Floodplain Management Australia (FMA) has announced Catherine Walker, from WMS Engineering in Sydney, New South Wales as the winner of the 2024 FMA IAG Young Floodplain Manager of the Year Award.
The prestigious award is presented to a Young Floodplain Manager who has made an outstanding contribution or achievement to the flood risk management industry in their early career.
Catherine is well known in the industry for being able to navigate great personal professional successes in tandem with enthusiastically encouraging early career professionals in their own paths.
FMA President Sue Ribbons said the award provides an opportunity to publicly showcase and promote the incredible work Australia’s young flood risk professionals are undertaking.
Catherine’s passion and commitment to floodplain management and community awareness are to be commended. Ms. Walker led the development of school flood education resources which helped to bridge a gap between Councils and Consultants and the community in a way that has not been seen before. This initiative saw complex and abstract information translated into an easy and fun classroom experience for students and teachers.
Catherine also regularly contributes to the FMA Young Floodplain Managers Network, the Sydney University Women in Engineering Mentoring Network and the STEM Teacher Enrichment Academy.
Ms. Ribbons said “Catherine is an exemplar for the Young Floodplain Manager of the Year Award. While Ms. Walker has already achieved so much, she continues to support those in the early stages of their career. Catherine is an inspiration to Australian flood risk management, and we wish her every congratulations on this prestigious award.”
IAG’s Manager for Land Planning Hazards, Andrew Dyer said, “IAG is delighted to present the Young Floodplain Manager of the Year Award to Catherine Walker. This is an award centred around excellence, which Ms. Walker has well and truly displayed through her diligent and passionate approach to educating tomorrow’s leaders and future decision-makers. The work Ms. Walker is spearheading is destined to result in better understanding of risk in our floodplains and improved outcomes for future communities.”
The winner of the FMA IAG Young Floodplain Manager of the Year was announced at the FMA ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Conference in Brisbane this week.
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About FMA
FMA brings together experts from across Australia and overseas to help build a more flood resilient nation. Members include over 180 councils, catchment management authorities, government agencies, businesses, and professionals involved in urban and rural flood risk management.
