Past Emerging Leader Award winners

Find out more about our past Emerging Leader Award winners. 

2023

Winner - Victoria Mills, Associate Environmental Engineer and Water Team Leader, Beca

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.

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.

Finalist - Cameron Chapman, Market Leader and Principal Engineer, ElectroNet

As the Market Leader and Principal Engineer at ElectroNet, Cameron is driving sustainable solutions into the world by using engineering as a platform to improve the environment and empower those around him. He is successfully delivering leading edge technology projects at the forefront of New Zealand’s electricity sector. Cameron applies his vision and insights to develop innovative solutions for engineering and wider environmental issues. He is consistently looking for ways to incorporate Te Ao Māori principles and share his knowledge to ensure the engineering profession thrives for generations to come.

Cameron is the Market Leader - Distribution at ElectroNet Consulting. He leads a high performing team of 14 engineers who are aligned by a shared purpose to deliver quality results for their clients. He uses his customer centric nature and ability to truly understand customer requirements and deliver positive outcomes for clients and communities. Cameron has previously held leadership roles at WEL Networks and Genesis Energy where he led and successfully delivered a number of strategic projects.

Cameron was elected as a Young Professional Leader at the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) General Meeting and is currently involved in strategic planning for the organisation. He was named as the Young Engineer of the Year by the EEA in 2022, and in 2019 was a finalist for Engineering New Zealand’s Young Engineer of the Year.

Cameron is heavily involved in responsibilities with Engineering New Zealand. He is currently the Treasurer, and has recently been the Chair of the Engineering New Zealand Canterbury Branch. He previously held a three-year tenure as Chair of the Waikato Branch where his vision and drive for diverse events resulted in quadrupling member engagement.

Finalist - Durgadevi Ragupathy, Lead Engineer, Aurecon

Durga is a Lead Engineer at Aurecon and has worked for multiple engineering consultancies around New Zealand. Durga holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering Degree and a Master of Disaster Management Degree from the University of Auckland.  

Working on multi-disciplinary and various sized projects and consultancies has allowed Durga to gain an understanding of the different stages of a project. Durga has successfully completed numerous projects from application to conclusion by working closely with her team, colleagues, clients and third parties through open channels of communication.  

Durga is a passionate individual that applies her knowledge and experience and strives to make a difference. She has learned to prioritise what is important and to make difficult decisions based on her beliefs and values. It has taught her to have the courage of her convictions, qualities that are essential for any leader. Her volunteering experiences have contributed to her personal growth and understanding of the importance of representation. Durga’s focus on individual impact and addressing social issues demonstrate a community-oriented leadership style. 

2022

  • Winner - Louisa Bloomer, Regional Digital Practice Lead for Asia-Pacific, Stantec
  • Finalist - Justine Quinn, Technical Director for Freshwater Science and Ecology, Tonkin + Taylor
  • Finalist - Jordan Reynolds, Director, Tactical Group

2021

  • Winner - Ryan Orr, Regional Leader Bay of Plenty and Waikato, GHD
  • Finalist - Courtney Chapman, Associate Structural Engineer, Beca
  • Finalist - Glenn Jowett, Technical Director and Digital Engineering Advisor, Beca

2020

  • Winner - Simon Fenton, Service Line Leader - Project Delivery, WSP
  • Finalist - Kezia Lloyd, Head of Specialist Services, WSP
  • Finalist - Amy Patterson-Horner, Business Group Leader - Hawke's Bay, GHD 

2019

  • Winner - Chris Maguire, Stantec
  • Finalist - Rebecca McMahon, Beca
  • Finalist - Steve Roskruge, Beca 

2018

  • Winner - Weng Yuen Kam, Beca
  • Finalist - Robert Lane, Lewis Bradford
  • Finalist - Thomas Small, Jacobs 

2017

  • Winner - Clare Tolan, Harrison Grierson 
  • Finalist - Catherine Morar, Aurecon 
  • Finalist - Carla O'Donnell, WSP 
  • Finalist - Steph McLeod, Stantec 

2016

  • Winner - Jenson Varghese, MRCagney
  • Finalist - Matt Bishop, BVT
  • Finalist - Andrea Jarvis, Holmes Consulting