We welcomed three fantastic judges per category to interview each of our finalists on 12 December. Unanimously, they agreed on the winner for their category using a scoring system and open discussion.
All of our judges have been invited to join us at the awards ceremony on Thursday, 20 February 2025.
Adrienne Houston
Accunea Ltd
Adrienne Houston is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer, Fellow at the IET and Winner of the YWE Diversity Ambassador Award 2023.
She is the Company Director at Eurovacuum Products Ltd., specialising in high vacuum and low pressure compressor systems and vacuum evaporator for the biogas, automotive and chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
In 2023 Adrienne become the Chief Innovation Officer at Accunea Ltd a MedTech start up developing organ transplantation monitoring device which ensure no good organ is discarded.
Adrienne is a Royal Academy of Engineering Visiting Professor at the University of Birmingham School of Engineering and Business Mentor at the AFBE-UK and Brunel University WIBEC program.
Christopher Knibb
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and WISE Director
Chris is the Director of Governance and External Engagement at The IET. He joined the IET in 2017 as Head of Corporate Communications with responsibility for Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, external and internal communications, and government relations.
He has overseen a host of award-winning campaigns during his time at the IET aimed at improving diversity in our sector and inspiring the next generation.
Claire Riley
Sellafield
Claire has over 30 years of Engineering experience in the Nuclear Sector starting out as an Apprentice Instrument Mechanic with Sellafield Ltd in 1992.
She is now the Technical Process and Compliance Requirements Owner for Sellafield but over the years she has had many roles including Control System Engineer, Control Systems Team Manager, Head of Outage Management and Site Integration, and Head of Asset Management Delivery.
Claire is a past winner of the Women’s Engineering Society Prize and Finalist for the Young Woman Engineer of the Year.
Currently Claire is a member of the Sellafield WES Team as the Early Careers Lead, supporting younger Engineers within the company and STEM activities in the local community.
Dawn Ohlson
Dawn is an experienced and highly motivated Systems Engineer with 20+ years of experience in senior technical and leadership roles in the UK and France, with a proven track record of defining and delivering solutions to complex problems.
Elysha Paige
Bloody Good Employers
Elysha is a Director of the social enterprise Bloody Good Employers, working closely with organisations to improve their policy, culture and communications around menstrual health in the workplace.
She also supports the internal team with the parent charity Bloody Good Period in their work to get period products and education to refugees, asylum seekers, and those who need it across the UK.
Elysha contributed to the award-winning BSI Menstruation, Menstrual Health and Menopause guidance, which has been downloaded in over 80 countries to support organisations in improving their support for menstrual health.
Elysha lives with Adenomyosis, which further fuels her activism.
Fiona Clark
Leonardo
Fiona is the Head of Capability at Leonardo. She started her career in the defence industry over 40 years ago and is recognised internationally as an Electronic Warfare (EW) expert, designing and optimising equipment to protect front-line aircraft from missile attacks.
She has presented many technical papers, making this complex subject accessible to all. A passionate supporter of STEM in action, Fiona has led many school and university engagements, inspiring future generations and showing the many fun careers to be had in engineering!
In 2024, Fiona won the Princess Royal’s WISE Lifetime Achievement Award.
Ivan Marziano
Paricology
Despite not yet fulfilling his childhood dream of acquiring superpowers through an experiment gone south, Ivan has enjoyed a successful 25+ year career as a pharmaceutical chemist.
An internationally recognised leader in crystallization, he has contributed to the launch of many new medicines and the introduction of novel technologies and is now serving as CSO of Particology, a Kent-based contract research organisation.
Ivan is also passionate about DEI, and he was awarded the 2024 WISE Ally Award.
Karrie Liu
Hypatia Analytics
Karrie is an award-winning mathematician and data scientist.
She was recognised with the prestigious WISE Outstanding Woman in Science Award in 2023 for her significant contributions to mathematical sciences and data-driven decision-making.
As the founder of Hypatia Analytics, Karrie combines corporate consultancy with pro bono projects, driving impactful change in healthcare, charity, and education.
As a Chinese immigrant who has overcome cultural and societal barriers, Karrie passionately advocates diversity and inclusion in STEM. She actively supports women in underrepresented fields, providing mentorship and championing equity in opportunities.
Dr Katie Perry
Chief Executive, Daphne Jackson Trust
Katie is a physicist with a background in science communication and holds a degree and PhD from the University of Surrey, where she worked with Professor Daphne Jackson, the UK’s first ever female professor of physics.
Katie became Chief Executive of the Daphne Jackson Trust in 2011, and under her leadership, it has become the UK’s leading organisation dedicated to realising the potential of returners to research careers after a career break of two years or more taken for a family, caring or health reason.
Katie sits on a number of national forums focusing on returners, and equality, diversity and inclusion and in 2022, she was awarded an honorary degree by the University of Surrey.
Katy Deacon
Katy is an award-winning Chartered Electrical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET), specialising in inclusive engineering.
A speaker with ‘infectious enthusiasm’ who speaks honestly about her disability, she shares insightful knowledge to aid the development of a more inclusive world for everyone.
Liz Collins
Pfizer
Liz first joined Pfizer as part of her undergraduate degree program, working in early product development.
Upon completing her Bachelors and Ph.D. degrees, she re-joined Pfizer as a formulation lead for the Biologics group and led a team developing mAb formulations for early studies.
Since then, Liz has held several scientific leadership positions across the pharmaceutical sciences as a drug product SME, project team leader and people manager.
In early 2021, Liz progressed into an Executive Director role with matrix accountability for the pharmaceutical sciences business in the anti-infective category. This included leading the pharmaceutical development of Paxlovid™ (Covid anti-viral).
Liz Holland
Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS)
Liz Holland is a nuclear physicist (MPhys), specialising in radiation shielding.
She is the Principal Shielding Specialist in Nuclear Transport Solutions (NTS), conducting radiation shielding and dose rate assessments to support the successful transportation of radioactive material in the UK and internationally.
She is the subject matter expert (SME) for radiation shielding within her organisation and manages a team that is responsible for modelling radiation transport through materials.
Liz is also a leader of The Shielding Forum (TSF), the UK’s industry working group on radiation shielding.
She has worked on a wide range of projects within the nuclear industry, including decommissioning, research and transport.
Lucy Elphick
Circular Economy
Lucy completed her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Surrey in 2005 and from there spent 6 years as a postdoctoral researcher and a further three years as an enzymologist in the pharmaceutical industry.
Following a career break, she returned to work as a Fellowship Advisor for the Daphne Jackson Trust, from where she moved into research support back at the University of Surrey.
She is currently Research Programme Manager for the Circular Economy group.
Mamta Singhal
Charlotte Tilbury Beauty
Mamta is a Chartered Design Engineer and a Fellow of the IET.
She is currently the Global Operations Lead for Charlotte Tilbury Beauty, supporting New Product Development, Process improvement and driving new ways of working
She started her career in the Toy sector working on various companies including Hasbro and Mattel and then moved into the FMCG space working for likes of Coca-Cola EP, Mars Chocolate on innovation, supply and sustainability projects.
She completed her Engineering Masters in 2002 and MBA in 2009.
She is hugely passionate about supporting those who are neurodiverse and promoting women in industry.
Meg Hulland
BAE Systems
Meg is a Materials Scientist and an Engineer.
She is currently the Engineering Delivery Authority for the Astute Class Submarine, supporting in-service and in-build Boats.
She started her career in the Aerospace sector working on various aircraft projects.
She completed a secondment to Royal Ordnance to broaden her experience before returning to Aerospace and onto the F35 project.
Mils Braine
Northrup Grumman UK
Mils is a Senior Principal Behavioural Research Scientist at Northrop Grumman UK and has been working in Science and Technology in the Defence sector for around 7 years.
Her work involves understanding the human in the loop across various defence problems and supports the domain through developing methodology and approaches that enhance integrating the cultural, social and cognitive factors into the systems, processes and technology adopted.
Ming Tang
NHS
Leading Data and Analytics work within the NHS, Ming is a passionate champion for improving how data is used to provide business insights and improve health and care.
She has a demonstrated history of working in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, consumer goods, retail and industrial goods.
She is a strong business transformation and change delivery professional, skilled in Strategic Transformation, Operating Model Design, Business Process, Performance Improvement, Business Planning, Analytical Skills, and IT Strategy.
Natalia Adamson
She Can Engineer
Natalia is a Senior Test Engineer at UTAC Millbrook, a Young Member Representative on the IMechE Automobile Division Board, and a dedicated volunteer at SheCanEngineer.
.
Natalie Desty
STEM Returners
Natalie is the Founder and Director of STEM Returners.
Using her extensive experience in recruitment, Natalie created a programme which developed into STEM Returners.
It has supported hundreds of people in restarting their careers in internationally renowned organisations such as BAE Systems, SSE, and Leonardo UK.
STEM Returners has received numerous awards since its creation, and Southampton Solent University awarded Natalie an honorary Doctorate of Engineering to recognise her work in increasing diversity in STEM.
Salma Alarefi
University of Leeds
Dr. Salma Al Arefi holds a PhD in Computing and Electronic Systems and a BEng in Telecommunications from the University of Essex.
She is an award-winning Lecturer in Engineering Education at School of Electronics and Electrical Engineering at University of Leeds, where she received the 2021 Teaching Award for excellence in inclusive teaching and student diversity.
Dr. Al Arefi is a finalist for the 2024 IET Young Woman Engineer Award, a Chartered Engineer, and a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, Women’s Engineering Society, and Leeds Institute for Teaching Excellence.
Sara Killingworth
The Institution of Engineering and Technology and WISE Director
Sara is the Director of Portfolio and Product Management at the IET, joining the institution in 2017 as Head of Marketing.
She has over 20 years of experience in developing and delivering new propositions, products and marketing strategies to support growth and engagement.
She has held various sales and marketing management roles, working in the publishing, telecommunications, food, education and consumer electronics sectors.
Sara is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and holds a post-graduate diploma in Marketing.
During her time at the IET, Sara has been responsible for strategic marketing, data and insight, market research and marketing operations.
She has worked on several strategic initiatives, including membership growth, the development of new products and services and, more recently, the acquisition of the WISE Campaign.
Sian Usher
ECITB
Sian is a Careers and Inclusion Officer at ECITB.
She passionately advocates for equity, diversity, and inclusion in engineering construction.
She is particularly interested in attracting, retaining, listening to and supporting all women in the workplace.
Dedicated to empowering underrepresented groups, Sian collaborates with schools, outreach organisations and employers to create meaningful opportunities and drive positive change.
Simon White
The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and WISE Director
Simon was promoted to his current role as Chief Finance Officer at The IET in August 2023, after joining the IET in 2021 as a consultant focusing on Change and Performance.
Covering finance, strategic planning, projects, property, and facilities in his remit, he also has an overarching focus on supporting the creation of a culture of continuous improvement.
Before joining the IET, Simon held several senior leadership roles in the FMCG and Retail sector, each with a strong customer and delivery focus.
From the foundation of his Management and Computer Science degree, he is a CIMA-qualified accountant with experience in delivering strategic change with a global perspective.
Tolu Oke
Diageo
Tolu has led large-scale national ID&E programmes across the charity sector, the UK construction industry, higher education, retail and most recently, tech.
In 2020, Tolu joined AWS to lead ID&E programmes across EMEA and made Amazon history by launching the first-ever Autism at Work Programme.
She served as a Global ID&E Customer Engagement Leader, where she collaborated with AWS customers through community impact partnerships, collaborative events, and executive engagements.
She is now the Global Head of Inclusion & Diversity at Diageo, partnering with senior stakeholders across multiple markets, geographies, and business functions to deliver an exciting and progressive I&D ambition for Diageo’s 30,000 colleagues, thousands of customers, and millions of consumers worldwide.
Zaheer Ahmad
BDO
Zaheer is a prominent voice in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI).
Currently serving as the Head of Unifying Culture at BDO, Zaheer has an extensive background in senior DEI roles at leading organizations, including Haleon, GSK, and Ernst & Young.
He also holds several advisory and non-executive positions with prominent organisations like the British Academy of Management, the National Health Service, and York St John University.
Additionally, Zaheer is an externally appointed member of the Toyota Motor Europe Diversity Board.
He is an Independent Panel Member with the Premier League Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Standards, supporting all 20 Premier League clubs and several English Football Leagues in embedding EDI across their organisations.