2025 Branch Committee Nomination Statements

I am hoping to re-join the SA YWP committee for a second term and continue contributing to the events we hold. The past two years on the committee have given me the confidence to participate in the water community in SA;I’ve loved being apart of the community within AWA and of the community who have engaged with our events. Outside of AWA I have previously been on committees for FutureNet, internal GHD YPs, and Adelaide White Pointers Underwater Rugby club.

My areas of expertise fall mainly in water infrastructure, hydraulics and system modelling, but my interests at the moment also expand to circular economy regarding sustainable water management, groundwater and surface hydrology as well as AI integrated water solutions.

I hope that I can be re-elected as part of the AWA YWP committee to continue learning from those around and trying to make a positive impact in our community.

I am excited by the opportunity to contribute to the water sector and play a role in bringing people together for continual improvement in the way things are done in our state and nation. I am passionate about IWM and collaboration in solving the water challenges that lie ahead. I appreciate the fundamental role of strong and enduring relationships.

My background is in strategic environmental and landuse planning, and I am now in the Water Futures Team at SA Water. I have many practical skills that will support the YWP committee, and also have a lot to gain from others.

Prior to joining the water sector (2016-2022) I was a member of the SA Branch of Parks and Leisure Australia, taking on the role of President. This included strategic planning for the organisation, chairing meetings, political advocacy, seeking sponsorships, organising conferences, networking events and mentoring. I look forward to offering these skills and experience to the water sector.

As a Water Resources Management graduate from the University of South Australia and a resident on Kaurna Land, I am deeply committed to protecting our water, land, and environment. In pursuit of cross-generational water security and to facilitate livability, I am currently working with the Infrastructure Planning Strategy team at SA Water, contributing to asset management and the development of resilient water infrastructure.

To continuously grow and give back to the community, I actively participate in professional engagements, including the Ozwater'25 conference, the AWA Mentoring Program, and the Migrant Morning Tea event with YWP. In addition, I have proudly volunteered with Engineers Australia for over two years, facilitating meaningful collaborations with engineering professionals across various platforms, such as YWP through the Monthly Mixer, the upcoming Climate Smart Engineering Conference 2025 (CSE25), and serving as M.C. for the National Early Career Webinar of Engineers Australia in April 2025.

Drawing from my professional engagement and volunteering experience, I am enthusiastic about applying for the SA Young Water Professionals (YWP) Branch Committee, where I hope to make a positive impact on the water professional community in South Australia and beyond.

With strong connections to both senior leaders and a large network of emerging engineers and engineering students in South Australia and interstate, I believe I can leverage my strengths and influence to broaden engagement and promote meaningful opportunities to shape the future of the water industry and contribute to water community.

I have been a member of the AWA YWP committee for a short period now, contributing in many aspects including event organisation, event attendance, and sitting in on a careers in water panel. I'm passionate about the industry as displayed by my involvement in various STEM programs. I also bring committee experience through my time at university and internal organsational committees. The value of the AWA YWP committee is significant in the smaller Adelaide Water industry and I wish to continue to support this as part of the committee, and as Vice-char alongside Jess for the next tenure.

I am Bridget Lindsay, currently serving as the Team Manager (Pipeline and Hydraulics) at WSP. As a chartered professional engineer with nine years of experience in consulting and operations, I enjoy solving complex problems with others.

I have been a part of the YWP SA Committee for almost 4 years, during which I have led the mentoring program and served as the SA representative for the Taskforce. In this role, I have lead national initiatives such as coffee catchups and YWP webinars. Additionally, I am a member of the OzWater 2025 committee.

I am particularly interested in fostering a great network and culture of water professionals. My experiences in different working environments have highlighted the importance of authentic connections and finding purpose in our work. I get so much energy from bringing people together and helping others, and I believe this committee is a great platform to make a difference. I’m excited to see what the 2025-26 committee can deliver and build on our achievements.

I’m a current graduate at SAW and have been an AWA member since 2024, so I’m still fairly new to AWA and the water industry in general. I would love to get involved in the YWP committee and be a part of organising fun and engaging ways for YWP’s from all areas of the water industry to come together and share ideas.

I’ve attended a few YWP events in the past year with the other graduates from SAW, and being able to bring feedback and ideas from colleagues to help create future events would be an amazing opportunity.

I’m looking forward to learning more about the AWA.

I have a strong sense of service and am eager to apply my technical skills for the betterment of the wider community. With experience in Regional Operations, I aim to bring a more accessible and inclusive perspective for young professionals based in outer suburbs or regional areas who want to engage in YWP events and opportunities. I am a dedicated team player, committed to supporting initiatives that help us achieve our shared goals. As a late addition to the committee, I’ve greatly appreciated the support and am enthusiastic about continuing to contribute meaningfully to the YWP community.

I am a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at UniSA, an environmental health academic, and the current University Lead for the SA AWA Young Water Professionals Committee. My work focuses on water quality, antimicrobial resistance, and public health, with strong collaborations across government, industry, and academia. I am passionate about promoting careers in the water sector to students and early-career professionals, particularly through education, mentoring, and outreach. I’ve supported AWA initiatives such as university engagement, student awards, and career development events. I’m re-nominating to continue strengthening pathways from study to meaningful water careers, and to ensure students see the water sector as a vital and inspiring place to make a difference.

With over 18 months of experience in industry, I’ve had the opportunity to meet some amazing and influential people that display such passion for their craft. I am a mechanical engineer with a focus on hydraulic analysis, fascinated by maths and sciences. I love developing an understanding of why things happen and how this can be quantified or represented mathematically.

My attendance at various AWA events such as the most recent YWP industry night and OzWater exemplified such knowledge, passion and excellence for those who are masters of their craft. OzWater highlighted the importance of learning from the past to enable us to succeed in the present and prosper in the future. I wish to be that stepping stone between what can be achieved now based on the past to flourish in the future and enable the development of current and emerging young water professionals.

I've been part of the YWP committee for the past two years and would love to continue supporting AWA's growth and its impact on young water professionals. I'm passionate about the water industry and enjoy playing an active role in organising events that bring value to the sector here in SA

I have recently started a graduate role at Mott MacDonald with the water team in Adelaide. I graduated from the University of Adelaide last year where I had experience to be a part of the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the university table tennis club committees. I am new to the water industry and am interested in exploring and contributing to the industry. I feel that joining this committee will help me to explore and contribute to the water industry through helping the committee and creating future events which can help all the young professional's get involved in the industry.

I’ve benefited for the last 7 years from the incredible work of the YWP committee who’ve create and foster opportunities for young professionals like myself, to connect, share experiences and feel inspired to contribute to a thriving and sustainable local water industry.

I’d love the opportunity to contribute to the delivery of these inclusive events and opportunities through involvement on the YWP committee, to pay it forward and support the professional community that supported me.

I have had previous experience working on committees both within SA Water and my community. At SA Water I have had a focus on inclusion holding various positions on the Together for Women (gender equality) and Able Together (disability awareness) working groups. Within my community, I have had a focus on supporting young people through Girl Guides as a member on the Board and working in/leading the state under 30s committee.

Thankyou for your consideration

With seven years of experience in the water utility sector, I have developed a strong foundation in drinking water quality and treatment research. My work spans bench-scale studies to pilot and full-scale operations, where I apply my expertise to support innovative and effective water treatment solutions.

I’ve been part of the YWP committee for two terms now and would love the opportunity to continue for another. The events and initiatives the group puts together have been a highlight for me, and the support and energy within the YWP community always push me to do my best and give back where I can.

I am passionate about water, either when it revolves around marine ecosystems, freshwater bodies, or drinking water reservoirs. I have extensive Research experience when it comes to marine mammals, macroalgae and freshwater microalgae. I have been previously part of the Australian Fish Biology Association as an active member, and I am always keen to exchange my experience, knowledge and ideas with my peers. I believe being part of a committee formed by young professionals is crucial to help shape the future of the water industry, the environmental challenges and the World for future generations.

I am a Structural Engineer specializing in Industrial and Liquid Retaining Structures. After relocating to Adelaide in 2024, I joined the YWP group to connect with like-minded professionals. My motivation for joining the committee is to build on the excellent work already being done and to leverage my network and positive influence to further contribute to the water industry.

I started working at GHD as a Junior Water Engineer at GHD in November last year. I finished my Environmental Engineering degree last year and am finishing off my Philosophy degree part-time this year. As a quasi-graduate I don't have any present areas of expertise, but I am largely working in water resources type work. Long term I have a deep passion for and would like to work in water security, ideally from a technical area pertaining to catchment modelling, hydrology, water balancing, building water system resilience, especially with respect to climate change. I would like to join the AWA YWP committee to meet other people who share the same passion as I do, and to keep amongst all the exciting things currently happening in the water sector.

I am a passionate water professional with over five years of experience spanning bid management, stakeholder engagement, and business development within the water industry. I currently serve as Secretary and Marketing Lead for the AWA SA Young Water Professionals Committee, where I’ve contributed to growing our community and delivering high-impact events. My expertise lies in bridging technical solutions with strategic outcomes, and I am particularly interested in how innovation and infrastructure can work together to deliver meaningful value to communities. I aspire to continue contributing to the AWA through a committee role to support knowledge-sharing, cross-sector collaboration, and the development of emerging professionals in the water sector.

I, Michelle Wilson, would like to nominate as an SA YWP committee member to collaborate with other YWPs with the aim to inspire progress, facilitate education and naturally connect individuals passionate towards advancing the water industy’s future in Australia. In 2024/2025 working with other YWP Committee members I Lead Sundowners, coordinated the Forum and lead the 25 PD Event.

At GPA Engineering, I am a key working group member for identifying, assisting and progressing GPA’s water industry sector capabilities, client relationships and EPCM delivery. My passion for the water sector stems from beginning my career at Inside Infrastructure (Ricardo) working on diverse projects for clients. Additionally, my engineering honours degree project focused on carbon nanoparticles application for de-centeralized water treatment.

I’m currently a part of the YWP SA Committee and have found the experience incredibly meaningful and rewarding. Over the past nine months, I’ve been involved in bringing together impactful events such as the Skilled Migrants Morning Tea at Ozwater’25 and the State Conference. As a recipient of a YWP scholarship this year, I also had the opportunity to co-chair and support panel discussions during Ozwater'25. The committee has allowed me to give back to a community I deeply care about and helped me form valuable connections within the water industry essentially, finding my tribe. Given the chance to continue this work, I’ll bring my passion for a sustainable water future, alongside strong organizational, communication, and event management skills.

Beyond YWP, I serve as Events Officer for the Women in STEM Alumni Network, supporting graduate women through mentoring and professional growth. I’m also Vice Chair of the FutureNet SA Committee and a VIBE champion at WSP.

I am a civil and hydraulic engineer at Aurecon, embedded with SA Water for over three years. My role focuses on the engineering design of water and wastewater infrastructure to support the South Australian community. Since November 2023, I’ve been an active member of the SA YWP committee, participating in meetings, organizing events, and supporting AWA events through marketing and attendance. I am keen to renominate myself to continue contributing to the committee. This role offers valuable opportunities for professional development and fostering meaningful connections within the water industry.

As a Senior Civil Engineer, I have 6+ years Engineering experience with 4 years in the Water Industry working at WSP as a designer consultant with a key focus on project/design managing and designing Water and Wastewater infrastructure with SA Water.

Previous committee experience includes being a committee member for emerging professionals for Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand, coordinating tasks and organising panel events for university students and emerging professionals. As well as participating in the Young Sustainability Leader program through the University of Adelaide.

My eagerness to join this committee comes from wanting to support in giving back to the water industry by supporting young water professionals' development, similar to my experiences at AWA events and to support in connecting young professionals to help grow the water industries understanding on the diversified breadth of key roles the water industry plays for Australia.

Thanks for your consideration,

Nick Larsson

I have had the privilege to serve 2 terms on the SA YWP Committee and various sub-committees for a range of events. The water sector in SA and Australia is very close-knit and being a part of the AWA SA YWP committee has allowed me to make extremely rewarding professional connection and I hope to keep developing these further over the coming years. The AWA YWP committee events have evolved to include a range of industries not just water and I am hoping to be a part of this committee as we scale new heights. I look forward to keeping contributing to this sector and the events that this committee organizes.

I have been a SA YWP committee member since December 2023, have worked for client SA Water for 5 years designing water and wastewater infrastructure and am passionate about inspiring both students and professionals, young or old, to be part of serving our communities through working in water.

I have been working as a graduate civil engineer in WSP’s pipeline and hydraulics team for nearly 2 years. Projects I have worked on fall both into pipeline design and detailed planning, with a significant portion of my experience aligning with my interests in specialising in water, wastewater and surge hydraulic modelling. I have limited prior committee involvement with the AWA, however, I have attended several networking events run by AWA including sundowners, the amazing race and workshops. I am excited to join the YWP committee to work with likeminded individuals, improve my network and personal image, and participate in organising some events to give back to the community.

Branch Committee Elections

South Australian Young Water Professional Committee Nominees