Hi there! Thank you for allowing me opportunity to introduce myself.

My name is Erin Leslie and I am a graduate from the University of Wollongong with a Bachelor of Environmental Engineering (Honours). I studied this degree because it seemed to strike a balance between my interests in mathematics and the sciences with my interests in the natural environment and concepts of sustainability. Upon reflection, this was a great decision and I am proud to be part of the movement to increase the representation of women in STEM fields.

During my undergraduate studies, I completed eighteen months of employment as an environmental officer with a local coal mine. Through this experience, I gained exposure to a range of environmental issues associated with the industry. I continued to develop my appreciation for the roles of engineering and science in addressing these issues, as well as the roles of legislation, policies and guidelines. However, the saying does not go that ‘repetition is the spice of life’ – although there was rarely a dull day during my time at the mine, after eighteen months I became very curious in what opportunities existed for me outside of the industry.

I have been extremely fortunate to travel to many fascinating places around the world. My work with social business, facilitated by 40K Globe and Project Everest, lead me to the vibrant and busy streets of Bengaluru in India and to Blantyre in Malawi, accurately and affectionately known as the warm heart of Africa. Though these experiences, I had the opportunity to negotiate logistical challenges and intensive time constraints while addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals. These experiences also taught me the importance of managing expectations and consolidating divergent thinking – skills which I now realise are very valuable in my current role.

I was pleased to be welcomed early on into the 4Pillars team, whose guiding principles are well aligned with my own personal values – particularly ‘doing everything in the context of the four pillars of sustainability’. As emphasised by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, sustainability is at the forefront of a range of pressing and contemporary issues.

My interest in the consulting sphere is partly fuelled by my desire to apply and expand my skills and knowledge base to deliver quality work and outcomes for clients across a range of sectors by understanding and addressing their unique requirements. Since assuming my role as a consultant, I have really enjoyed the diversity work. I have gained further exposure to the mining and quarrying sector, as well as civil construction, and waste and resource recovery.

In addition to day-to-day business support, including lead generation and development, I have been involved with waste classifications, water, noise and air quality monitoring and management, compliance reporting, regulator and community engagement and project management. A project that I recently completed, which was both challenging and rewarding, involved driving the pilot study and guiding a team through the scale-up and roll out of a national compliance database for an ASX client in the quarrying and manufacturing sectors.

Outside of work, in my spare time, you can usually find me discovering new interests and seeking new adventures. If you name it, I have probably tried it or have plans to. Yoga is definitely a staple. You might also find me trying to pet your dog…

Top three movies: (Aw, c’mon! Just three? I used to work as a video store clerk, so this is no easy feat!) L’Odyssée (a visually stunning movie about the fascinating life of Jacques Cousteau), The Darjeeling Limited (I struggled just to pick my top three Wes Anderson movies), Whiplash (very intense, very good).

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