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29th Nov 2022
Each year, the Australian Institute of Project Management holds the PMAAs to acknowledge exceptional projects that were delivered over the year, as well as the individuals driving those projects across the line.
A huge congratulations to all our winners for their success, and for what they have produced for Australian communities. Here are the top project professionals around the country.
Ben Webb, City of Canterbury Bankstown (NSW)
Ben is a driven project professional of 20 years, who enjoys developing and leading high performing project teams to deliver successful outcomes on complex programs across project management sectors. He has worked with both private and public sector clients, and both principal and contractor teams on projects in a range of sectors, including social, tourism, transport, and education, including key roles on many award-winning projects, including ICC Sydney, Sydney Zoo, Northern Beaches B-Line Program, BridgeClimb, and the redevelopment of Circular Quay. In 2020 Ben began his role at the City of Canterbury Bankstown, leading its Works & Projects unit.
Jason May, Australia Post (VIC)
Jason May is the consummate project and program manager, having been delivering enterprise change for companies such as Sensis, Miele, and Australia Post since 1992. Since Jason commenced in the Australia Post International Services PMO (ISPMO), he has delivered 23 major initiatives, exceeding $23m in funding, ensuring Australia Post meets its regulatory sending requirements, in addition to generating $24m revenue and $1.8m cost savings. Jason’s approach to stakeholder engagement and influencing has made him a popular, but highly effective, member of the company and it is safe to say that he regularly performs the work of three to four people.
Samantha Aitken, ECLIPS Logistics Pty Ltd (QLD)
Sam joined ECLIPS Logistics in 2020 as a Project Manager working towards her CPPM. Having served in the British Army managing Defence projects in Army Head Quarters, Sam is a professional, well-rounded individual who is excellent at collaborating with her team, clients, and stakeholders. Sam has been successfully responsible for all project management activities for several Defence innovation projects, and has also been proactive in developing company tools to improve project controls, such as budget maintenance. With her extraordinary abilities to keep projects within schedule, despite multiple challenges, Sam has been instrumental in building a solid reputation for the company.
Kylie Christian, Hyperion Design (NSW)
Kylie provided a full suite of services for the development and completion of the Batemans Bay Waterfront and Observation Point Interpretation Plan. Kylie managed all aspects of this complex project, for the client (WolfPeak) and end-user (Eurobodalla Shire Council), from community and stakeholder consultation, to documentation planning and development, and managing a multidisciplinary team and concept designs. She was responsible for scheduling of site visits, works and documentation (to the client’s satisfaction), as well as ensuring that all communities were well represented and had their perspectives included.
Carlene Frank, Aurecon Group Pty Ltd (VIC)
Carlene is a Certified Practising Project Manager with exemplary skills in project management, team leadership, and client engagement. Prior to moving into the project management field in 2016, she worked as an Electrical Engineer. Carlene volunteered with a non-profit organisation in South Africa to deliver new projects; building project management capacity for local staff inspired her career change. Today, Carlene is developing and delivering diverse projects to improve the Department of Defence’s capabilities in Victoria and Tasmania as Aurecon’s Project Delivery Services Portfolio Lead in the regions.
Amy Pinnell, JLL (NT)
Amy Pinnell joined Augility as a Project Manager in 2019 with a background in architecture, 10 years’ local experience in client-side project management and 20 years’ industry experience. Amy has worked for the Defence Estate Works Program since 2020 delivering multiple Defence construction projects from initiation to handover. She is a collaborative and diligent member of the JLL team who enjoys and has delivered many complex, stakeholder-driven projects at RAAF Darwin and elsewhere on HV Infrastructure and high-security Defence assets. Amy has worked for multiple multi-national consultancies in Darwin and is an AIPM accredited Certified Practising Project Manager.
Tom Gilbert, RPS AAP Consulting (ACT)
Tom is a project management professional with over 10 years’ experience in managing people and projects across the military and construction industries. Tom served in the NZDF, managing and leading complex projects all over the world before transitioning to the private sector where he has joined RPS. Tom is passionate about complex projects and has an ability to build robust relationships and gain the trust of clients when delivering in challenging environments. Tom is a Senior Project Manager and is responsible for all aspects of project delivery from initial planning to managing the design and delivery of construction projects.
Sam Scargill, Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd (QLD)
Over the last 10 years of his career, Sam Scargill has as served as project manager for multiple projects of varying scale and complexity, including innovation projects featuring a ‘one-of-a-kind’ system and ‘new age’ technology in aviation, water, resources, and built environment. Through his collaborative and inclusive culture on his projects and programs, Sam stands out in performance and technical competency. As Future Project Leader, Sam uses his passion for professional project management, his experience and commitment to thinking differently to help clients, peers, and mentees achieve the best outcomes for their projects and programs.
Cameron Denecker, Aurecon Group Pty Ltd (NSW)
Cameron is a Certified Practicing Project Manager (CPPM) with a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil, Honors Class 1). With a client-focused, commercially orientated approach, Cameron has successfully delivered complex programs of multi-disciplinary projects across NSW while managing and growing a team. Specialising in program management, Cameron not only excels in managing all aspects of program design, procurement, and construction delivery but distinguishes himself from other young project managers by nurturing his team through engagement. He has managed a $70m (p/annum) construction program for the Department of Defence for two years and now oversees a significant design program for ConnectSydney.
Andy Mekhail, Turner & Townsend (VIC)
Andy is a Senior Project Manager (SPM) at Turner & Townsend, who specialises in the design and construction of major commercial mixed-used projects and complex health projects. Andy has responsible for successfully leading and managing major projects for Turner & Townsends key clients at each phase of the project lifecycle from inception to planning, through to design, tender, and construction. Andy has a passion for giving back the community through the built environment, in particular health projects as he feels these are the most fulling and rewarding as they can make a big difference in society.
Chris O’Connor, Jacobs Group (Australia) Pty Ltd (WA)
Chris is a remarkable project practitioner who has made significant achievements over his seven years in industry. This includes his various leadership roles undertaken on major programs of work for the Department of Defence, and as such, being recognised by the AIPM Assessment Program as a Certified Practising Project Director (CPPD). Chris is currently the Assistant National Program Manager on behalf of Jacobs for the Industry Partner Contract (IPC) Program with Defence. In partnership with Defence and Jacobs’ national team of Project Manager/Contract Administrators, Design and Other Services consultants, Chris manages the day-to-day operations of this major program of works.
Gianne Quijano, JLL (NT)
Gianne is project manager at JLL-Augility, delivering multiple projects on the Defence Estate Works Program (EWP). Her role in the EWP involves management of projects from the initiation phase through to closing phase. Her five years of collective prior experience in engineering and design management complements her current role, allowing in-depth understanding of project requirements and objectives, mitigating risks, and potential impacts of change requests on the projects’ cost, time, and scope. Further strengthening her project management skills, she is currently in her last year of a Master’s in Project Management course at the University of Sydney.
Catherine Kambouris, RPS (ACT)
Catherine is a proactive Certified Practicing Project Manager with almost 10 years’ of industry work experience, and is proficient at intuitively adapting and delivering positive outcomes with agility to address challenges faced in a technical, complex, and diverse working environment within the Defence spectrum. Catherine has proven to be a reliable and valuable leader with strengths in reengineering and implementing innovative business processes. Catherine effects positive change as a Senior Project Officer on multibillion-dollar Navy infrastructure programs to ensure facilities solutions for critical capability projects are delivered correctly and respond to the future strategic needs of the Australian Defence Force.
Brandyn Galletti, Aurecon Group Pty Ltd (SA)
Brandyn is a Certified Practising Project Manager (CPPM) with a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours) degree. He has been managing a unique capital works portfolio for the University of Melbourne that comprises of multi-disciplinary infrastructure projects. Brandyn is also a Design Manager in Aurecon’s Project Delivery Services (PDS), contributing his project management capabilities to the development and delivery of Defence projects. He has aided all stages of the project lifecycle, from scoping to construction. Brandyn’s analytical management skills, transparent communications, and proactive approach to problem solving have seen him successfully deliver Defence projects and a capital works portfolio.
If you would like to be recognised in the future for your achievements in project management, enter the Project Management Achievement Awards (PMAAs) in 2023. By entering the PMAAs, you and/or your organisation are benchmarking your outstanding achievements and innovations in project management against your peers and demonstrating your commitment to achieving project excellence.
Visit our PMAAs page to see the full list of state-based winners. The national winners will be announced in 2023.
The Project Management Achievement Awards (PMAAs) exist to recognise, honour, and promote outstanding achievements in program and project management.
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