Welcome

Last night, I had the pleasure of attending the Institution of Engineering and Technology Young Woman Engineer of the Year Awards 2025, where EqualEngineers proudly supported the event. It was a brilliant evening celebrating outstanding women in engineering and showcasing the next generation of industry leadership.

Congratulations to Jennifer Barry, this year’s YWE winner, whose work in space sustainability is literally out of this world, representing the UK at the UN and contributing to ESA’s Zero Debris initiative. Also recognised were:

• Rachel Donaghey, winner of the Mary George Memorial Prize for Apprentices

• Amy Louise Dillon, recipient of The Women’s Engineering Society (WES) Prize

• Vince Pizzoni, awarded the Gender Diversity Ambassador Award

What stood out most was the energy in the room, the pride, ambition, and hope these finalists inspired.

OutBritain Jingle & Mingle

Earlier this week, I also attended OutBritain’s festive Jingle & Mingle event, connecting with LGBTQ+ professionals and fellow Certified LGBT Business Enterprises (Certified LGBTBEs™). I first discovered OutBritain at the Inclusive Sourcing Summit earlier this year, and I’m proud to say that EqualEngineers is now officially certified!

This kind of supplier diversity is crucial. Certification opens doors for underrepresented businesses in procurement pipelines, and it’s a concrete way to make inclusion real in our industry’s supply chains.

The event was warm, uplifting, and celebratory, while also raising funds for Mermaids, a charity supporting trans, non-binary, and gender-diverse young people. It was the perfect way to close the year in community.

Safety, Inclusion & Psychological Safety at Imperial

On Wednesday, I delivered a guest lecture at Imperial College London to students studying process safety. The topic? Process Safety Through the Lens of Inclusion, Equity & Psychological Safety.

We explored how exclusion, bias and power dynamics, when left unexamined, can contribute to process safety failures. I challenged students to see psychological safety not just as “soft” culture work, but as a critical control that helps prevent major accidents in high-hazard environments.

Together, we discussed how the SAFE Leader framework (Share–Act–Feel–Empower) can offer engineers a roadmap to safer teams and stronger leadership. These conversations always energise me, our future engineers are listening deeply, asking the right questions, and ready to lead with empathy and accountability.

This Week on The SAFE Leader Podcast

This week on The SAFE Leader Podcast, I’m joined by James Eder, entrepreneur, author of The Collision Code, and a passionate advocate for human connection in an increasingly disconnected world.

James and I talk about:

• The collision moments in his life, including a heart condition diagnosis, that led to personal transformation

• Why saying hello to a stranger can spark profound change

• How empathy and vulnerability are central to meaningful leadership

His message is one we all need right now: that connection is a superpower, and it’s available to all of us if we’re brave enough to slow down, open up, and lead with intention.

Let’s Connect!

Please reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn if we are not already connected.

I love helping organisations where the angle I take with the work I do might help in someway have you make traction in your culture.

Feel free to get in touch here.

Stay SAFE!