Discover how the 2025 Women in Industry Awards winners are delivering engineering excellence across energy, transport, and infrastructure.
Held in Melbourne on 19 June, the 2025 Women in Industry Awards celebrated achievement, leadership, and innovation across Australia’s industrial sectors. The gala night recognised professionals who are delivering results, solving complex challenges, and driving industry forward. For the pump sector, several winners stood out for their contributions to operational excellence, infrastructure delivery, and strategic advancement across highly technical environments.
Tammy O’Connor named Woman of the Year
The night’s highest honour, Woman of the Year, was awarded to Tammy O’Connor, Managing Director of KingKira Group. Already the recipient of the Business Development Success Award, O’Connor’s leadership has helped redefine operational standards in maintenance and contracting services across Western Australia.
With a background spanning on-ground operations to executive strategy, O’Connor has expanded KingKira into a respected Indigenous-owned company serving major mining and infrastructure projects. Her business acumen is matched by a commitment to social procurement, particularly in creating employment pathways for Aboriginal people.
“I think it’s important that women live the industry,” O’Connor said. “I think we do things a lot differently, and it shows that we come from a maternal place and making all those changes.”
Her dual wins reflect a leadership approach that combines commercial growth with lasting sector impact. This blend of performance and purpose continues to shape the evolution of Australia’s infrastructure industries.
Engineering and energy sectors spotlight strategic innovation
The 2025 awards also recognised professionals working at the cutting edge of engineering and energy, sectors that underpin many of the pump industry’s core applications. Two recipients stood out for their ability to lead across complex technical environments.
Stacey Daniel, winner of the Excellence in Engineering award, is the Managing Director of Board Presence. Daniel has developed a reputation for her progress and advancement of the engineering leadership, innovation, careers, professional standards and skills. As a subject matter expert, she is often called upon to apply her engineering knowledge, insights and experiences for the benefit of other engineers and the profession.
Suzanne Shipp, recognised with the Excellence in Energy award, oversees large-scale project delivery at APA Group, one of Australia’s major energy infrastructure organisations. She actively advocates for women’s advancement in the energy sector through mentoring, leadership development, creating inclusive cultures, and community engagement.
“I’m really excited to see how industry caters for women these days, and how you can have a much better balance, but not just for women, but for men, who are parents as well,” Shipp said. “I do advocate for more engineers in board decision-making and how things happen at all sorts of levels. We must have people with technical skills around the table.”
Their contributions underscore the importance of technical innovation in maintaining efficiency, reliability, and long-term performance throughout the asset lifecycle.
Construction, transport, and mining professionals recognised
Pumps play a crucial role in delivering water, wastewater, and transporting materials across Australia’s infrastructure networks. This year’s winners in construction, transport, and mining demonstrate the importance of sector expertise and operational leadership in delivering these outcomes.
Isolde Piet, awarded Excellence in Construction, plays a key role in the Suburban Connect alliance, part of the Suburban Rail Loop in Victoria. She is now leading the world’s first all-women Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) crew, which is one of eight TBM crews that will dig the 16-kilometre twin tunnels on SRL East’s southern section between Cheltenham and Glen Waverley.
Kirryn Crossman, Principal Engineer at SMEC, was recognised with the Excellence in Transport award. Based in Queensland, Crossman has led multi-disciplinary teams in delivering complex infrastructure projects, focusing on technical excellence and sustainability. She has played pivotal roles in the design and delivery of major transport infrastructure across Queensland, helping to shape safer, more sustainable, and community-focused transport systems.
“I love my job,” Piet said. “I’d love it to be extended to the whole audience, and to the women in this country. It’s an awesome, awesome industry to be part of.”
In the mining sector, Becky May Felstead received the Excellence in Mining award for her leadership in mental health programs through Strong Minds, Strong Mines. Over the past year, she visited more than 45 mine sites and spoke to over 20,000 workers, delivering over 300 talks. Her work focuses on improving mental health, preventing suicide, and creating respectful, inclusive workplaces.
Each winner represents a different facet of infrastructure excellence, whether through project delivery, asset stewardship, or workforce wellbeing.
Manufacturing and industry advocacy awards highlight system-wide impact
Excellence in manufacturing and advocacy was also recognised, with winners whose work contributes to national capabilities and long-term industry resilience.
Naomi Elliott, Chief Executive Officer of Concept Labs, received the Excellence in Manufacturing award. As Co-Founder of Suncoast Biochem, Naomi is pioneering circular manufacturing by converting agricultural waste into high-performance, clean-label ingredients using solar-powered, biotech-driven processes.
“For me, manufacturing is not just about processes,” Elliot said. “It’s about culture, a culture where women can lead confidently, where innovation is values-led, and where success includes impact, not just output. I’ve seen a powerful ripple effect that happens when women are supported, visible and generally empowered to lead.”
Eileen Breen, of NTEX, was recognised with the Industry Advocacy Award. As President of the Waste and Recycling Industry Association NT and cofounder of NTEX, she has championed circular economy opportunities through policy advocacy, industry education, and practical demonstration. Breen has contributed to national conversations around skills shortages, inclusion, and future workforce planning – issues that directly impact pump and infrastructure businesses across Australia.
Their achievements remind us that sector advancement is not just about technical systems. It also relies on forward-thinking leadership, capacity-building, and policy engagement. From strategic infrastructure projects to energy system upgrades, the 2025 Women in Industry Awards showcased excellence in action.
For the pump sector and its adjacent industries, these stories highlight the importance of leadership grounded in knowledge, discipline, and collaboration. Technical strength, when paired with clear vision and practical execution, delivers results that benefit the entire sector.
