The finalists for the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia’s 2025 Women in Resources Awards have officially been revealed.
The annual awards ceremony, now in its 16th year, showcases the individuals and companies breaking the mold and leading the charge for change in the state’s resources sector.
More than 80 nominations were received across six award categories, with a panel of industry judges selecting the finalists.
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
CME Chief Executive Officer, Rebecca Tomkinson, said the six award categories recognised professional excellence and the people, programs and initiatives driving greater female participation in mining.
“Women are integral to Western Australia’s resources sector, and their significant contributions are underscored by the calibre of finalists for WIRA 2025,” Ms Tomkinson said.
“From crane operators to chemical engineers and CEOs, it is encouraging to see women increasingly represented across a broader range of roles than even a decade ago.”
The CME’s latest Diversity and Inclusion Report, released in September, found that women accounted for nearly one in four jobs (24.8 per cent) among surveyed members in 2023. This represents a significant improvement on 17.8 per cent in 2015.
Ms Tomkinson said WIRA celebrates success stories while acknowledging the immense effort that has gone into creating a more welcoming and appealing sector for 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, but their industry-leading expertise, professionalism and leadership are invaluable to the sector as a whole.”
The 2025 Women in Resources Awards dinner will be held at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Thursday 13 February.
