THE ENVI.ED JUDGING PANEL.

2023 ENVI judges

Our judges have a broad range of diverse backgrounds and expertise. Two judges are allocated to each award category, with the final decision being made by the wider judging panel.

Sarah Lang

Sarah’s current role as Business Director – Government Advisory and Strategic Relationships at Beca includes strengthening relationships with Central Government clients, supporting the establishment of Beca’s Te Ao Māori Advisory Services and the Beca Pasifika Network, and leading Social Procurement and Broader Outcomes within the organisation.

In 2016 Sarah established the New Zealand Women’s Infrastructure Network and has led the growth of the WIN network to over 2,000 members spread over seven chapters nationwide. In 2018 she received the Women of Influence Diversity Award and was a nominee for the 2019 New Zealander of the Year Award. She has also contributed to the establishment of many Māori employment initiatives. In addition Sarah has her own company, Lang Consulting, where she specialises in policy and strategy work, and working with government and iwi on post Treaty Settlement initiatives.

Charlotte Downes

Charlotte Downes is the Programme Director for The Diversity Agenda, the award-winning movement committed to helping engineering and architecture firms become more diverse and inclusive, through awareness, empowerment and action.

Charlotte has led talent acquisition teams around the globe and previously led the Diversity and Inclusion programme at Air New Zealand before moving to Auckland Transport to lead the mahi in people experience and internal communications. Charlotte is passionate about building strong foundations and growing momentum to ensure our industries in New Zealand are inclusive for everyone.

Dane Hart

Chief Executive of Engineers Without Borders New Zealand. Dane is passionate about making sure that access to engineering capability and leadership is universal across New Zealand and the South Pacific. Since starting in the role, he has led change within the organisation to focus on delivering opportunities for engineers to learn the skills required to take a people-centred, strengths-based approach to improving community health, well-being and opportunity.

Alan Coulson

With a high performing technical background, Alan has a passion for creating and delivery innovation – be that business strategy, process or technical. He has worked with a variety of sectors, clients and stakeholders in the broader New Zealand research, science and technology system to identify, create and implement innovations which make a real difference.

His experience spans electronics and software engineering in commercial product development and service delivery contexts, through to research leadership and management. His current role is Manager Contestable Investments at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, in which role he manages a $300 million portfolio of investments in New Zealand research, science and technology.