Women shaping Australia's evolving STEM leadership

Australia's technical and advisory sectors are in a constant state of change, shaped by shifting policies, expectations around climate and sustainability and growing complexity across approvals and stakeholder environments. Add in global uncertainty and the everyday realities of balancing leadership with life outside work, and it's clear why attracting and retaining women in STEM and specialist disciplines remains an ongoing opportunity for the sector. To mark International Women's Day, women across RSK Australia, a global leader in sustainable solutions, businesses have shared reflections on what leadership looks like and why more women should consider a career in the industry.

Sandra Jerkovic, CEO of Capire, Australia's largest community engagement consultancy, points to a defining early leadership lesson: "Early in the 2010s, I began my first senior executive role leading stakeholder engagement for a complex, state-significant development project. It stretched me in every possible way. I had to build a team from scratch, navigate political sensitivities, set the strategic direction for leading community engagement, all while commuting two-and-a-half hours a day.

"When a change in government policy abruptly cancelled the project, I watched two years of hard work be shelved, in addition to having to make my entire team (and myself) redundant." She says it became a career turning point: "It felt like all the energy, effort and personal sacrifice was for nothing, but this ended up being the most crucial turning point in my career to date. It had accelerated my leadership capabilities, pushed my technical experience and I learned what I was capable of under pressure, and only a few short years later this led me to my current role as CEO."

Kate Gilchrist, Executive Director Energy Transformation, RSK Australia, describes building early leadership through technical grounding and global experience: "I took myself with my engineering degree and project management experience and natural acumen overseas to gather broad experience, technical expertise and cultural knowledge. I wanted to see the world and my gumption grew." She says the backdrop to decision-making today is impossible to ignore: "Global geopolitical uncertainty is an opportunity alongside a challenge." Against that shifting global backdrop, Kate's focus is impact: "Helping solve the world's biggest problems by limiting the impacts of climate change."
 
That sense of purpose is echoed by Alison Rowe, Global Chief Executive Officer of global sustainability consultancy Edge Impact. She points to an event that reshaped her direction: "A turning point for me was during the Williamson Community Leadership Program, on a day dedicated to the environment. Something about that experience landed very deeply. It gave me clarity about the lens I wanted to bring to my work and, ultimately, the courage to reshape my career in my mid-thirties. The quiet realisation that this is where my energy and purpose belong."

She says purpose-led work doesn't always end at 5pm: "Switching off, and the evolving expectations of what life balance really looks like. When you are deeply connected to a purpose that matters (Edge's is to create a world where unsustainable is unthinkable), it doesn't neatly stop at the end of the day. My mindset and my heart don't have an off switch. So, I've become more comfortable with the idea of work life integration rather than perfect balance."

For Erica Walther, Manager - Sea Country, Associate Director, Extent, an industry leader in heritage and archaeological consulting, one of the biggest themes is the repeated decision to back yourself, particularly when your capacity is questioned. "The moment that shaped me most wasn't a single event, but the repeated decision I had to consciously make to 'strap in' and back myself 100%." 

She says that challenge has followed her through different stages of life and career: "I was constantly questioned if I had the capacity to take on leadership alongside being a mum. Each time, I chose to strap in and back myself. I stayed connected to the industry, stepped forward into leadership, and trusted my assessment of my own capacity." Looking ahead, she says what sits with her is the long-term sustainability of heritage practice: "I sleep pretty well, but what sits with me long-term is the future of the heritage industry itself. I think a lot about whether we're genuinely improving how we engage with Traditional Owners, and whether heritage investigation will continue to deepen rather than become more transactional as time, cost, and other pressures increase."

Confidence in these sectors isn't about having every answer; it's about making decisions when conditions are imperfect and owning expertise when it counts. Sandra says: "Making decisions on matters when I'm not the expert has become easier over time. Curiosity, working with trusted advisors and 20 years of experience have taught me to back my judgement and decision-making process, ask better questions, and move with more confidence through the unfamiliar." Alison points to the skill of making technical work land with real people: "Early on, I leaned heavily on facts and detail. It was technically sound, but boring. Over time, I've learned that stories are what bring meaning to information. They invite people in, help ideas land and make complex challenges feel human and relatable."

When asked what they're proud of, the answers return to people, culture and impact. Sandra says: "I'm incredibly proud of the team we've built. They're talented, thoughtful, values-driven people, and it's a genuine joy to come to work each day and be surrounded by colleagues who care deeply about both what they do and how they do it." Alison adds: "Being part of an incredible team within a broader ecosystem that is united by a shared purpose. That sense of collective effort matters deeply to me. It reminds me that meaningful change is rarely the result of one person's work, but of many people moving forward together in the same direction."

Their advice to earlier-career women considering leadership in technical sectors is blunt in the best way. Sandra: "Don't sweat the small stuff." Alison: "Don't get hung up on job titles, hierarchy or linear progression. Some of the most meaningful and energising moments come from acting with integrity and leading with your values. Trust that those choices will open doors you could never plan for." Kate: "You will be a rockstar – just not how you might have imagined." And on confidence, she keeps it to one word: "Courage."