Making ripples, tending waves

I began my career as a hands-on refrigeration engineer. That practical foundation has stayed with me throughout my career and has greatly influenced how I see the sector. Refrigeration is ultimately about people using knowledge and skill to solve real problems, often under pressure and without much public recognition. 

My career developed from engineering practice into consultancy, industry leadership and international advocacy. I conceived World Refrigeration Day because I believed our fragmented sector needed a shared global focal point through which it could reach beyond itself and tell its story. The first World Refrigeration Day was held in 2019, and it has since developed into an international campaign involving people and organisations across the world. 

I am now Head of Secretariat of World Refrigeration Day and Founder of Global HVACR Women Week. I have also been closely involved in international work to increase the connection and participation of women in cooling, including as a co-founder of the International Network for Women in Cooling. 

I have previously served as President of the UK Institute of Refrigeration and have recently been elected to serve as President again from November 2026. This will be my second term. Across all these roles, the common thread is my belief that technical progress and human progress have to travel together. We need excellent technology, but we also need a sector in which people feel that they belong, can contribute and can grow. 

I am coming to Australia to take part in AIRAH’s Women in HVAC&R Summit in Melbourne on October 27. My contribution is titled “Ripples: Small Waves, Big Impact.” 

The central idea is that change does not always begin with a major programme, a large budget or a grand declaration. It can begin with one introduction, one invitation, one person being included or one opportunity being opened. 

A ripple may seem small where it begins, but it can travel much further than we expect. 

That idea is also at the heart of Global HVACR Women Week. We want to encourage people everywhere to take achievable actions that connect women and their networks, allow them to share experiences and open opportunities for one another. If hundreds of individuals and organisations each create one meaningful ripple, together they can produce a wave of change. 

I am particularly looking forward to listening while I am in Australia. I want to learn from women working across the Australian sector, understand both the progress that has been made and the barriers that remain, and connect those experiences with the wider international conversation. 

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