Alcoa of Australia : Finalists in CME Women in Resources Awards

Outstanding Alcoa finalists in CME Women in Resources awards

An outstanding woman and company initiative from Alcoa of Australia are finalists in the 2018 Western Australian Chamber of Minerals and Energy Women in Resources Awards.

Dr Marisa Ioppolo-Armanios, Environmental Technology Program Manager at Alcoa's global Alumina Centre of Excellence (CoE) is short listed for the Outstanding Woman in Resources category; while Alcoa's Frontline Talent Development Initiative at Huntly Mine which develops and promotes women in mining, is an Outstanding Company Initiative category finalist.

Raised in a traditional, first generation, immigrant family, Dr Ioppolo-Armanios' expectation for herself was markedly different to the hairdresser expectation her family had for her. From a young age she challenged societal stereotypes and paradigms with great resilience and determination to pursue a university education in science.

Today Dr Ioppolo-Armanios is regarded as a highly skilled research scientist. She is an acclaimed expert in environmental (air and water quality) and process chemicals, managing and developing the Environmental Technology program for Alcoa's global research and development hub, the Alumina CoE, based at the Kwinana Alumina Refinery. She is a transformational leader with significant academic and professional achievements and successfully leads two breakthrough global projects in air and water quality for Alcoa.

Dr Ioppolo-Armanios is also a strong advocate in paving the way for other women in technical pathways.

Developing talent and encouraging career progression is also a key theme in Alcoa's Frontline Talent Development Initiative. The initiative has inspired and empowered many women at Huntly Mine to acknowledge their diverse attributes and consider a range of career options outside their current functions. Although open to both men and women, the initiative has given women access to career development opportunities and many have benefited from available promotions and role changes.

'Transferable skills have huge potential in the workplace and are an untapped currency for employers. The acquired knowledge, experience and interests of employees can be harnessed to add value across the business rather than in only one specific area,' co-creator of the Frontline Talent Development Initiative, Yvonne Fahey said.

'The Frontline Talent Development Initiative has unlocked a raft of transferrable skills brought to the workplace by our female employees. The process has enlightened management as these varied skills are now known and so employees can be further engaged to enthusiastically contribute to the wider business. Many of the females and their training, leadership and management skills have become particularly visible.'

Alcoa of Australia Managing Director, Michael Parker, congratulated the finalists and said attracting more women into the resources sector was an issue Alcoa had been actively working on since the early 1990s.

'The business case for gender equity is very clear - it's been proven to result in higher productivity and higher profitability. For Alcoa, it's also an opportunity to translate our values into action as we attract and retain the best talent. I'm delighted that our outstanding women and their efforts have been short listed and acknowledged in these awards.'

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Media contacts

Sonia Nolan - 0401 034 103 / [e-mail]

Jane McGuire - 0410 694 676 / [e-mail]

Photographic captions

Dr Marisa Ioppolo-Armanios, Environmental Technology Program Manager at Alcoa's global Alumina Centre of Excellence (CoE), has been short listed for the 2018 CME Women in Resources Awards - Outstanding Woman in Resources category.

About Alcoa

Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is a global industry leader in bauxite, alumina and aluminum products, with a strong portfolio of value-added cast and rolled products and substantial energy assets. Alcoa is built on a foundation of strong values and operating excellence dating back nearly 130 years to the world-changing discovery that made aluminum an affordable and vital part of modern life. Since inventing the aluminum industry, and throughout our history, our talented Alcoans have followed on with breakthrough innovations and best practices that have led to efficiency, safety, sustainability and stronger communities wherever we operate. Visit us online on www.alcoa.com, follow @Alcoa on Twitter and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Alcoa.