The Women in BIM Event held on Thursday, June 19th, marked another inspiring gathering in Brisbane, this time hosted at Jacobs’ office and proudly sponsored by Bluebeam. The evening centered around the theme: “Shaping the Future of Location Intelligence: How GIS and Data Capture Enhance Decision-Making Across the Built Environment.”
The event opened with a warm welcome from Yolanda Espinar, Associate Digital Delivery Lead at Jacobs and WIB QLD Regional Lead. Yolanda acknowledged the Traditional Owners of the land and introduced the evening’s agenda, which included presentations, a panel discussion, and networking. Kelsey Stein, Senior Principal Business Consultant at Autodesk and WIB QLD Regional Lead, delivered the WIB update, sharing exciting news that Brisbane will host the 2026 Australian WIB conference. This was followed by a presentation from Nicola Sherlock, Sales Manager at Bluebeam, who spoke on “Empowering Those Who Build the World,” highlighting Bluebeam’s role in supporting digital transformation in the built environment.
The first keynote speaker, Luiza Castro, Senior Spatial Solutions Analyst at the City of Gold Coast, presented on Spatial Intelligence in the Public Sector: Disaster and Emergency Management. She emphasized how GIS technologies are critical in managing emergencies and planning resilient infrastructure.
Next, Michelle Watson, Global Principal Digital Advisory at Jacobs, delivered a thought-provoking talk titled Do You Really Understand the Impact of Your Decisions? She explored how data-driven insights can lead to more informed and impactful decisions in infrastructure planning and delivery.
The evening continued with a panel discussion featuring Luiza, Michelle, and Abigail Brown, Senior Spatial Surveyor at Bennett & Bennett. Moderated by Yolanda, the panel explored how GIS and data capture technologies are transforming the built environment. Topics included real-time decision-making, geospatial contributions to disaster management, and the future of spatial intelligence.
The event concluded with closing remarks and a call to action for attendees to take away one idea to empower women and drive innovation in their organizations. The evening wrapped up with vibrant networking, leaving attendees energized and inspired.
A heartfelt thank you to Bluebeam for sponsoring, Jacobs for hosting, and the WIB QLD Committee for their support. The event was a testament to the power of geospatial intelligence and the strength of the Women in BIM community.
