Meet our Emerging Leader Award finalist Victoria Mills
The ACE New Zealand Emerging Leader Award, sponsored by Tonkin + Taylor, recognises people who have a passion for leadership in the consulting sector, show a commitment to developing themselves, and demonstrate exceptional leadership qualities in their work and communities. Meet one of our three 2023 finalists, Victoria Mills.
Victoria has more than nine years' experience in three waters engineering, specialising in stormwater design.
As Associate Environmental Engineer and Water Team Leader based in Beca’s Tauranga office, she is currently leading major deliverables in the stormwater design for Takitimu Northern Link – one of the most significant infrastructure projects in the Bay of Plenty. She also leads a team of 13 professionals of various career levels in the local water team.
Since she graduated the University of Canterbury in 2013 with a BE(Hons) Natural Resources Engineering, First Class Honours, Victoria has been an asset to Beca’s water team. She impressed her colleagues immediately with her intelligence, communication and organisation skills, and passion for contributing to consulting engineering. And she has consistently aligned with the industry’s culture of collaboration, commitment, tenacity and community value.
Victoria is an exceptional ‘all-rounder’ engineer. Not only can she undertake the grunty calculations, she can also co-ordinate, communicate, ideate, integrate, lead and inspire others with her enthusiasm and commitment. In stormwater engineering she demonstrates strong technical ability and a holistic approach to understanding the communities and environments affected by projects, and client drivers. Her thoughtful application of engineering solutions is evident in her volunteer work in the Cook Islands and her work seconded to Waimakariri District Council working in the community after damaging floods.
Overall, Victoria is an outstanding consulting engineer, team leader, mentor, ambassador, advocate for our industry and people, and role model for young engineers. She is empathetic and supportive towards her colleagues, an effective and impactful communicator, and is committed to improving outcomes for communities through her projects.
The winner of the 2023 Emerging Leader Award will be announced at the ACE Awards Gala in Wellington on Thursday 21 September.