Thank you to all the incredible speakers who shared their expertise and insights at the 2024 IPWEA-QNT Annual Conference. Your contributions made this event an exceptional experience for our attendees.
We are thrilled to announce the 2024 Geoff Wilmoth Best Paper Award Winner: Kalan Shuttlewood, for his presentation Restoration of the Cape Tribulation - Bloomfield Road after TC Jasper; collaboration between Douglas Shire Council and TMR. This award is named in honour of Geoff Wilmoth, a founding member of IPWEA-QNT and a pioneer in Queensland's public works sector.
Congratulations to Kalan and a huge thank you to everyone who made this conference a success. We look forward to seeing you all again next year!
Claire Wells
Senior Asset Engineer, Ventia
Claire has been employed with Ventia for four years, currently as an Asset Engineer on multiple contracts including the Road Asset Management Contract, Brisbane Airport Contract, and Port of Brisbane in the South Coast Region. Prior to this role, she gained valuable experience at Gold Coast City Council as a student engineer, where she contributed to various projects in the Transport and Infrastructure Engineering Design branch, Survey services and Geotechnical Services.
Chris Wignall
Head of Sales, Asset Vision
With a passion for partnering with clients to achieve meaningful business outcomes, Chris brings over 20 year’s experience across software, digital transformation, and operations and maintenance. Currently with Asset Vision, a 100% Australian business, Chris supports clients through innovation with their leading EAM platform that all Asset Teams love to use. Specialising in the needs of state and local government as well as the commercial sector, Chris combines industry insight and a results-driven approach to address today’s unique challenges and drive transformative change in infrastructure management.
Mr Joel Devey
Assets Manager, Proterra Group
Joel is the Assets Manager within the Asset Management team at Proterra Group. From 10 years within the industry, he has a broad range of skills including technical writing, engineering account management, mechanical drafting, procurement, sales, and logistics.
His strengths are communicating with technical and non-technical colleagues, grasping a wide range of sales, commercial, technical, operational, and legal concepts and bringing them together to form proposals.
Mr David Mitchell
GIS Officer, Proterra Group
David is a GIS Officer within the Asset Management Team at Proterra Group.
He has experience with ArcGIS, ArcPro, QGIS and ERDAS software, as well as data analysis and modelling and Basic SQL, Javascript and Python programming.
As a Geospatial Graduate, David is experienced in the support and management of spatial datasets, digitising of new spatial data into existing spatial datasets, updating and maintenance of existing and new attribute data within spatial datasets, and asset mapping.
Mr Nick Ehrlich
Infrastructure Manager, Wagner Corporation
Nick is the Infrastructure Manager of Wagner Corporation’s infrastructure and utility service’s. His role is asset manager of all privately owned/operated high voltage electricity network, potable and non-potable water supply, wastewater treatment plant and pressure sewer network, gas and fibre/data assets at the Wellcamp Business Park.
He has over 20 years experience in civil, construction and infrastructure/asset management industries, working previously for TMR/RoadTek, Local Government and Ergon Energy.
He has recently completed IPWEA’s Asset and Infrastructure Planning Certificates as Wagner Corporation gears up to focus on improving their whole of business asset management systems and practises.
Leigh Carnall
Director, Civiltech Solutions
Leading the delivery of civil infrastructure projects across Australia and overseas for over 20 years. Projects such as local and state road construction & maintenance, tailings dams, mine development, airports, disaster reconstruction, water storage dams, urban development and works for local authorities.
Throughout his career, Leigh has shown a commitment to delivering value for money and implementing successful methodologies, while rendering technical assistance to councils and mentoring future talents within the field. Regardless of the project scope, his focus remains steadfast on offering superior service, proving his dependability and strong work ethic.
Enhancing Timely Delivery of Civil Infrastructure Projects: A Methodology Modification Approach
Mr Ali Shadman
Principal Officer (scheduling), Ipswich City Council
Ali Shadman is a seasoned professional with a wealth of experience in program delivery within the capital environment. As a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ), a Chartered Professional Engineer (Mechanical), and a MSPM and PRINCE2 Practitioner, he brings a comprehensive skill set to his work.
Throughout his career, Ali has successfully navigated both the private and public sectors. His expertise spans diverse industries, including oil and gas, water and wastewater, and local government. Since 2017, he has been at the helm of the scheduling team at the Ipswich City Council, where he continues to drive excellence in project management and delivery.
Erin Goetz
Project Lead - (Asset Management), Ipswich City Council
With over 15 years local government experience and as an improvement focused project lead and asset management professional, Erin currently leads Ipswich City Council’s Effective Asset Management project. Erin’s areas of focus include infrastructure asset management, governance and change management. She is recognised within Ipswich City Council for service excellence in collaborative practices. Erin was successful in obtaining an IPWEA Future of Asset Management Scholarship for 2024.
Dr Meg Hooper
CEO and Principal Psychologist, Carousel Consulting
A registered Psychologist with a PhD in Organisational Psychology, Dr Meg Hooper has more than 20 years’ of experience consulting across private and government sectors in both internal and external consulting psychologist roles. Her areas of expertise are organisational change management at project, team and organisational levels, and building individual and team resilience and powerful cultures. Her particular focus is on building cultures of collaboration.
Oliver Pring
General Manager Council Sustainability, Scenic Rim Regional Council
In a career in local government spanning more than 17 years, Oliver has served in senior managerial roles at Whitsunday Regional Council and Burke Shire Council. Oliver holds a Bachelor of Management degree from James Cook University and has achieved post-graduate diplomas in Project and Financial Management and is also a Justice of the Peace (Qualified) Queensland. Oliver continues his learning by studying in his spare time to attain his CPA Australia accreditation along with being part of Local Government Association of Queensland's Financial Governance & Asset Management Adisory Group.
Oliver’s role, as part of Scenic Rim Regional Council’s Executive Management Team, provides guidance in areas of financial sustainability, long-term financial forecasting, asset management, governance, rates and rates modelling, internal audit, procurement, information and technology services as well as Council’s disaster management functions.
Michael Shellshear
Engineering Manager, Proterra Group Pty Ltd
Mick is an experienced civil engineer and project manager based in Goondiwindi. His technical skills have been developed over many years, working across a diverse of civil engineering projects in Southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
His main area of interest is water and wastewater engineering but has worked on everything from stormwater to waste facilities to levee banks and swimming pools.
Mick began his career in 2008 at the Toowoomba Regional Council, then working for the Balonne Shire Council before shifting to the private sector in 2016. A highlight of Mick’s career was winning the IPWEAQ young engineer of the year in 2019.
Mick leads a team of engineers, technical officers, designers and field staff at Proterra Group.
Nathaniel is a communications and engagement professional experienced working in both the public and private sectors. This includes a period as the engagement lead for Queensland’s engineering regulator where he led the organisation’s engagement with engineers, engineering firms and government. In the private sector he has consulted to clients in agriculture and forestry, technology, infrastructure, mining and resources. His work in stakeholder engagement has been recognised by the International Association for Public Participation. He takes a logical, and process driven approach to communications and engagement, involving stakeholders and end users to achieve real outcomes that matter to them.
Sue Monk
Group Executive, Articulous Communications
Ryan Dermek
Senior Coastal Engineer, Water Technology Pty Ltd
Ryan is currently a chartered Senior Coastal Engineer at Water Technology, who has over 10 years of experience in coastal engineering. Ryan’s work history is split between consulting and working in local government, having previously spent four years at Moreton Bay Regional Council.
His previous role at Council included managing a portfolio of coastal defence assets consisting of 25km of public seawalls, while also being involved in the management of Northern Moreton Bay and Bribie Island beaches, jetties, boat ramps and outfalls. Whilst at Water Technology, Ryan’s recent work has included completing numerous regional and local-scale coastal hazard assessments. He has also managed a full spectrum of coastal design projects, including concept designs, detailed designs and construction supervision of nature-based engineering solutions, rock and geotextile bag seawalls, groynes, breakwaters, and sand nourishment engineering solutions.
Richard Sharp
Group Lead | Climate Risks And Approvals | Principal Planner
Richard has experience of both the UK and Australia environmental planning industry specialising in land use planning in integrated water cycle and flood risk management policy. He has delivered multi-disciplinary projects within local government and public sector aimed reducing flood risk, implementing sustainable development and land use outcomes. He has held positions in project management and strategic planning within in the water resources and flood and coastal risk management sectors in the UK and Queensland and as an urban planner in Brisbane.
As a development assessment officer, Richard has developed a working knowledge of the Queensland planning framework including the Sustainable Planning Act (2009), Planning Act 2016, State Planning Regulatory Policy and local government planning scheme codes and policies.
James O'kane
Managing Director, Arrayen
James is a co-founder of Arrayen and holds a degree in Civil Engineering and a Master's in Data Science. As the Machine Learning and GIS Lead, he brings considerable expertise in GIS software application and has developed several custom programs for creating, visualizing, and analyzing spatial data. His proficiency in programming languages like Python enables him to manage complex data sets and implement specialized analysis and Machine Learning algorithms. Prior to co-founding Arrayen, James accumulated 20 years of experience as a Civil Engineer, delivering intricate infrastructure projects, including NDRRA programs for local governments, multidisciplinary projects for the Department of Transport and Main Roads, and major utility providers.
Matthew Arnold
Director, Redfrost
Matt is a RPEQ and Chartered Professional Engineer with over 15 years of infrastructure project delivery experience. Matt has a Masters of Project Management which, together with his hands on experience, provides him with the detailed knowledge and skills to deliver complex projects. He has extensive project management experience on large projects and programs of works providing input to and management of projects during business case, design and construction phases. Matt has a strong focus on providing quality outcomes for the community while maintaining value for money for clients and ensuring stakeholders are properly consulted and engaged. He is committed to ensuring work places are safe and actively engages project team members with a focus on leaving behind a positive legacy on any project.
Zachary FitzChance
Senior Engineer | Road Infrastructure Planning, City of Logan
Jim O'Dea
Operations Manager, Proterra Group
Ren Niemann
Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright
With over 27 years of experience in helping governments with procurements and navigating difficult contracts, Ren will provide insight into how to best plan and manage your procurements to ensure the outcomes being sought are best achieved.
Tom Grogan
Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright
Jason Deller
Customer Success and Senior Transport Engineer, AMAG
David Wiskar
Program Director, qldwater
Graduating with a Bachelors Degree in Engineering (Civil) from the University of Queensland, Karen has extensive experience in the pipe and precast industry in both Australia and overseas, including the design, supply, installation, marketing and business management of civil precast concrete and a range of pipe materials including concrete, plastic, vitrified clay and steel.. Karen chairs Australian Standards Committee WS006 Concrete Pipes, and is a member of CE-026 Precast Box Culverts.
Greg Oliver
Program Manager - Water Quality, Great Barrier Reef Foundation
Greg has a strong focus on delivering results and outcomes for improved environment and natural resource management. He has a wealth of experience as a senior manager in government, research, consulting and not-for-profit organisations. He is strengths are policy development, program design, and evaluation. He has undertaken these activities across a diversity of program areas over more than 25 years, including: Climate change adaptation programs; Sustainable catchment management; Recycled water policy and regulation; and Drinking water policy and regulation. He enjoys applying his knowledge and experience to complex problems, engaging with stakeholders and developing solutions.
Megan Forrest
Manager, Funded Projects
Local Government Association of Queensland
Megan is a dynamic leader passionate about driving positive change in communities across Queensland. As the Manager of Funded Projects, Megan oversees a diverse and knowledgeable team dedicated to delivering on-the-ground solutions to pressing community issues in partnership with local governments. Megan brings over 10 years of project management experience and supports her team in delivering projects ranging from local housing, water quality for the Great Barrier Reef, coastal hazard adaptation and domestic and family violence prevention. A key project within this portfolio is the Cleaner Road Runoff project, a key initiative as part of LGAQ’s Reef Council Rescue Plan. You can connect with Megan via LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/meganjforrest
Bill Johnson
Director, Strategic Environmental and Engineering Consulting
Bill is SEEC’s Senior Civil Engineer and is an expert in Surface Water Management, Flood Assessment & Management, and Erosion and Sediment Control. With over 30 years’ experience in stormwater management, he has acquired key technical skills through the independent assessments of erosion and sediment control works for transport projects and advised mitigation measures for poorly functioning erosion and sediment control measures.
Jeff Shellberg
South Cape York Catchments
Dr. Jeff Shellberg is a fluvial geomorphologist and hydrologist with 25 years of field experience researching river and land use management issues. For the last 15 years in northern Australia, Jeff has been investigating the causes of soil and gully erosion, developing best management practices for land management on erodible soils, and implementing practical rehabilitation options. His recent work has focused on measuring water quality impacts on the Great Barrier Reef. This has included high-resolution measurement of road erosion on a variety of unsealed road types and their contribution to downstream sediment loads.
Mr David Fulton
Senior Engineer - Infrastructure Planning, Bundaberg Regional Council
Mrs Melanie Venter
Principal Engineer, NTRO
Melanie commenced employment with NTRO in 2021. She forms part of the Safer Smarter Infrastructure business group, leading the Queensland road safety team. Melanie has both a Bachelor of Engineering Degree (Civil) and a Masters Degree in Transport Studies. She is registered as a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Australia and an RPEQ.
Melanie has led multi-disciplinary teams and is well-acquainted with all project management aspects. Her main duties at NTRO include project managing complex multi-discipline projects, client liaison, stakeholder engagement, risk management, team leadership and mentoring.
Melanie has previously worked in private, public and academic sectors. She has worked on projects for various government sectors in Australia, including Councils, State Departments of Transport, the federal government as well as private entities. She has delivered several road safety projects including Bundaberg Regional Council's Network Safety Plan project, road safety research work for TMR and currently working on automating the Australian Level Crossing Assessment Model for DTP.
Keith’s role as national Program Lead for AusRAP is to provide the leadership, coordination and governance activity that supports implementation of the AusRAP strategy and business plan; supporting AusRAP members, partners and stakeholders; promoting the vision of iRAP for a world free from high-risk roads and also ensuring AusRAP activity is in accordance with iRAP standards.
Alan is based in Hobart on secondment to Austroads from Tasmania’s Department of State Growth. Alan brings with him more than five years of experience in road safety policy and projects including experience in developing road safety strategies, managing infrastructure programs, and analysing road safety infrastructure risk. Alan has a professional and personal interest in data-driven sustainable transport that provides for the safe and efficient movement of people for both leisure and work.
Mr Tom Sanders
Project Manager Operations & Assets, SHEPHERD
Mark Habel
Technical Manager, Plasson
Andrew has broad ranging experience in the military and private sector in operational, strategic, corporate governance and project management roles. He has successfully led large-scale, multi-national projects and managed significant budgets including the Australian Army’s contribution to regional and domestic disaster relief efforts as well as security at Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and Papua New Guinea APEC summit, large defence acquisition projects, and a strategic transformation project at a large Defence Prime in Australia.
He is skilled in both strategy and policy and capability management and enjoys working with local councils and communities in Queensland.
Ms Vina Varsani is an accomplished senior executive who has a passion for delivering positive outcomes for Queenslanders. Vina had ten years’ experience in corporate banking before transitioning into the State government sector 12 years ago. Motivated by delivering tangible and relatable outcomes, Vina thrives on seeing strategy and policy merge to create exceptional community results.
Vina joined the QRA in October 2022 and in the role of General Manager, Resilience and Recovery. Vina oversees the Resilience and Recovery Policy and Program design unit, the Hazard and Risk unit which includes GIS, Disaster Risk Management and Flood Risk Management and the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program. Vina is passionate about developing best practice, evidence-based strategies and policies to help communities be ready, resilient and recover stronger from disaster events.
Mrs Brianna Barnett
Senior Works Manager, Western Downs Regional Council
Brianna has 18years experience of civil construction experience across the private and public sector in Queensland and Western Australia. Brianna has a diverse range of civil experience completing road projects, bulk earthworks, coal and iron ore mining, oil and gas, agricultural projects and subdivisions. Brianna strives for innovative and practical solutions that with the client’s / ratepayers' objectives.
Outside of work Brianna enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, playing sport and will most likely be found at a netball or rugby carnival. She has recently completed the Three Capes Track in Tasmania and is planning to undertake the Overland Track.
Mr Scott Pomerenke
Director, Brandon & Associates
Scott is currently a Senior Civil Engineer and Director with Brandon and Associates. He has over 25 years' experience of working closely with state and local authorities including Western Downs Regional Council, the Department of Main Roads and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, working on a variety of government and private projects. Scott is a strong advocate for local solutions, with extensive experience using non-standard pavement materials. Scott’s history with rural communities is one of his biggest strengths, enabling him to create understanding relationships with local communities on projects with high community/stakeholder engagement. His results driven focus is a feature of the teams he leads.
Mr Christopher Cleary
Principal Engineer, Central Downs Civil
Chris is a Member of IPWEAQNT, IEAust and an RPEQ.
Chris established Central Downs Civil in early 2022 to provide independent, professional civil engineering services on the Darling Downs and beyond.
Outside of work, when he’s not being ignored or labelled lame by his three teenage children, he can be found on his farm or strolling golf courses in perpetual pursuit of improvement of his very poor golf skills.
Darron Irwin
This role is the latest in a series he has held at Townsville City Council since 2002, including coordination of the Strategic Infrastructure Planning Unit, and various management positions in strategic planning, land development and hydraulic services. He has also held civil engineering positions at Cairns City Council and Darwin City Council, collecting 28 years experience in local government engineering.
Darron holds a Master of Engineering (civil). He is a Chartered Professional Engineer and is a Member of the Institution of Engineers Australia.
Neels Kloppers
Josh Lawrence
Civil Engineer, Stantec
Josh's off-field passion for team sport has instilled strong organisational and communicative skillsets, developing a conscientious character. He is a keen writer, keeping friends and family in the UK updated through a blog.
Lincoln Redgen
Project Manager, Durack Civil
Lincoln has developed a career in the Civil Engineering and Construction sector with experience in a diverse range of projects and clients. Proficient in areas of Project Management, Engineering, Operations, Asset Management, developed in the early stages of his career with Shadforth. Lincoln brings his complex infrastructure experience to Durack Civil where he efficiently and safely delivers civil projects for Councils and State Authorities. Over 8 years’ experience in the civil industry working on various projects from $500K to $16.5M in value including experience in bulk earthworks, stabilisation, concrete structures, pavements, road surfacing, drainage, environmental & cultural heritage & traffic management.
Raad Jarjees
Manager Works, Somerset Regional Council
With over 20-years’ experience, Kalan specialises in managing the construction of roads and bridges and has delivered numerous infrastructure projects in remote and regional areas of Queensland.Kalan is well-versed in collaborative approaches to project delivery, often as an internal contractor for TMR and also by partnering with other state government departments and local government authorities.
Grant Vaughan
Coordinator Civil Design, Rockhampton Regional Council
Grant has been working and studying in roles relevant to Civil Engineering since completing High School in 1989, accumulating over 30 years of knowledge and experience in various disciplines. He has been employed in his current role as Civil Design Coordinator at Rockhampton Regional Council since 2008.
Grant commenced his career as a Cadet Hydrographer with the Queensland Water Resources Commission in 1990, before working for 5 years in different roles as a Soiltester.
In 1996, he commenced work as a Civil Technician with engineering consultants Arup in their Brisbane office. In 1999, he commenced work as a Civil Designer with Rockhampton City Council, continuing in similar roles until appointed to a management role in November 2008.
Katie Fletcher
Associate | Senior Stormwater Engineer, Arup
Kyle Thomson
Senior Specialist Water Engineer, City Of Gold Coast
Tuyet Pham
Senior Specialist Stormwater Engineer, City of Gold Coast
Trevor Distin
Technical and Marketing Manager, COLAS
Stephen Mallows
Deputy Chief Engineer (Pavements, Materials and Geotechnical), Department of Transport and Main Roads
Timothy Fichera
Senior Engineer Program Management, Bundaberg Regional Council
Tim is Bundaberg Regional Council’s Senior Stormwater Engineer and Stormwater Infrastructure Planning Team Lead. He has nearly 20 years’ experience working in civil engineering planning and design in both private and public sectors. Tim is a Chartered RPEQ and is passionate about sustainable engineering practices that seek to provide a better future for our children. With the support and assistance of Management, Tim is leading Council’s Engineering Services shift towards nature-based infrastructure solutions. Tim has lived in Bundaberg his whole life and is bringing up a young family in the region.
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