Finalists revealed for 2025 Women in Resources Awards

Thirteen inspirational individuals and three trailblazing companies have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Women in Resources Awards (WIRA).

The annual awards ceremony — now in its 16th year — showcases the champions breaking the mould and leading the charge for change in the State’s resources sector.

Organised by the Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia (CME), WIRA is a celebration of some of the best and brightest women in industry.

WA CME chief executive Rebecca Tomkinson said the six award categories recognised both professional excellence and the people, programs and initiatives driving greater female participation in mining.

“Women are integral to WA’s resources sector and their significant contributions are underscored by the calibre of finalists for WIRA 2025,” she said.

“From crane operators to chemical engineers and chief executives, it is encouraging to see women increasingly represented across a much broader range of roles than even a decade ago.”

The CME’s latest diversity and inclusion report found women accounted for nearly one in four jobs (24.8%) among surveyed members in 2023.

That was a significant improvement on 17.8% in 2015. Of note were substantial gains in the proportion of female managers (23.5% in 2023, up from 15% in 2015), machinery operators and drivers (21.4%, up from 14%) and technicians and trade workers (12.9%, up from 6%).

Ms Tomkinson says WIRA celebrates success stories while acknowledging the immense effort that has gone into creating a sector that is more welcoming and appealing to 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, their industry-leading expertise, professionalism and leadership are invaluable to the sector as a whole.”

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