Engineer. Pilot. Speaker

 

Renee is an Aerospace Engineer, an Aviator and a Professional Speaker

Renee Wootton Tomlin is an enthusiastic STEM professional, aerospace engineer, and commercial pilot with over a decade of experience in Australian aviation projects, now participating globally. She has held various roles in project engineering, environmental impact, airport services, customer experience, maintenance engineering, aircraft performance, flight operations, network planning, fleet strategy, and people strategy.

Renee has improved maintenance practices, optimized flight routes, reduced fuel burn, minimized landfill, supported airline pilots, and upgraded military aircraft simulators. She worked on the Western Sydney International Airport project and led Qantas Group's First Nations Employment Strategy. In 2024, Renee joined LanzaJet as Director, New Market Development, focusing on decarbonizing aviation through Sustainable Aviation Fuel.

Renee holds a Bachelor of Aerospace Engineering, a Graduate Diploma in Flying, a Diploma in Science, Engineering, and Technology, a Commercial Pilot Licence and Frozen Air Transport Pilot Licence.

A proud Aboriginal woman from Tharawal Country, Renee advocates for diversity in STEM and participated in the Superstars of STEM program and was recognised as the 2024 NSW/ACT Young Achiever of the Year and Australian Financial Review (AFR) BOSS Young Executive of the Year.

Renee is a professional speaker, dedicated to inspiring the next generation through STEM and diversity engagements and is a host of the Promoted Podcast; the podcast that helps young professionals get promoted and be great when they get there.

 

STEM is a creative, innovative and team driven industry, which can be a rewarding career choice for anyone

 
Lend Lease | Panel Discussion

Lend Lease | Panel Discussion

 

Speaking Activities

Renee energises audiences as a:

  • Keynote speaker delivering insight‑rich, powerhouse addresses

  • Master of Ceremonies / Panel facilitator who keeps events flowing and memorable

  • Workshop & training leader translating complex tech into practical take‑aways

  • Conference speaker on SAF, aerospace, sustainability and inclusive leadership

Past engagements range from classrooms and community forums to 2,500‑strong corporate audiences, government summits and international conferences, with every session tailored to the client’s goals and the audience’s aspirations.

 
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UNSW | Alumni Speech, 2020

“In Australia alone, only 12% of the nations engineers are female and in 2014 there were only approximately 500 indigenous engineers identified. These statistics are why I am motivated in giving my time to the Power of Engineering, along with many other indigenous non-profit organisations and programs. There is a clear lack of female and indigenous representation within Australia in the engineering field, and this is important because it impacts the world around us.”

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Qantas | Inspiring and educating young people from disadvantaged backgrounds

 

Recognition

  1. AFR BOSS Young Executive (2024) – selected by The Australian Financial Review’s BOSS Magazine as one of the nation’s standout emerging leaders.

  2. 7NEWS NSW/ACT Young Achiever of the Year (2024) – overall state winner at the Young Achiever Awards.

  3. Superstars of STEM cohort (2020‑22) – one of 60 women chosen by Science & Technology Australia to champion visible STEM role‑models.

  4. Top 30 Indigenous Young Leaders in NSW (2018) – honoured by (then) Governor Sir David Hurley and Mrs Hurley.

    Profiled by leading media including The Australian Financial Review, Women’s Agenda, The Australian Jewish News and The Daily Telegraph for her impact across aviation, climate‑tech and community leadership.

Speaking Topics

Future of technology, aviation & aerospace engineering – from sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to next‑gen spaceflight.

  1. Women in STEM & closing the gender gap

  2. Indigenous ingenuity, culture and truth‑telling in science & engineering

  3. Climate‑smart innovation and energy transition

  4. STEM career pathways – classroom to cockpit to C‑suite

  5. Challenging stereotypes & engineering myth‑busting

  6. Inspiring young people through Renee’s personal journey from a Tharawal girl in regional Queensland, Australia to NASA JPL in Padena, California.

 
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A donation will be made to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation when you work with me.

Being able to read opens so many doors. But in very remote Indigenous communities, books can be scarce and literacy levels are often much lower than anywhere else in Australia. ILF's purpose is to make a difference to the lives of Indigenous families by not only gifting thousands of new, culturally appropriate books - with a focus on early literacy and first language - but also by running programs to inspire the communities to tell and publish their own stories, in the languages they choose.

 
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Where has Renee been featured?

 

Get in touch with Renee