In our latest member interview, to mark International Women’s Day, we caught up with Donna Kelly, Service Manager for Highways Operations at Hammersmith & Fulham Council and Co-Founder of the London Women in Engineering Group (LoWEG). Donna shared insights into her career journey, the inspiration behind LoWEG, and revealed who she considers her very own highways hero.
Creating a Network for Women in the Sector
In her role at Hammersmith & Fulham, Donna oversees highways operations and maintenance, managing everything from footways and carriageways to insurance claims and wider highway infrastructure.
But alongside her day job, Donna also helped establish LoWEG, a network created to support women working across highways, transport and utilities.
“LoWEG started in November 2022 when four of us were introduced by a colleague who thought we were all doing similar work and should connect,” Donna explains. “When we spoke, we realised there wasn’t really a dedicated space for women in highways.”
The group quickly gained momentum. After sending out an open invitation to a first online meeting, 89 women joined the call.
“It felt a bit like sending out a bat signal,” she says. “But it showed straight away how many women were looking for that connection.”
Today, the network hosts regular meetings every other month, mostly online to ensure accessibility, alongside two larger in-person events each year.
Creating Safe Spaces for Honest Conversations
A key part of LoWEG’s work is creating a supportive environment where members can share experiences and learn from each other.
One feature of the meetings is a session called Safe to Speak Up, where members can anonymously raise workplace challenges.
“There will almost always be questions about dealing with inappropriate language or behaviour,” Donna says. “As a group we talk through practical ways to respond, whether that’s calling it out, asking someone to repeat what they said, or speaking to a manager or ally.”
For Donna, creating that safe and supportive environment is one of the most important aspects of the network.
“It’s important that women know they’re not facing these challenges alone.”
Retaining Women in Engineering
Although progress is being made, Donna believes engineering and infrastructure still has work to do when it comes to gender representation.
“It’s still a very male-dominated sector,” she says. “I recently gave a presentation where I was the only woman in a room of 15 people.”
While more young women are entering the industry, Donna believes the bigger challenge is retaining those already working in it.
Through LoWEG, members share job opportunities, career advice and cross-sector knowledge across highways, transport and utilities.
“There are so many transferable skills between sectors,” Donna explains. “Sometimes it’s just about helping people see the opportunities available.”
Inspiring the Next Generation
Outreach is another key focus for the network. Many LoWEG members take part in school visits and community events to introduce young people to careers in engineering.
“We encourage our members to become STEM ambassadors,” Donna says. “Sometimes it’s just about showing what an engineer actually looks like. We turn up in our high-viz and hard hats and talk about the projects we work on.”
The group has also run events where girls can speak directly with women working in different roles across the industry.
“For some of them, it’s the first time they’ve realised these jobs even exist.” she says. “Hopefully they go away and tell their friends too.”
A Career That Started by Chance
Donna’s own route into engineering wasn’t traditional. Her first degree was in history, and she initially joined Hammersmith & Fulham Council in an administrative role.
“I didn’t really know what I wanted to do after university,” she says. “But I progressed through the council and eventually moved into highways.”
Looking back, she believes the influence of her father, who was a civil engineer, played a role.
“Although at the time, the closest thing I had to engineering was probably a love of Lego. So now I get to do something a bit similar.”
Donna’s Inspiration in Highways
When asked who inspires her most today, Donna points to someone she has long admired in the sector.
“My current hero in highways is Carol Valentine,” she says. “Her career path is very similar to mine, covering highways, drainage and winter maintenance.”
Carol Valentine is Head of Business Services, Highways and Transport at Kent County Council and a member of the LCRIG Advisory Board. Donna has followed Carol’s work for years and was thrilled when she later agreed to speak at a LoWEG event.
“I was a bit starstruck when I first met her,” she admits.
Looking Ahead for LoWEG
Despite its London roots, LoWEG’s reach now extends far beyond the capital. The network has members across the UK, with more than 350 people on its mailing list.
Regular “Lunch with LoWEG” sessions bring members together online every other month, while larger in-person events provide opportunities for networking and professional development.
“We welcome anyone who is a woman, or identifies as a woman, working in highways, transport or utilities,” Donna says.
For her, the goal remains simple: creating a supportive community that helps women thrive in the sector.
“One of our members once told us that without LoWEG she would have left her job. Hearing that meant more than any award we’ve been nominated for.”
Looking ahead, Donna says: “I’m currently the Junior Vice President of LGTAG, due to take over as President in June 2027 which I’m really excited about. I plan to use my Presidential year to encourage more young people into the highways sector.”
A huge thank you to Donna Kelly for sharing her journey, insights, and passion for supporting women in highways. Her dedication to building LoWEG and inspiring the next generation of engineers shows the real impact one person can have in creating a more inclusive and connected sector.
Find out how you can get involved by visiting LoWEG on LinkedIn.