Following our announcement of the Women in Defence Awards 2025 finalist, ADM will be introducing each of our amazing finalists across the categories in more detail. Today we are focusing on the finalists in our Project Management category.
In this category, judges were looking for entries that demonstrated outstanding achievements, milestones and deliverables during 2024 in the field of Project Management, with additional evidence of having overcome personal challenges to do so.
The winners and Hall of Fame inductee will be announced at a gala dinner at The National Arboretum, Canberra, on 15 October 2025. Book your tickets here – we hope to see you there!
| Rukhsaar Ibrahim Senior Structural Engineer and SEA4000 DDG PH6 Structural Team Lead Navantia Australia In 2024, Rukhsaar identified persistent issues with design inconsistencies, frequent changes and limited visibility of overall upgrades in the SEA4000 DDG Ph6 Upgrade Program. She implemented a centralised tracking system, monitoring the placement of 1000+ pieces of equipment being integrated into the vessels. She coached a struggling junior to confidently use his skills, developing a new drafting system which reduced drafting time for new drawings by 40-50% and design change implementation time by approximately 60%. Rukhsaar is active member of The Future Through Collaboration and Women’s Defence Connection and lends her time to a range programs within and beyond defence. |
 |
| Tiffany Noy Business Manager – Biosecurity Pest Biodiversity Australia Tiffany implemented a GIS Project Interactive Mapping Dashboard across all Defence biosecurity projects, leveraging cutting-edge ArcGIS technology to revolutionise project management that provides real-time data, enhances hazard awareness, and supports tactical decision-making across geographically dispersed Defence sites. She led the rapid and effective response to a Red Imported Fire Ant outbreak across multiple active Defence aviation bases. Recognising the reputational and operational risk to Defence, she mobilised an expert team, developed a bespoke program, and in short timeframe achieved a 65% eradication rate. In 2024, she prompted a Middle Management Mentor Program to support women from operational and administrative backgrounds to progress based on demonstrated skill rather than academic qualifications. As a result, several women have stepped into leadership positions. |
 |
| Lisa Platt Executive Project Director RPS Group In 2024, Lisa led the strategic delivery of the $1.77 billion Preliminary Detailed Business Case, securing Government approval within a compressed time-frame for the SRF-W Priority Works AUKUS program. Her leadership spanned 16 site precincts, including the first licensed nuclear facilities in Australia and areas with complex environmental and community sensitivities. She mentored six emerging female project managers, offering strategic career advice, advocacy in senior forums, and real opportunities for visibility on major defence projects. Several mentees have since progressed into leadership roles, crediting Lisa’s guidance as transformative. |
 |
| Caitlin Stephenson Director of Programs, Simulation & Training Solutions Thomas Global Systems Caitlin rapidly restructured and scaled Thomas Global Systems’ project management organisation to accommodate a shift from delivering a single flagship program to managing multiple large and concurrent defence projects. She implemented rigorous, scalable governance mechanisms and resource planning methodologies that have significantly improved operational efficiency and staff utilisation. Her leadership ensured on-time, on-budget delivery of complex simulation projects for the Australian Army. Caitlin is a Non-Executive Board Member of the Young Endeavour Youth Scheme. |
 |
| Emma Watson Program Manager - Juno H135 Boeing Defence Australia Emma led a highly efficient acquisition program that resulted in the rapid procurement, modification, and delivery of five Airbus H135T3 helicopters to the Australian Army in 2024. The program had a highly complex set of constraints, including an extremely short procurement opportunity window, and a requirement that there is no impact to the operations of the existing Boeing HATS H135T2+ fleet. Emma and the Juno program competently met and exceeded customer expectations and was able to achieve one of the fastest major procurements in Australian history since the Vietnam war. Emma has been a champion and mentor for women, a role she fulfills with great empathy, respect, and care. |
 |
| Caitlin Worrall Project Manager PentenAmio Caitlin provided exceptional management and leadership of a highly classified project widely acknowledged to be groundbreaking within the Five Eyes alliance. While concurrently overseeing development of several other projects, she was required to tackle complex subject matters and a scope typically outside that of even the most experienced project managers. Caitlin oversaw testing verification and validation of cryptographic functions including quantum resilience - a subject new to her but one which she quickly grasped would require multiple work-streams to progress simultaneously, a workflow at odds with the traditional linear sequence of project management. |
 |
