2021 Professional Engineer of the Year Finalist

NEWCASTLE

Jo Withford

FIEAust CPEng APEC Engineer IntPE(Aus)

With over 25 years of road and bridge construction experience, Jo has a strong knowledge of and experience in project planning, construction, maintenance and project management. After completing a Bachelor of Engineering (Civil) Degree from UNSW in 1996, Jo commenced her career in the construction industry before heading into the design of pre-stressed concrete structures. She then expanded that experience as the Planning and Development Engineer in Darwin before commencing at Roads and Maritime Services NSW (now known as TfNSW) where she has spent the past 21 years building and maintaining road and bridge infrastructure, as well as project managing multiple infrastructure projects, across the Hunter Region.

A strong advocate for flexibility for working mothers in engineering, Jo has sought to influence mid-management decision makers to be more broadminded in their approach to managing particular challenges that a working mother in the industry faces. She has been able to successfully manage a great work/life balance during her engineering career to date while raising three daughters with her husband of 21 years and dedicating her own time to raise awareness about the causes she is passionate about.