne Modderno

As the first female managing director of any Swietelsky international subsidiary, Anne Modderno has led significant progress since her appointment.

She spearheaded the development of the company’s sustainability strategy, reflecting her dedication to driving positive social and environmental impacts.

Modderno also actively advocates for inclusivity and diversity within the transport sector, promoting initiatives to increase female participation and close the gender pay gap.

Throughout her career, Modderno has demonstrated exceptional leadership, mentorship and program management skills, successfully delivering large-scale maintenance and capital projects with a steadfast commitment to excellence.

Excellence in Engineering Award

Winner: Allyson Woodford

APA engineering and planning general manager Allyson Woodford has led 355 people to support the company’s $22 billion critical energy infrastructure projects across Australia.

With more than 20 years experience in engineering, operations and business improvement, Woodford been focused on safe, affordable and lower emissions fuels for everyday Australians whether it be via gas, renewable energy or cleaner transport fuels.

Woodford’s passion for leadership is obvious, highlighted by her more than 25-year commitment to the Institution of Chemical Engineers in various leadership roles.

She is also a major supporter of universities as an industry representative and gender diversity advocate, which has seen her create award-winning in-house leadership training programs for emerging engineering leaders.

This feature appeared in the August 2024 issue of Australian Mining.