Networking Event at Flood & Coast 2026

We’re excited to be hosting our annual Flood & Coast networking event next week in Liverpool. This event open to all attendees of the conference regardless of gender and including those with only a free exhibition hall pass: Flood & Coast 2026 Agenda. Be sure to add our event “Turning the Tide: Advancing Women in FCERM” to your Flood & Coast schedule, via the CIWEM Events App or the Attendee Hub.

Tuesday 6th June 17:15 – 18:45

In 2025, women represented just 25% of the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce in the UK, underscoring a persistent gender gap in one of the most critical sectors of the economy. This session aims to explore practical, actionable ways to attract and retain women in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management. We want to hear your experiences, gather your insights and ideas and together identify and encourage areas of focus for our organisations and across our industry.

Interactive networking: The first half hour of the event will be networking with prompts for participants to add their insights on topics centred around challenges to attraction and retention.

Presentation and panel: Hosted by our co-chairs, Amy Shaw (WiFCERM) and Caroline Douglass (Environment Agency), we will hear from our panel, drawing on their different perspectives to discuss challenges around attraction and retention of women in FCERM.

Co-chair biographies:

• Amy Shaw is Deputy Director for Local Operations at the Environment Agency, leading delivery across Flood and Coastal Risk Management and Environment, Planning and Engagement teams to ensure communities are better prepared for increasing flood and coastal challenges. She specialises in organisational change and programme delivery, with a strong focus on simplifying systems, strengthening collaboration, and turning national strategy into practical, place-based action. Amy is also the national lead for the Women in Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management (WiFCERM) network, where she is driving an inclusive, supportive community to help women connect, develop and thrive. At Flood & Coast 2025, she will bring these perspectives to the Women in FCERM networking event, sharing insights on leadership, change, and the value of strong professional networks in delivering better outcomes for people and places.
• Caroline Douglass is the Executive Director for Flood and Coastal Risk Management for the Environment Agency (EA) leading development of the flood risk management strategy to ensure homes and businesses are prepared for and protected from flooding and coastal change and creating climate resilient places for the future.  Responsible for a £4.4Bn government investment over three years she leads the capital infrastructure programme for flood and coastal risk management including major projects such as the River Thames Scheme.  She is also responsible for ensuring the effective maintenance and operation of flood, water and navigation assets operated by EA.

Panel biographies:

• Laura Bigley (Lancashire LLFA / ASA): Laura manages the Flood Risk Management Team at Lancashire County Council. She began her career at Lancashire as a planning officer specialising in environmental planning, before moving into flood risk management and leading the county council’s work on sustainable drainage and planning. Laura has also worked in her native Merseyside as their Flood Risk Coordinator leading the FCERM Partnership and working with the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority, before returning to Lancashire in 2020.
• Darren Eckford (CIWEM): With a background in high performance sport, Darren brings deep expertise in skills, leadership, and people development. Drawing on extensive coaching experience, Darren has spent over 15 years building purpose driven leaders, high performing teams, and more human organisations across New Zealand, Australia, North America, and Europe. Now Director of Learning and Organisational Development at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), Darren leads strategic, human centred learning initiatives that strengthen capability, collaboration, and professional growth across the water and environmental sectors.
• Sarah Bailey (Environment Agency): After being encouraged to consider a career in engineering at my all-girls high school, I considered the career of a civil engineer due to my love of the outdoors and awareness of climate change. I became an ICE quest scholar with the EA in 2018 and am now working toward chartership with my experience in FCERM projects.
• Marc Pinnell (JBA Consulting): Marc is the Managing Director at JBA Consulting and has over 30 years’ experience in flood and coastal risk management. Marc plays an active role in industry leadership and capability building, contributing to national policy, standards development, professional training, and executive education. Marc is an experienced academic contributor and guest lecturer, delivering modules at postgraduate level on consultancy practice, contracts and commercial management within the water and environment sector. His teaching integrates technical delivery, commercial models and governance, helping bridge the gap between professional training and real‑world consultancy delivery.

Thank you to our event sponsor: