Committee

 

Katrina Dowding Chair

 

Paula Boast Deputy Chair and Secretary

Paula is a senior construction and projects lawyer with Trowers & Hamlins. She acts on behalf of commercial clients, developers, investors, consultants, contractors and sub-contractors alike from both a contentious and non-contentious perspective. Her project experience ranges from hospitals, schools and prisons to expansive mixed-use residential and iconic commercial developments. Her works involves both domestic UK and international projects.

"What is good about NAWIC is that everyone within the construction community is welcome; from those encouraging our children at grassroots level to move towards a career in the construction industry, to those involved in manual trades and on site, to the administrative and support functions carried on throughout the industry by way of marketing and sales etc. and on to the diverse range of construction professionals. We are a unique organisation in that respect. Construction is an exciting industry; always evolving and reacting to change; global commercial, environmental and professional or best practice. It is always diverse, always changing and always different. I'm proud to play a part in it."

 

Rachel Kelly Treasurer

Rachel Kelly is a Chartered civil engineer and has worked in the construction industry for 14 years. She has worked for Lend Lease for most of that time in various project management roles. Working for a global contractor has provided a enormous range of project experience from railway bridge and tunnel refurbishments, to the Grade II listed John Lewis flagship store redevelopment in Sloane Square, to PFI hospitals and schools and more recently the Bankside 123 and Chiswick Park commercial developments.

Rachel has been involved with NAWIC in various capacities for 5 years and appreciates and highly values the contacts and friendships that have resulted from her involvement with the Association. Without NAWIC it’s easy, as a woman in the construction industry, to feel isolated. NAWIC has provided me personally with a forum for being able to discuss work related issues with other like minded and experienced women.

 

Susan Bryson IT Co-ordinator

Susan is a partner in one of the leading Irish law firms Mason Hayes + Curran  where she specialises in construction law.  Susan focuses mainly on contentious issues in construction.  Susan represents a wide variety of clients including employers, contractors, sub contractors, public bodies, banks, insurers and design team professionals in relation to all aspects of construction disputes.  Susan takes a pragmatic and proactive approach to such disputes and aims to resolve all disputes as quickly and as cost effectively as possible.   

Susan met Paula Boast at a conference in London a number of years ago and following that chance meeting agreed to introduce NAWIC to Ireland. NAWIC has proven extremely popular to date in Ireland.  “I immediately saw NAWIC as a perfect forum for people working in the construction industry to meet other people working in different capacities within the construction industry.  It provides an excellent networking opportunity but more than that offers the chance to forge strong relationships with people it might otherwise be difficult to meet.  My involvement in NAWIC has given me the chance to do many interesting things such as site visits to T2 and the Aviva Stadium and meet many interesting people that I would never have met otherwise.”  Susan also believes that NAWIC offers a platform for focusing on and highlighting the positive aspects of the Construction Industry in Ireland which has been severely challenged during the last few years.  “There are still many excellent people working in construction in Ireland and there are excellent projects and opportunities.  My aim is to give people a chance to see those people and projects.”

In her personal time Susan is a keen skier, sailor and most recently an aspiring triathlete.  Susan is a big rugby supporter following Ireland first and foremost but  known to wear both the Leinster and Munster strip from time to time.  The rugby trips are not as frequent now that she has a little fan from Ethiopia to take care of (also the proud owner of both the Munster and Leinster strip).

 

Sarah Smith Communications Officer

Sarah has worked in the construction industry for over 7 years, initially working as Business Development Co-ordinator for Lovell Partnerships then joining Wates Living Space in 2006 as Marketing Manager.

In her current role Sarah heads up marketing, communications and PR activities for Wates Living Space raising awareness of the great projects the business gets involved with and maintaining regular contact with key industry journals.

Sarah is a strong advocate of women in construction and supported by Wates Living Space, co-founding the Women in Construction awards three years ago.

Sarah says “I thoroughly enjoy working within the Construction industry and couldn’t see myself working in any other industry. My work is so varied, no day is the same and it’s so rewarding to watch a site develop from start to finish and see the difference schemes make to the local community. I would strongly advise anybody to consider the varied roles available within the industry.”

Elizabeth Wheeler Ireland

^{Elizabeth is an architect working as office manager for Michael Slattery Fire Safety Consultants. It was through the Construction Law course in Trinity College that Elizabeth met Susan Bryson who encouraged the establishment of NAWIC Ireland. “It is through NAWIC that I gained a wider understanding of all the different sectors involved in building projects.  Coming from one particular field of expertise people tend to be slightly blinkered.  NAWIC offers its members the opportunity to find out more information from the fields of law and dispute resolution as well as engineering and architecture.  As an architect, I am no stranger to building sites but NAWIC have provided useful knowledge on the new government forms of contract.  It provides the ideal platform for learning in this continually changing world of construction legislation”. At NAWIC, we aim to provide our members with lectures or site visits once a month.  For the architects, these lectures/visits have been recognized by the RIAI in terms of CPD points and can be classed as unstructured points. In her personal time, Elizabeth is a keen runner and skier and in addition to chasing around after her two little boys, she writes a monthly column for EatMagazine and writes a daily food blog at www.wheelerandcompany.com}

 

Maria Greener South West and Wales

Maria is a  Senior Associate at Burges Salmon LLP in Bristol having originally trained at Wedlake Bell in London. She specialises in non-contentious construction and engineering law matters with an emphasis on sustainable development. She provides legal advice and support to a broad base of clients including funders, property developers, contractors, education providers and public authorities and has advised on a wide range of construction projects.

"I was introduced a few years ago to NAWIC by a former colleague who had previously been involved in the Midlands’ branch. Having only moved to the South West relatively recently, my involvement in NAWIC has been an invaluable means of meeting local women involved in the construction industry. Through the forum of NAWIC, we are able to exchange our ideas and experiences of working in the industry and provide advice and support to each other through this forum. The best aspect of NAWIC is the ability for absolutely anyone involved in the construction industry to join - from construction lawyers like me to consultants, to business development advisors at local contractors, to specialist trade contractor apprentices."

Maria loves scuba diving and is a PADI certified Advanced Open Water Diver.

 

Kate Onions Midlands

Kate is an Associate at Gateley LLP, a top 50 national law firm. Kate specialises in preventing and resolving disputes arising in relation to building projects. Kate acts for a wide range of clients including residential developers, main contractors and specialist sub-contractors. Kate is recognised as providing both practical and commercial advice for clients. She has an approachable style and takes time to ensure that her clients fully understand the options available to them in dealing with any dispute.

Kate is regularly published in Construction Law and Construction News.

Kate started the Midlands branch in October 2010 and since then has built up her committee so that it includes representatives for all aspects of the industry. Kate is committed to ensuring that the Midlands branch goes from strength to strength and that the events held are both interesting and helpful to the NAWIC members and engage with the wider construction industry. Kate recognises the importance of NAWIC events as providing a supportive environment in which women in construction can network and build contacts with confidence. Kate intends to ensure that there is a co-ordinated approach in linking up with other organisations such as Women in Property who share a similar ethos to NAWIC.

 

Sara McGowan Scotland

Sara is an Associate Director with Mace, an international consultancy and construction company. She has more than fifteen years experience on a diverse range of projects for public and private sector clients. Sara started her career with Arup in London as a Building Services Engineer. While there she worked on, and led, a wide variety of projects; including offices, galleries, sports facilities, retail units, auditoria, conference facilities and laboratories. These projects have provided a breadth of experience in all aspects of environmental system design and sustainability issues as well as project and design management. Sara was also responsible for the co-ordination of the services design for City Hall in central London, for which she won the H&V News Building Services Engineer of the Year Award in 2003. That year she also won the WISE prize, Young Woman Engineer of the Year.

She joined the Mace team in Edinburgh in 2005. She is responsible for day to day Client facing project management including brief definition, stakeholder management and design team management. Sara was the Project Manager for the new Spire Healthcare Hospital in Edinburgh which was recently completed, with a delighted Client, and has now opened its doors to the public and recently completed a project with The Highland Council that involved moving the end of the West Highland Way and creating a new statement finish line. She is currently the Account Manager for the Mace commission with WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme) on their Client and Policy Engagement Campaign. She works with Clients in Scotland, and in the HE and Schools sectors in England, encouraging and promoting a reduction in construction waste to landfill.

Sara has a passion for sustainable design and masterplanning and has been involved in many sustainable developments over the years and is currently the Mace Scotland champion for all sustainability issues. She is also particularly interested in the wider perception of Engineering, Construction and Design. She has been the subject of a BBC Educational program entitled Snapshots and advises and mentors students. She also tutors in the Architecture Department at the University of Strathclyde.

Sara is an Associate Director with Mace, an international consultancy and construction company. She has more than fifteen years experience on a diverse range of projects for public and private sector clients. Sara started her career with Arup in London as a Building Services Engineer. While there she worked on, and led, a wide variety of projects; including offices, galleries, sports facilities, retail units, auditoria, conference facilities and laboratories. These projects have provided a breadth of experience in all aspects of environmental system design and sustainability issues as well as project and design management. Sara was also responsible for the co-ordination of the services design for City Hall in central London, for which she won the H&V News Building Services Engineer of the Year Award in 2003. That year she also won the WISE prize, Young Woman Engineer of the Year.

She joined the Mace team in Edinburgh in 2005. She is responsible for day to day Client facing project management including brief definition, stakeholder management and design team management. Sara was the Project Manager for the new Spire Healthcare Hospital in Edinburgh which was recently completed, with a delighted Client, and has now opened its doors to the public and recently completed a project with The Highland Council that involved moving the end of the West Highland Way and creating a new statement finish line. She is currently the Account Manager for the Mace commission with WRAP (Waste and Resource Action Programme) on their Client and Policy Engagement Campaign. She works with Clients in Scotland, and in the HE and Schools sectors in England, encouraging and promoting a reduction in construction waste to landfill.

Sara has a passion for sustainable design and masterplanning and has been involved in many sustainable developments over the years and is currently the Mace Scotland champion for all sustainability issues. She is also particularly interested in the wider perception of Engineering, Construction and Design. She has been the subject of a BBC Educational program entitled Snapshots and advises and mentors students. She also tutors in the Architecture Department at the University of Strathclyde.

 

 

Hannah Jones Deputy South West and Wales

Hannah is a Chartered Environmentalist and Scientist, working at Mott MacDonald in Bristol as an Environmental Consultant, specialising in Waste Management. She specialises in waste and resource management, providing specialist input to both schemes and contracts.  Hannah also sits on the Chartered Institute of Water and Environmental Management’s, (CIWEM) Waste Management Technical Panel, discussing and influencing Government Policy.

"I first attended a NAWIC lunch event approximately 5 years ago, while being based in Cardiff.  NAWIC was suggested to me by my line manager as a good way to meet other females working in the construction industry.  I have recently moved to Bristol and have found NAWIC a very good tool for networking with like minded women in a non middle aged man, dark suit environment (as many networking events seem to be).  I enjoy being part of NAWIC as the events we organise are intended to be fun and sociable, so that we don’t just build up a list of contacts, but that friendships are formed, keeping the atmosphere much more comfortable."

Hannah loves good food, and also makes jewellery as a hobby as more of a therapeutic exercise to forget about the days trials, however the success of this means that she has now set up her own online store which also keeps her busy.

 

Tara Walsh Deputy London and South East

 Tara is a Senior Consultant specialising in contracts and dispute resolution within the Construction Economics Division of Mott MacDonald Ireland. Her role involves providing and advising client organisations including both private and public, on all aspects of contractual matters on a variety of contractual forms across a wide range of projects including transportation, industrial, commercial, residential, power, and pharmaceutical throughout the project lifecycle. Tara has gained a wealth of experience both in the UK and Internationally on all forms of alternate dispute resolution (litigation, arbitration, adjudication, mediation) and she has been instrumental in managing, preparing, defending and negotiating on numerous disputes.

In 2008 while studying a Post Graduate Course in Construction Law and Arbitration at Trinity College Dublin, Tara met Susan Bryson, the founder of the National Association of Women in Construction, Ireland.  Susan offered Tara the opportunity to become Vice Chairperson of NAWIC Ireland, a role that Tara was honoured to hold. The women in the Irish branch have an infectious enthusiasm for the construction industry and the events organised to date have included some high profile site visits and speakers which has meant that events are usually overbooked.  Tara says it was heart warming that the establishment of NAWIC Ireland was received so well.

Tara’s secondment to London meant Tara could not be as involved as she would like in Dublin, however, Erin Karsten welcomed Tara into the London branch of NAWIC and she has been attending events organised in London since June 2009.

In 2008 Tara was involved with a charitable organization the ‘Niall Mellon Trust’ which builds homes in South Africa and took part in the largest movement of volunteers to travel together in 2008. She travelled with three other family members and raised over €20,000 for the trust. Tara also raises money annually for the Children’s Hospital Crumlin, Dublin, competing in 10km runs in the Phoenix Park in Dublin every April and the Women’s Mini Marathon in Dublin City each June. Tara also loves to travel enjoying different cultures and cuisine. She loves languages and is fluent in Gaelic, rusty on French but hopes to improve this.

"The construction industry is made up of so many different disciplines that I welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with architects, engineers, quantity surveyors and other lawyers. Each discipline thinks in a unique way and being surrounded by people from every type of professional, geographic and ethnic background offers the chance to really understand the construction process from conception to completion of projects everywhere.”

 

Rachel Kenny Deputy Ireland

Rachel Kenny is a Senior Engineer in the Dublin office of Arup.  She is a Chartered Engineer with Engineers Ireland.

She has worked on the project management and delivery of a number of major road and rail projects and has significant experience in civil engineering. Having worked in both the Public and Private Sectors, Rachel has developed an awareness of the priorities of all the parties involved in construction projects.

Rachel also holds a Diploma in Arbitration from University College Dublin as well as a Diploma in Construction Law and Contract Administration from Trinity College Dublin.

“What is different about NAWIC is that its membership encompasses the entire range of professions that work in the construction industry. This provides members and attendees at events with an alternative perspective.”

When not working for Arup or NAWIC, Rachel participates in sailing, surfing, yoga and several other activities. Rachel is also a fluent French speaker and takes every available opportunity to travel.

Melanie Robson Middle East

Melanie Robson is a RIBA Chartered Architect specialising in healthcare design, based in Doha, Qatar.   Melanie’s focus for the last 10 years has been large-scale healthcare buildings, both in the UK and internationally, with significant experience in PFI and Design & Build, covering UK, US and Gulf Region healthcare and building standards. She is currently working for KEO International Consultants, advising Qatar Foundation on the Sidra Medical & Research Center in Doha.

Melanie was a member of the London branch of NAWIC before relocating to Qatar, where she recognized that the region was crying out for an organization like NAWIC. NAWIC Middle East was established in 2009.

“Construction in the Gulf Region is a heavily male-orientated profession, and in some aspects it feels like the UK 30 years ago. The region does not advocate CPD or staff training, so anyone wishing to keep current with their profession has to do so ad hoc, mostly remotely from their countries of origin. In addition, even fairly major events are minimally advertised, so word of mouth is heavily relied upon to distribute information. NAWIC is an invaluable resource to those who want to network, share information and receive support in a way that was unquestioned and automatic in their previous lives. The transient way of life here brings together for a short time a unique wealth of diversity, experience and cross-discipline interest that needs to be captured and maximized. We are each, in our own small way, involved in the movement of a semi-developed country towards full development – helping a civilization achieve its aspirations. It is an exciting, inspiring and frustrating time!”

 When not working or engaging with NAWIC, Melanie spends time with her husband & two young daughters trying to avoid the 50°C heat, being taught Arabic by her oldest daughter (aged 4) and keeping in touch with friends around the globe. She occasionally steals some time to paint and explore the region through a lens, dust permitting.

Siobhan McMahon North of England

Siobhan McMahon is an Associate Architectural Director at Niven Architects. She is a Chartered Architect registered with RIBA & ARB and a Registered Code for Sustainable Homes Assessor. Siobhan joined Niven Architects in 2005, following periods in Malaysia and Ireland and has been involved in an array of projects since she joined Niven Architects including; Colleges, Dementia care units, Hotel & Spa proposals and Conversion projects. Siobhan has gained a large amount of experience over the last 15 years in a wide variety of Sectors, which enables her to take an active role in all stages of a project from conception to completion.  

Siobhan has recently become involved with NAWIC to try and get the Northern Region active once again. She is busy setting up a small committee group and database for the Northern Region at present and encourages anyone interested in getting involved or joining the group to get ibn touch.

In her free time Siobhan is a keen swimmer and recently completed the Great North Swim in Lake Windermere. She also enjoys getting involved in charity events and travelling.