We are delighted to announce that Kara Sadler, Head of Water Quality at South Staffs and Cambridge Water, has been awarded Fellow Membership (FIWater), the Institute of Water’s highest grade of membership.
This well-earned recognition reflects Kara’s outstanding contribution to the water sector, her professional expertise, and her continued commitment to both the industry and the Institute of Water.
Kara’s Institute of Water journey began as a Rising Star in the Eastern Area. Since then, she has served as Vice Chair and Chair of the Eastern Area, and now holds the position of National Chair. Her progression through these roles reflects not only her dedication, but also the trust placed in her leadership across the organisation. Through her involvement, she continues to champion member engagement and professional development at both regional and national levels.
A Chartered Scientist and committed member of IWater, Kara is passionate about professional development and supporting others within the sector. Widely recognised for her ability to inspire and develop people, she leads with clarity and authenticity while fostering a positive, high-performing culture. In her role as Head of Water Quality, Kara leads a critical operational function, ensuring the delivery of corporate and regulatory objectives while maintaining high standards of water quality and public health protection.
Congratulations to Kara on being awarded Fellow Membership (FIWater), a fantastic and thoroughly deserved achievement!
During Volunteers’ Week 2026, we shone a spotlight on our volunteers by sharing their reflections, experiences and personal stories. It was a chance to hear what inspired people to get involved, what they enjoy about volunteering, and the difference it makes to them and the wider IWater community.
Across the week, a range of voices highlighted just how varied and rewarding volunteering can be. For some, it’s about building skills and confidence early in their career. As Dr Sarah McMath shared, volunteering offers opportunities at every stage, from gaining leadership experience to broadening networks and perspectives.
For others, it’s about connection and growth. Ciara Dysart spoke about how volunteering introduced her to inspiring people across the industry and gave her confidence and a sense of purpose, especially stepping into a leadership role early in her career.
Many volunteers highlighted the importance of community. Kevin Mooney reflected on returning to the Scottish Area Committee and the strong sense of support and welcome he’s always experienced. His story shows how volunteering can fit around different stages of life and career, and how people can stay involved over time.
For Mary-Anne Kilroe, volunteering has been a key part of her professional journey, helping her build confidence, expand her network, and connect with others across the sector. Now, as a Chair, she sees first-hand the passion volunteers bring to supporting members and developing others.
Volunteering also means different things to different people. For some, like Ken Pratt, it’s a way to stay active and give back after retirement, sharing knowledge and continuing to learn. Others, like Helen Taylor and Michelle Ford, are motivated by a desire to give back to the profession and support others to progress, while continuing to learn from the experiences of others.
Together, these stories highlight the many ways volunteers contribute, whether that’s developing skills, building connections, supporting others, or simply staying involved in a community they care about.
Volunteers are at the heart of the Institute of Water. Your time, energy and commitment make a real difference, and we’re grateful for everything you do.
We’re pleased to share the reflections below, together with personal messages from our CEO, Gaby Mandell, and our Chair, Kara Sandler.
Dr Sarah McMath (EIWater)
CEO of MOSL
“Volunteering for the Institute of Water offers so many opportunities for people at any point in their career.
Early on in your career it provides opportunities to lead work and develop skills that are transferable into your day job.
I continue to get huge value personally from volunteering, widening my network and providing me with a range of different perspectives and also access to technical areas of the water sector that I no longer have in my day job.”
Ciara Dysart (EmIWater)
Assistant Project Lead, South West Water
Chair, IWater South West Area
“Volunteering with the Institute of Water has introduced me to incredible people across the industry. Stepping into the Chair role at an early stage in my career has opened doors I never expected, connecting me with professionals I truly admire and learn from.
It’s given me confidence, inspiration, and a strong sense of purpose all whilst also allowing me to champion the Institute and share the impact of what we do with others.”
Kevin Mooney (EIWater)
Business Development Manager
Eliquo Hydrok
“I’ve recently become a member of the Scottish Area Committee for the third time.
Why a third time? Things change in your career and life, and my respect for the Committee has meant I’ve had to allow another volunteer to take over my role and do it full justice. I truly love being a volunteer, but it comes with responsibilities to each other, and sometimes it can be hard to juggle everything. I’ve always been made welcome by the Committee members, no matter the situation, and it feels great to be valued by people I like and respect.
It has never been goodbye, and I was welcomed back as Membership Lead. My employer, ELIQUO Hydrok, supports my participation and is also supporting me on my chartership journey. I am delighted to be active and involved again, working with such a great committee at IWater! The other Area Committees are pretty awesome too.”
Mary-Anne Kilroe (MIWater)
Integrated Catchment Strategy Manager, United Utilities
Chair, IWater Northern Area
“Volunteering with the Institute of Water has been a huge part of my professional journey. I first got involved after attending a Northern Area event early in my career, which inspired me to become more actively involved with the Institute.
Since then, volunteering has helped me build confidence, grow my network, and connect with people across the industry whom I may not otherwise have met.
Now, as Chair of the Northern Area Committee, I’ve seen first-hand the passion volunteers bring to supporting members, sharing knowledge, and developing water professionals across the sector.”
Ken Pratt (Fellow)
Now retired, Ken was keen to find a meaningful way to stay active. He enjoys mentoring, sharing his knowledge and learning from people outside his own area of expertise
Helen Taylor (MIWater)
Process Scientist at Scottish Water
Helen volunteers because she believes in giving back and wants others to have the same opportunities she had to progress and gain professional recognition.
Michelle Ford (EIWater)
Environmental Process Scientist at Anglian Water
Michelle enjoys volunteering because it allows her to give back to the profession, while also learning from others. She has found the assessment process rewarding and values the opportunity to see different experiences and approaches from across the sector.
We’re delighted to share that Nicola Fomes, Managing Director at Navigate Infrastructure and Chair of the Institute of Water Midlands Area, has been awarded as a Fellow of the Institute of Water (FIWater).
Fellowship recognises those who’ve made a real difference to the water sector, and Nicky’s award reflects both her professional expertise and the time and energy she gives back to the industry, always looking to #MakeItCount.
As Midlands Area Chair, Nicky has played a key role in shaping a supportive and active regional community, bringing people together, creating opportunities for members, and encouraging others to get involved and develop. Her impact is felt not just in what she delivers, but in how she supports others to make their own contributions count.
Here are a few words from our Midlands Area volunteers:
Charley Maher, Midlands Area President, said:
“ Her impressive technical expertise, combined with a deep understanding of the broader sector, proved invaluable in helping us shape a robust strategy, address longstanding challenges, and achieve both strong performance and compliance with licence conditions.“
Selena Zang, Midlands Committee Volunteer, added:
“Nicola has created a welcoming, ‘family-like’ culture where people feel encouraged and supported to contribute and grow.”
Evan Joanette, Former Area Chair, said: “I have worked with, then volunteered with Nicky for over 10 years where she brings energy, good judgement and commitment to sector regulation and the Institute of Water. In the Midlands, she has been a consistent leader, dedicated chair, action coordinator and recruiter and mentor to new and established volunteers.
This recognition is a well-deserved milestone, and we’re proud to have Nicky as part of the Institute.
Congratulations, Nicky!
Every day is a good day to thank our volunteers for their vital contribution. But Volunteer Week gives us a special reason to really celebrate our vibrant volunteer community.
From day one, volunteers have been the lifeblood of IWater. Last year, we marked 80 years since the organisation was founded by volunteers. That is 80 years of development shaped, driven, and delivered by volunteers; and 80 years of reasons to recognise their commitment and say thank you.
And now, we have another year of outstanding achievement and dedication from IWater’s over 260 active volunteers. They know that volunteering is a powerful way to make their IWater membership count.
Our volunteers have organised webinars and conferences, mentored and assessed applications for professional registration, given their time and expertise to committees, and so much more. They do this with enthusiasm, insight, and professionalism, creating a welcoming environment where we can all learn from one another.
Throughout this week, we’ll be sharing inspiring volunteer stories and highlighting the wide range of volunteer roles available. There are countless ways to get involved, with opportunities that reflect different skills, interests, formats, and time commitments. What unites them all is a shared commitment to making a meaningful difference for our members, our sector, and for personal growth and development.
So, please allow us to take the opportunity, as part of national volunteer week, to say a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of our IWater volunteers. You make IWater possible and you make it count!
To learn more about becoming an IWater volunteer, visit: https://instituteofwater.org.uk/volunteering-at-iwater/
Kara Sadler, Chair, and Gaby Mandell, Chief Executive
Institute of Water
Professional registration goes far beyond meeting industry expectations. It gives our members the confidence, clarity, and credibility to make a meaningful difference in their work. During Chartered Week, we celebrated professionals across the CEng, CEnv, and CSci registers whose reflections showed exactly why registration matters.
Their stories stood out for their honesty, purpose, and commitment to maintaining high standards across the sector.
As part of #MakeItCount, we are proud to share these experiences again. Each testimonial demonstrates the real impact professional registration can have on day‑to‑day practice, from strengthening environmental responsibility to reinforcing scientific integrity, building leadership skills, mentoring others, and supporting long term career growth.
We hope these stories encourage you to reflect on your own development, recognise how far you’ve come, and consider how you can continue to #MakeItCount
Lisa McKenzie MEng CEng EIWater
Lead Functional Consultant, IFS Copperleaf
“Becoming a Chartered Engineer represents formal recognition of my experience against a respected industry standard. I genuinely valued the process for bringing structure and focus to my CPD. Using the competency framework with my manager helped identify growth areas and led to my involvement in some interesting projects. Since becoming chartered, I find it rewarding to mentor others on their journey, helping them identify competencies to strengthen and plan how to achieve them.”
Rich Simons PhD CEng EIWater
Head of Application Science, AquiSense Technologies (Europe) Ltd
“As a “technical” person it can be easy to dive deep into the maze of standards, data, and equations. The chartership process requires you to look beyond your expertise and consider the complete role of an engineer; it has helped me see different perspectives on leadership, reinforced the importance of good management, and given me a greater appreciation of the softer skills that turn ideas into physical reality.”
Ioana Muresan CEnv
Lead GIS Consultant, Scottish Power
“My CEnv mindset has always focused on applying appropriate environmental behaviours both in the workplace and in everyday life. Environmental safety and ethics have consistently shaped my thought process and decision‑making, guiding how I approach challenges and assess impacts. I have always regarded these principles as critical and believe they should be upheld to the highest standards, both professionally and personally.”
Thomas Kelly BEng (Hons) MPhil MBA CEng CSci CMgr MIWater MCMI
Director of Operations, Ionic Technologies
“Becoming a Chartered Engineer is a fantastic way to demonstrate competency and empower career advancement. It represents a globally recognized standard for engineering capability and is a pre-requisite requirement for many senior positions. I feel that it has certainly enhanced my career to date, and it is very rewarding helping aspiring Engineers to enhance theirs through similar Registrations. I would encourage anyone considering Professional Registration to pursue it, because it is something employers really value.”
Austen Buck PhD CSci EIWater
Executive Director, Water Research Centre
“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known”, Carl Sagan once said and I believe that “something” lives within the minds of the budding scientists in our sector! By committing to professional registration, we uphold integrity, strengthen confidence in our discipline, and ensure that our voices are trusted and valued. This credibility is essential as we work toward the scientific discoveries that will reshape the future of the water sector.”
Ghislain JuvanonCEnv
Technical & Asset Director – Qatar, Veolia Near & Middle East
“My chartership is a reflection of my values: that professional excellence is inseparable from environmental stewardship. From my early days in marine resource management to leading multicultural teams in large-scale utility operations, being a CEnv empowers me to lead with purpose. It’s about ensuring that every drop of water we manage today contributes to a more secure and sustainable world for tomorrow.”
Natalie Akroyd CEnv FIWater
Director of Quality and Environment, South Staffs Water; Vice President Environment, Institute of Water
“Professional registration provides independent assurance that an individual has the required skills, experience and competency in their field. With the current focus on our sector’s environmental performance, it is more important than ever to demonstrate to the public and our regulators that we have the best people working to protect and improve it. Environmental professional registration is the perfect way to do this.”
Hamish Todd MChem MRSC CSci EIWater
Net Zero Research and Innovation Senior Programme Manager, Scottish Water
“Having worked for nearly two decades in the water industry, all within scientific roles, becoming chartered has added real weight to my experience and knowledge. I am profoundly proud of my CSci status and often speak passionately about its benefits, as well as the opportunities offered by the Institute of Water. Without their support, I don’t believe I would have received the scientific recognition I deserve, given the diverse nature of my work across science.”