We started by asking her to tell us a bit about herself. 

Stacey is a Civil Engineer by profession, with a passion for transport planning and 17 years industry experience under her belt. She is particularly interested in sustainable transport solutions, something that has only really gained traction over the last few decades. Stacey shares with me an initiative she was involved with in South Africa 15 years ago. This is where she first learnt that if we want to change the impact on the environment you also need to look at changing behaviours; It’s not just about building a cycle path - there’s an education piece around realigning attitudes and assumptions on transport that needs to happen to make a meaningful impact, she tells me.

Currently, Stacey leads the Transport Planning Team at Egis. She recently wrapped up an 18-month secondment with Tauranga City Council, where she supported their School Safety Program, reinforcing her commitment to creating safer, more sustainable transport solutions.

This year's theme is: Accelerate Action, one way in which we can do this is through mentoring and, or championing women. Can you talk of a time when you have been mentored/championed, or you have mentored a woman or girl?

Stacey says she feels she has been very fortunate with the mentors she has had throughout her career. Traditionally civil engineering is a very male dominant sector and a lot of her mentors have been male. 

Stacey shares that she always asks for feedback when she is being mentored, she believes that this helps her to grow and develop. She recognises that her mentors have invested time and resources into her development - she’s been on a number of training courses as recommended by her mentors. 

Stacey has benefited from engaging with female mentors and has gained valuable insights from these relationships.

One mentor shared that she felt pressured to ensure Stacey’s success, knowing that any failure might reflect on both of them. This wasn’t just about mentorship—it highlighted the broader expectations placed on women in leadership.

Stacey understands this deeply, recognising that female mentors often take on more than just a guiding role—they become protectors, advocates, and role models. This experience has given her a greater appreciation for the challenges they face. It’s a reminder that true progress means creating an environment where women can succeed without the fear that their setbacks will define others.

Having these experiences have also shaped how Stacey is as a mentor herself. When she has mentored work colleagues, she always wants the best for the individual. She advocates for them, as she recognises that having people that thrive are paramount to a business succeeding. 

Stacey also volunteers with Engineering New Zealand and annually helps local schools who've signed up to the Wonder Project. More specifically, she helps run the Rocket Challenge, which is designed to engage year 5 and 6 students in STEM.  It is through this Stacey is able to be a role model, and mentor tamariki in exploring Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. She is highly motivated when she sees the girls in the group get excited. Being an engineer herself, she is acutely aware that we need more girls and women in STEM so installing a passion for this subject at an early age is important to her.

Stacey also worked on the project with her own daughter, as her school had not signed up to the initiative. Stacey says that seeing her daughter being inspired by this and also sharing her curiosity for STEM really helped them bond more. 

Do you have a call to action you’d like to share with others, see them Accelerating Action for greater gender equality? 

Inclusion!

She highlights the importance of mindfulness in our actions, language, and workplace culture. Fostering environments where every voice—regardless of gender—is heard and valued is essential. In meetings, she deliberately ensures that underrepresented voices are included.

 Stacey is intentional about creating a safe space and nurturing strong group relationships.

Big thank you to Stacey for sitting down with me and sharing her experience and thoughts.