Shining a light on women in the resources sector

With the support of Resources Victoria, the careers of five women are being celebrated by the Minerals Council of Australia with the aim of boosting female participation in the state’s growing resources sector.

With the support of Resources Victoria, the careers of five women are being celebrated by the Minerals Council of Australia with the aim of boosting female participation in the state’s growing resources sector.

At a ceremony held in Bendigo last Friday evening, the 2025 Victorian Women in Resources Awards were bestowed on five high-performing industry figures, who will now go forward to the national Women in Resources Awards being held in September.

The Exceptional Woman in Victorian Resources is Ms Georgia Denisenko, founder of Just Outcomes. The award recognises Georgia’s professional success, leadership and contribution to community engagement and inclusion.

During a career as a native title lawyer spanning more than 30 years, Georgia has championed respectful engagement with First Nations peoples when negotiating land access. She has also been a mentor, advocate for gender equality and a role model for balancing professional excellence with family life.

The Outstanding Trade Operator or Technician is Jessica Mitrovic from Fosterville Gold Mine. Jessica is the mine’s first female shotcreter and a role model for women working in underground mining, with a career spanning geology, service crew roles and now in technical positions.

The Gender Diversity Champion is Dona Carter, Project Delivery Manager at Titeline Drilling. For over 20 years, Dona has been an advocate for women in mining. She has driven inclusive recruitment practices, pioneered field-worker maternity policies and mentored more than 40 women into field roles.

The Exceptional Young Woman in Victorian Resources is Ashleigh Mostert from Stawell Gold Mine. In her time with the mine, she has improved its systems, led rehabilitation projects and influenced groundwater management.

The Technological Innovation Award winner is Malgorzata Sikora. Malgorzata has successfully blended mining engineering with data science to lead AI-driven innovation at Newmont Corporation.