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Our People

EWB's people are the heart and soul of our organisation. Together they form a community of changemakers working to achieve sustainable, long-lasting change.

Driven by a team of changemakers

Our people include the staff, board, members, volunteers and supporters. They bring a diverse set of skills and experience, yet all share an unwavering passion for creating change through human-centred engineering.

Operations & Finance

Eleanor Loudon
Eleanor Loudon
Chief Executive Officer
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Ness Harwood
Ness Harwood
Chief Finance & Operations Officer

Ness is a Certified Practicing Accountant with a broad range of experience across the not-for-profit and commercial sectors including natural resources, construction, health and the performing arts. Her most recent experience is with Malthouse Theatre. She is passionate about providing community-driven and sustainable solutions for the environment and is excited to be working with an organisation that cares about the same things.  In her spare time she can be found bushwalking and spending time with her local riverkeeper association.

James Schwarz
James Schwarz
IT & Data Manager

James is a passionate problem-solver and has spent more than 10 years working professionally in corporate IT and software development roles. James has a degree in Engineering and Computer Science from RMIT University in Melbourne and is also part of the EWB Challenge alumni. He has experience managing a wide range of technical areas and is keen to apply his energy and skills towards making a difference through improving EWB Australia’s capacities as a whole.

Hannah Faye Mercader
Hannah Faye Mercader
Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Specialist

Born in the Philippines and raised in Canada, Hannah is a global citizen with a decade of research experience in Canada, Uganda, Tanzania, and Mozambique. With a Bachelor of Health Sciences (Honours) and Master of Public Health, she is an advocate of using qualitative and participatory approaches to empower and champion the voices of community members. In 2019, the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation recognized Hannah as a “Top 30 Under 30” for her contributions to gender equality in East Africa. When she is not busy perfecting her Excel spreadsheets, you can find her curating the Instagram account of her pug, Bodhi.

Farhiyo Bear
Farhiyo Bear
Partnerships and Engagement Manager

With a Master of International Development and a background in volunteer coordination, Farhiyo has experienced the impact of volunteering on mobilising and empowering communities. Her passion for volunteerism led her to Cambodia, where she directly supervised and supported volunteers in undertaking projects focused on health promotion, education and community development. In her spare time, Farhiyo volunteers as part of the National ASC leadership team with Amnesty International, supporting facilitators and activists in developing key skills to effectively engage with communities.

Anoushka Mudbidri
Anoushka Mudbidri
Risk and Quality Assurance Coordinator

Anoushka is extremely passionate about equity in sustainability and development practices for communities. This stemmed from growing up in India and having a deep awareness of the various socio-economic and environmental disparities and striving to proactively make a change. Furthermore, this inspired her to move to Melbourne to study a Masters of Environmental Management and Sustainability at Monash University, after which she worked in the energy industry for 4 years, where her keen eye for detail helped her develop additional Quality Assurance skillsets. Anoushka is proud to work in an organisation like EWB that is making a difference in both the environment and in communities, and for the unique opportunity to apply the intersection of her experiences.

Maureen White
Maureen White
Finance Officer

Maureen has worked in financial administration and support services for more than 30 years in a diverse range of organisations, from local government to the independent arts scene, as well as the not-for-profit sector. Through various roles she has gained extensive experience in all aspects of financial administration including the provision of audit services to both internal and external clients. In her spare time Maureen can often be found behind a different sort of desk, providing lighting design and/or technical operation for independent theatre productions.

Din Kong
Din Kong
Accounts Officer

Based in Phnom Penh, Din holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from the Royal University of Law and Economics. She has more than 10 years’ experience working as an accountant for local and international NGOs. Before she started with EWB in late 2022 as the Accounts Officer, Din worked for an International NGO, Swisscontact Cambodia, for nearly three years. She is excited to join EWB and continue her working in the NGO environment.

Development

Sharon Bocarro
Sharon Bocarro
Chief Development Officer

Sharon is a senior and strategic fundraiser with deep expertise in individual giving philanthropy. She has held fundraising roles in higher education, medical research, international development and community organisations. She transitioned to the not for profit sector after a successful career in marketing in the financial services industry. Sharon focuses on strategy, culture and organisational structure to drive philanthropic outcomes.

Sharon believes that fundraising connects people with causes they care about, and enables them to give in ways that are meaningful for them.

Craig Goddard
Craig Goddard
Fundraising & Data Specialist

Following a willfully inclusive career trajectory (that all began somewhat presiciently with a stint as an aeronautical engineering student!), Craig eventually experienced the satisfaction of working in the NFP sector and, in particular, the joys of fundraising. He was hooked! He feels extremely privileged to have encountered so many, many people determined to make a difference and to have a small part in helping them do so.

At EWB, Craig employs the broad range of skills developed across fields as diverse as political speech writing, performing, data analysis, customer research and project management to become an unrepentant Fundraising generalist, a jack-of-all-fundraising-trades keen to embrace the Small Giants can-do attitude to help EWB deliver its many exciting projects in partnership with developing communities in Australia and across the Asia Pacific region. He looks forward to meeting as many members of EWB’s remarkable community as possible throughout his time with EWB!

Isabella Fredheim
Isabella Fredheim
Digital Marketing Manager

Now based in Melbourne, Isabella holds a dual degree in Communications and Arts (majors in International Relations, Peace & Conflict and Public Relations) from the University of Queensland.

For the past two years, Isabella has been working in a marketing and fundraising role for disability service provider and charity, Kevin Heinze Grow. She has also supported digital content creation for Environmental Justice Australia and the Humanitarian Changemakers Network as well as in a volunteer capacity for Amnesty International Australia.

Lachlan Fraser
Lachlan Fraser
Industry Partnerships Coordinator

Lachlan built a career in hospitality management before turning in his apron to complete a Bachelor of Communication at RMIT University. His passion for social equity and sustainability saw him intern and volunteer at a number of NFPs and community-based projects, including EWB Australia.

After graduating, Lachlan joined a Melbourne-based social enterprise, supporting the work of for-purpose organisations across Australia. Having been inspired by the work of EWB Australia during his time volunteering, Lachlan is excited to be returning in a professional capacity.

Engineering

Peter McArdle
Peter McArdle
Chief Engineer
Peter brings a deep understanding of international humanitarian action to the role of Chief Engineer at EWB. Across the Middle East, Asia, and the Pacific, his experience includes climate and environment policy, public health, emergency operations, and the protection of infrastructure in armed conflict with the Red Cross/Red Crescent Movement, NGOs, and social enterprise. For his work preparing for and responding to global crises, Peter was Awarded the International Service Medal for ‘exemplary service’ by Australian Red Cross.
Constantly curious, and intrigued by balancing diverse perspectives and knowledge, complexity, and creative problem solving, Peter holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil), a Master of Peace and Conflict Studies, and a PhD in Sociology exploring the social impacts of community conflict and resilience in the face of water scarcity.
Jack Nugent
Jack Nugent
International Engineering Program Manager
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Ned Holloway
Ned Holloway
Engineering Project Manager
Mitch Horrocks
Mitch Horrocks
Technology Development Lead

Mitch is an Industrial Designer with a strong human-centred design background in developing communities. He Studied Industrial Design at UTS and during his Honours Project was able to design a simple product that allows rural communities in Uganda to boil water and cook food at the same time, alleviating the stresses related to the lack of access to clean drinking water. He then founded his own charity in Uganda to distribute these products to remote communities. Since returning to Australia, Mitch has joined the EWB team to champion innovation and design as a tool for solving complex problems in the communities we work in.

Hamish Clark
Hamish Clark
Program Coordinator

Originally from Auckland, Hamish moved to Melbourne in 2015 to study at the University of Melbourne. After graduating from an Honours degree in History, he spent a year working for the Japanese government as an English teacher. Hamish went on to pursue research and language instruction at Stanford’s Inter-University Center for Japanese Studies. Having undertaken a range of volunteering roles in Melbourne, Hamish moved into the NGO sector by joining EWB in August 2021 and is excited to contribute to a values-driven organisation.

Education

Dr Alexandra Gartrell
Dr Alexandra Gartrell
Senior Manager - Learning Programs
Alex brings more than two decades of experience in international community development that brings together high level policy, programming and learning-based approaches with local cultural knowledge and lived experiences to deliver on the ground results, particularly on disability inclusion. Alex has worked as an academic, research consultant and disability inclusion advisor. She is a passionate body surfer, lover of nature and all things creative.

 

First Nations Program

Leo Lazarus
Leo Lazarus
Project Manager – Engineering on Country Program

Leo is a civil engineer with a background in strategic planning in the water sector. He has been involved with the planning of bulk water supply assets, sewage treatment plants, risk management and waterway health. He has also worked as a consultant on National Guidelines for the water industry.

His involvement with EWB began in 2016 and led to becoming a mentor and facilitator on five international design summits in Cambodia, India and Nepal. His role in the Engineering on Country Program combines his passion for practical reconciliation and cross-cultural learning in enabling more First Nations people to live well on Country.

Josh MacLeod
Josh MacLeod
Manager - Pathways Outreach Program
Josh is a proud Dharug man, descendant of the Boorooberongal Clan. He has over five years experience working with organisations such as AIME and Engineering Aid Australia, promoting and teaching STEM to students of all ages. Through the work he has done building his own charity Kind Hearts Illawarra, he has been awarded Young Volunteer of the Year for the Illawarra region and has continued to help all those in need.
Although he has 7 years experience working as a Electrical Engineer on a wide range of projects from Building services to the transport industry and Renewable Energy Design, his passion is helping the younger generations discover the exciting world that is Engineering.
Angus Mitchell
Angus Mitchell
Technology Development Lead
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Sai Rupa Dev
Sai Rupa Dev
Challenge Series Lead
Sai is an engineer and a researcher who is passionate about the intersection of technology and social impact. She has an interest in socio-economic, political and philosophical events and explores the best way to integrate them towards creating a positive and lasting impact to underprivileged and underrepresented communities.
Now based in Melbourne, Sai has a Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering and a Master’s degree in Sustainable Manufacturing Engineering. She has previously worked in the consulting industry and has also volunteered with overseas EWB organisations.
Jean Aquinde
Jean Aquinde
Learning Programs Coordinator

Jean is a materials and environmental engineer and has years of experience working in environmental consulting, research and project management.

She loves to work in various contexts and believes in the power of co-design and multidisciplinary collaboration to create improved outcomes.

With her evolving curiosity, Jean added service design and advanced facilitation practice to her toolkit. She visualises the participant’s learning journey in granular detail. She is excited to uncover design opportunities to create more engaging and impactful learning experiences.

Jean reimagines a future with more female engineers and a growing community interested in socio-technical work.

Isaac Barton
Isaac Barton
STEM Program Coordinator
Isaac is a proud Kalkadungu and Bidjira man of Mt. Isa and Carnarvon Gorge, currently based in Naarm (Melbourne). Not only does Isaac have a background in the engineering industry over the last 6 years, but he also has a lot of unique experience under his belt of supporting and strengthening First Nations communities. Highlighted particularly by his work with supporting First Nations musicians in the music industry through his record label Blak Label.

Cambodia

Many Dy
Many Dy
Country Manager
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Pin Prak
Pin Prak
Technology Development Project Manager

Pin has over 20 years’ experience in project implementation and management of humanitarian, water and sanitation and hygiene. He has extensive general WASH techniques and tools including PHAST, CLTS, WASH education, incorporate Disaster Risk Reduction and Emergency Preparedness in WASH.

Ratha Kong
Ratha Kong
Senior Technology Development Lead

From Cambodia, Ratha has over 6 years’ experience working in the WASH sector, especially urban and rural water supply in technical design and management. Ratha has been involved in numerous projects with organisations such as the World Bank, UNICEF, ADB and Australian Aid. He is passionate about sharing his knowledge and experiences with communities locally and overseas in countries such as Myanmar and the Philippines. Ratha holds an engineering degree in Water Resources and Rural Infrastructures from the Institute of Technology of Cambodia and a Masters of Business Administration from the National University of Management in Cambodia. Ratha’s hobbies include playing football, basketball, marathons and music.

Mariny Chheang
Mariny Chheang
Technology Development Specialist

Mariny holds a masterʼs degree in Environmental Engineering at Chulalongkorn University (Thailand) and a bachelorʼs degree in Water Resources Engineering and Rural Infrastructures at ITC (Cambodia). She has experience in working in water/ wastewater treatment, air pollution, and hydrology. As a Technology Development Specialist with EWB Australia in Cambodia, Mariny focuses on developing, trialling and delivering appropriate technology for communities in rural areas, to improve water in Sanitation in Challenging Environments and mobility.

Chanrika Keo
Chanrika Keo
Program Support Officer

Chanrika graduated in bio-engineering in 2019. She has been involved with EWB since 2018 through participating in the EWB internship program with ATEC Biodigesters. As an EWB alumni, Rika also attended the EWB design workshop and critical thinking course in 2019. With a passion for human-centred design skills and critical thinking, Rika volunteered to co-facilitate school outreach workshops and was a leader of the critical thinking team in 2019 and 2020. She always starts her mornings with 15 minutes of yoga; and the perfect weekend is spending the whole day with family in their home town, cooking and trying new dishes together – and playing with the dogs and kittens.

Mengheang Hak
Mengheang Hak
Assistive Technology Officer

Mengheang holds a Master’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from The Institut Teknologi Bandung (Indonesia) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial and Mechanical Engineering from ITC. Mengheang is skilled in mechanical design, data analysis and simulation, producing prototypes and testing, and project management. In his role as the Assistive Technology Officer, Mengheang supports the analysis, concept designs, prototypes, trials, evaluation, and progress control of products for innovative technology solutions for people living with disabilities. In his spare time, Mengheang enjoys listening to music, reading, playing football and going for trips with his family.

Timor-Leste

Felisbela Guterres Pires
Felisbela Guterres Pires
Country Manager - Timor-Leste

Felisbela is a former company chairperson with extensive experience overseeing and directing budgets and programs. Her expertise extends to the establishment, implementation, and enhancement of integrated management systems, marked by certifications in ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System, ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System, and ISO 45001:2015 Health and Safety Management System. Felisbela has dedicated considerable time to refining these systems, ensuring compliance with rigorous standards.

Felisbela also has experience in shaping and improving project management processes, where she places particular emphasis on the meticulous initiation and planning stages preceding project implementation. Beyond her corporate roles, Felisbela has served as a national advisor, offering invaluable support and capacity building to various government institutions. Academically, she holds a Bachelor of Applied GIS majoring in Environmental Science from Flinders University, South Australia, and a Master of Environmental Management from the University of New South Wales, Sydney Australia. Complementing her academic achievements, she possesses a Diploma of Business Administration.

Elsa Ximenes
Elsa Ximenes
Program Support Officer
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João Soares
João Soares
Mobilisation and Partnership Coordinator

João is an architect with a great passion for designing and building sustainable and affordable projects. After graduating from university, he founded a local training center to train youth in Computer Aided Design (CAD) drawings. He has been involved with EWB in a volunteer and work capacity for almost four years. He first joined EWB as an intern in 2017, working with one of the local partners, Community Housing Limited (CHLI).

As Mobilisation and Partnership Coordinator, João works collaboratively with local and international partners, government institutions and local authorities to develop and implement sustainable and appropriate technology solutions.

Romeo Atildus Pereira
Romeo Atildus Pereira
Technology Development Lead

Romeo joins the EWB Australia team in Timor-Leste with 9 years’ experience working for a number of organisations in the engineering sector at both the national and international level. Romeo graduated from vocational technical school, specialising in general construction. in addition to his work with EWB, Romeo also provides voluntary technical assistance on engineering projects in his community.

Vanuatu

Stephanie Hamel
Stephanie Hamel
Country Manager - Vanuatu

Stephanie is an environmental engineer and has been working since 2006 either for NGOs in Uganda, Timor-Leste, the Solomon Islands and now Vanuatu, or in consulting and local council in Australia. Through her studies and experiences, Stephanie learnt that to be working efficiently in the water sector, one has to tap into a wide range of skills and behaviours in order to respond to the ‘wicked problems’ of today’s world. She is therefore constantly looking for opportunities to grow her own technical, social and leadership skills, as well as those of colleagues and partners, in order to ultimately create healthier and more resilient living places.

Christina Bare-Karae
Christina Bare-Karae
Senior Programme Manager

Originally from the Solomon Islands, Christina comes to EWB with a range of experience, working in different organizations with different groups of people. Christina’s work experience included working for the Vanuatu government as senior high school chemistry and biology teacher, science lecturer, training manager for Peace Corps Vanuatu, Education officer for UNICEF, Program Director for ADRA Vanuatu, and for the last 6 years before joining EWB, as Program Manager for a Women’s Economic Empowerment project for UN Women. Christina loves working with people at the community level, especially with rural women and girls and she looks forward to contributing meaningfully to EWB’s vision and mission for Vanuatu. 

Steve Tarimaemae
Steve Tarimaemae
Technical Program Manager
As Technical Program Manager, Steve drive the scoping and implementation of EWB Technology Development projects in Vanuatu. Steve is a Ni-Vanuatu civil and structural engineer who came back to Vanuatu after studying for four years in Auckland. Steve’s family comes from the island of Ambae, North of the country and he came to Efate (the island where Port Vila is), for his last three years of high school. His older brother is a mechanical engineer too – engineering seems to be in the Tarimaemae blood!
Cedric Paniel
Cedric Paniel
Technology Development Coordinator

Cedric was a recipient of The Queen’s Commonwealth Trustee Award in 2019 and attended the One Young World Summit in London. His activist work in the area of community development, specifically focussed on creating platforms for discussion around youth empowerment, gender equality and climate change, made him eligible to be a recipient of the Queen’s Young Leaders. For the past six years, he has been working for NGOs such as Oxfam and World Vision in Vanuatu. During this time, he has developed his skills in community engagement, partnership building, project management and monitoring and evaluation.

He believes that partnership with a diverse range of partners is fundamental for development and sustainability growth. Cedric is now based with EWB in Vanuatu as the Technology Development Coordinator. His role is focussed on leading the delivery of the program, engaging and building relationships with existing and new partners, and supporting the monitoring and evaluation of EWB projects in Vanuatu.

Margarita Moya
Margarita Moya
Chair
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Mike McCreadie
Mike McCreadie
Appointed Finance
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Lily Zhang
Lily Zhang
Company Secretary
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Grant Maher
Grant Maher
Appointed First Nations

Grant is a proud descendant of the Gumbayyngir and Biripi nations of Northern NSW and currently holds positions as Director and Co-Founder of Jabin Group, a wholly Indigenous owned and managed Engineering Consulting, Project Management and Construction Services company; holds the honour of being the inaugural chairman of the Indigenous Engineers Group within Engineers Australia and is the CEO of Deadly Coders – a Indigenous managed not-for-profit on a mission to ignite learning and career pathways in STEM to Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander primary and secondary students. Grant also sits as a director and advisor for RRAD Communities, an educational non-profit organisation servicing communities around the Lockyer Valley and broader Queensland for youth and disadvantaged youth and is part of GPT Group’s indigenous Advisory board for their community engagement and project developments through Australia

Grant has worked across a wide range of projects and disciplines within the engineering field starting out as a Structural Engineer in his early career then moving into the areas of Façades where he has gained extensive experience in ESD, Design Management, Procurement and Fabrication, working in  both site contractor/construction roles and professional consulting  whilst working on local and international projects within government, aviation, defence, residential and commercial sectors.

In August 2023 Grant was awarded the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology Kernot Medal based on extensive achievements in a wide range of projects and disciplines within the engineering field and dedication to the mentoring and strategic development for youth within the community and Indigenous people with an engineering background.

Further to Grant’s work he helps to mentor young indigenous engineers and looks to develop the Indigenous Engineers Group into a group that provides support, networking and developmental opportunities for current and future Indigenous Engineers.

Kelsie Clarke
Kelsie Clarke
Board Member
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Sonya Rand
Sonya Rand
Appointed Corporate Affairs and Corporate Fundraising

A Chartered Chemical Engineer, Sonya has held advisory roles with the Australian Attorney General’s Office and DFAT, addressing issues of human trafficking and modern slavery in supply chains and the implementation of the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights. She is currently a member of the Modern Slavery Expert Advisory Group with the Australian Department of Home Affairs. Sonya is also a Board Director of the Alliance for Water Stewardship and a member of the Royal Children’s Hospital Clinical Ethics Committee. Sonya joined Bunnings as Head of Sustainability and Community in early 2020, bringing with her extensive knowledge in the sustainability space gained from more than 20 years’ experience in retail, consumer goods and manufacturing industries. Specialising in stakeholder engagement, policy development and risk management, Sonya’s role sees her leading the growth of existing sustainability and community programs and finding new opportunities to drive positive long-term change across the business.

Alesha Printz
Alesha Printz
Appointed Engineering and Industry Bodies

Alesha’s passion for engineering was discovered whilst volunteering in a remote Mongolia community, convincing her of the importance of engineering to provide equitable lives for all. Several years later, in 2005, she joined an ambitious new organisation  – Engineers Without Borders.

Alesha’s EWB journey has been career-defining. During her two-year term as Chapter president (2008/09) she was awarded Young Professional Engineer of the Year (2009) by Engineers Australia. Other significant leadership roles include past Victorian President of Engineers Australia (2018) and she is a current board member of the Industry Capability Network, Victoria.

She is a Chartered Professional Civil Engineer and her early career focused on the delivery of water infrastructure projects. Her current role as General Manager, Victoria at Engineers Australia provides a unique opportunity to positively impact the profession.

Alesha is committed to the engineering profession and working with EWB to influence and drive change in the sector. She believes that diversity, social inclusion and developing the capability of the profession to deliver great outcomes for the community and society at large is essential.

Daniel Lambert
Daniel Lambert
Board Member

Daniel is the Executive Manager of Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions at Unitywater and an Adjunct Professor of Humanitarian Engineering at UNSW. His previous roles include Arup’s water business in Australasia, and as an Officer in the Royal Australian Engineers. He is passionate about EWB and supporting its’ vision of creating a fairer and more equitable future for all. Daniel believes this is possible.

 Daniel’s leadership in engineering has been recognised by Engineers Australia as ‘Sir John Holland Civil Engineer of the Year’, ‘Professional Engineer of the Year’ and as one of Australia’s ‘Most Innovative Engineers’. His impact in WASH has been recognised by the Australian Water Association: as winner of the ‘Kamal Fernando Mentoring Award’ and the ‘Water Professional of the Year’. Daniel is a Fellow of Engineers Australia and a Fellow of the Institute of Managers and Leaders. His industry roles include Chair of Carbon8 Fund, Chair of the Australian Water Partnership’s Expert Review Panel, International Advisory Committee member of the Global Water Institute, Steering Committee member for the Humanitarian Engineering Community of Practices and as a member of Operation Water’s Technical Advisory Board.

 Daniel has delivered industry leading projects, he mentors, and supports the development of engineers and actively promotes humanitarian engineering (in the media and through STEM programs). In the Army, Daniel has led Army Aboriginal Community Assistance Programmes and received a commendation as the Officer-in-Charge of the Army’s response to the Victorian Bushfires. Daniel has and continues to work on international development projects in the Pacific, Asia and Africa.

Abhishek Singh
Abhishek Singh
Board Member

Abhishek brings over 25 years’ experience of leading technology-enabled transformation programs in asset-intensive organisations operating is a highly regulated and safety critical environment. Abhishek has a track record of building organisational capability, realigning management of assets to service delivery outcomes, leading initiatives to transform the business, and enhancing people, process, and technology capabilities.

Abhishek has made practical the concepts of digital transformation for orgnanisations where it matters most, reinventing the way they delivery services and the impact they have on the planet. He is also a strong advocate of inclusion and diversity and has contributed immensely to shaping the culture of the organisations he has worked for. Abhishek has an Executive MBA from the Australian Graduate School of Management (UNSW) and a Master of Technology from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT, Delhi). He is also the Vice-Chair of Engineers Australia’s College of Leadership and Management committee (Qld).

Rebecca Watts
Rebecca Watts
Board Member

Rebecca’s involvement with EWB spans over a decade. While at university, Rebecca participated in School Outreach, Design Summits in Cambodia and completed her engineering thesis on rural electrification through appropriate technology with EWB. Rebecca began her career with a year-long field placement with EWB as Project Facilitator in Cambodia, which stemmed from her thesis and saw dozens of solar home systems installed in rural households, providing access to electricity.

More recently, Rebecca was awarded the MECCA M-Power scholarship which aimed to increase the representation of women and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in STEM. The project included a series of school outreach workshops in the Torres Strait, cross-cultural awareness training and the creation of an animation video which detailed the experience of a woman in a world that wasn’t designed for her.

Rebecca’s corporate career has focussed on investment and business transactions across venture capital and investment banking. From this, Rebecca has expertise in financial resourcing and cash flow management as well as business models and scaling up operations. Rebecca’s previous committee experience includes the Vice Curator WEF Global Shapers and committee member of Young Engineers Australia. Rebecca aims to contribute to the board by combining her long-term knowledge of EWB’s programs and philosophy with financial literacy and governance, while also bringing a sustainability mindset.

Sheena Valenti
Sheena Valenti
Board Member

Sheena Valenti (née Ong) is a climate change consultant and manager with Energetics. She has advised ASX500 clients on decarbonisation strategy, carbon accounting and managing climate risk. She previously lived in Alice Springs and worked as an engineer and project manager with Ekistica, specialising in renewable energy and operating the Desert Knowledge Australia Solar Centre.

As an EWB volunteer for 8+ years, Sheena held roles as Regional Chapter President (WA) and University Chapter President (UWA). She has travelled to Cambodia and participated in Murray Darling Dialogues, the Mickey Sampson Leadership Program and National Council events. She completed her thesis on power theft in India and graduated with First Class Honours in Mechanical Engineering / Arts (Philosophy). Sheena crowdfunded and produced a documentary, The Humanitarian Engineer, inspired by the philosophical questions raised during her involvement with EWB. The film explores engineering and its impact on disability inclusion, disaster relief and humanitarian development. It has screened at 40+ events worldwide including Australia, NZ, USA, UK, Singapore and Portugal.