This International Women’s Day, meet six inspiring Ausenco leaders who are paving the way for others every day.
Jessica Rodriguez, Geotechnical Engineering Manager, in Peru
Jessica leads multiple teams from geotechnical and tailing, geology, geotechnical design to soil mechanics. In her role, Jessica ensures her team meets deadlines and delivers services of the highest technical quality. She is always seeking synergy between her team and the organization, not only in regional projects but in projects led by other business lines around the world.
What led you to this career? “I was inspired to pursue a career in Civil Engineering because of my father who is an officer in the Peruvian Army but always aspired to be an engineer. This aspiration fueled my passion for the field. During university, I discovered engineering was not only a career I liked but I was good at it. I consistently placed in the top five in all my courses.”
Read Jessica’s expert profile to learn more about her role and expertise.
Luciana Soares, Finance Manager, in Brazil
Luciana is responsible for monitoring cash flow, ensuring laws are followed and managing expenses. In short, she provides the organisation with accurate financial information and supports the overall operations by improving processes and mitigating operational risks through collaboration.
What led you to this career? “For me, transitioning into Finance from Project Controls was a natural progression. I worked closely with Finance and Accounting during my time in Project Controls, which allowed me to build my business acumen and inspired me to pursue a specialisation in Financial Management in Brazil and Canada.”
Chandni Kher, Regional Director, Mining, British Columbia & Yukon Territory, in Canada
Chandni oversees all the work conducted in the mining sector across BC and Yukon. Her role ranges from helping key clients with environmental assessments and permitting projects to focus on sector growth, including business development, proposals, resourcing, strategic planning and developing and growing our people.
What led you to this career? “I originally trained as a molecular biologist and spent many years working in academia until it was time for a change. I launched my consulting career with roles in quality assurance and project coordination and assessments – a natural fit given my passion for scientific communications. I spent the next 12 years grinding it out and working on as many projects as possible. In the last few years, I shifted focus to leadership, and I truly enjoy all the new challenges it brings.”
Read Chandi Kher’s leadership profile to learn more about her expertise.
Lisa Taylor, Project Controls Manager, in Australia
Lisa oversees the monitoring and reporting of a project’s progress, costs, schedule changes, forecasts and cash flow to ensure project teams deliver on time and on budget. Simply put, she ensures the right people get the right tools and information to make informed and timely decisions.
What led you to this career? “My love for numbers led me to pursue Accounting in university. After graduating, I worked hard to secure opportunities, from working in accounts and contracts at a diamond mine to many diverse Controls roles in Papua New Guinea, the Andes and many Ausenco locations.”
Lou Lightfoot, Talent Acquisition Advisor, in Australia
Lou is responsible for sourcing, attracting, interviewing and hiring employees. She is also part of the team that develops strategies for finding candidates for very technical positions.
What led you to this career? “When I was working as an English teacher in Dubai, my friend suggested trying recruitment as a potential career, and 20 years later, I haven’t looked back. A perfect fit with my passion for interacting with people. I worked in large construction projects in the Middle East, which allowed me to leverage all my skills into the mining industry.”
Kelly Moore, Project Manager, Contaminated Sites, in Canada
Kelly manages project budgets, timelines, client expectations, prepares technical proposals and completes report reviews. Her role allows her to wear multiple hats: technical, marketing, business development, mentoring, client management and the list goes on!
What led you to this career? “I didn’t seek a career in contaminated sites – it found me! Taking an elective class in environmental sciences in my third year of university completely changed the trajectory of my career. At the end of the course, I developed a passion for the sciences and found myself reading about contaminates sites for fun, slowly becoming more and more motivated to repair and protect our earth. I truly enjoy creating safe environments for people to raise families and make meaningful memories.”