People Young Professional Group Co-convenors report

Despite, 2021 being, once again, dominated by lockdowns, fatigue and COVID chit-chat, it was still a successful year for VPELA’s Young Professional Group, having hosted several online (and one ‘in person’) seminars, events and social networking functions.

Though the ‘spicy’ cough may still be lingering around in 2022, it won’t stop us! The YPG is looking forward to hosting many more insightful seminars along with casual get togethers to meet fellow professionals and new friends in the workplace. After an interrupted past two years, there is plenty of need for us to make up for lost time!

We’d like to thank outgoing Co-Convenor Eliza Minney and outgoing committee members Vincent Pham, Taryn Sobel and Christina Chu for their contribution to the YPG over recent years.

On the flip side, we have some fresh faces who have joined our committee for 2022 (including a change of leadership) and we are excited to see what they will bring to the YPG going forward.

This year, we are encouraging the involvement of students at our seminars and events to meet fellow members of our industry. We encourage all workplaces to get their students and graduates to come along to our YPG functions. We’ll also be exploring a number of new initiatives and new ways to engage, interact and learn, so watch this space for some hopefully exciting announcements throughout the year.

We can’t wait to see what 2022 holds for us!

Your YPG Co-convenors, Jack and Izzy on behalf of the YPG.

Welcome to our new members…

Maria Anenoglou Gadens

Howard Bartlett

Lexie Branda-Pawlaczyk Ecology and Heritage Partners

Rechelle Brookes Ratio

Alayna Chapman Yarra City Council

Louie Chen DELWP

Natasha Cox Urbis

Teresa Davis KBR

Rowan Farmer City of Greater Geelong

Hans Gao Stantec

Thomas Hams Beveridge Williams

Rhiannon Hossack Cardno

Steven Huang Maroondah City Counci

Shrijan Joshi Urbis

Isobel Kirkman Jacobs

Jacqueline Kirwan Urbis Pty Ltd

Sofie Lemaire Greater Dandenong Council

Taila Maher Urbis Pty Ltd

Josh Maitland Ethos Urban Pty Ltd

Alison McFarlane DELWP

Amy Najarialamouti Taylors

Rutu Parekh Waste Audit & Consultancy Services

Stefani Risteska Whiteman Property & Associates

Joshua Trowell Urbis

Katherine Vance-Smith Ecology & Heritage Partners

Shelley Warner Department of Education & Training, Victoria

Michelle West Manningham City Council

Jacqui Willis WSP Australia

Hayley Wu Cardinia Shire Council

Long term members marry

Congratulations to two of our best-known members, Charmaine Dunstan and David Hodge, who married at Siglio on Sunday 21 November 2021 in front of family and friends. The ceremony was delayed a number of times due to COVID but love eventually triumphed. David confirmed that they are “blissfully happy” and that Charmaine looked “absolutely beautiful” – we can’t argue with that.

We wish them a lifetime of happiness together!