WMS ENGINEERING - Key Persons
Alyssa joined WMS in February 2025 as a Hydrologist, bringing experience in Flood Risk Assessments, hydrological and hydraulic modelling, and environmental analysis. Prior to this, she worked as a Flood Risk Consultant at WHS and a Hydrologist at SLR Consulting, where she contributed to a wide variety of projects.
Alyssa graduated from the University of Bristol in 2022 with an undergraduate degree in Geography, specialising in catchment management and environmental sciences. She has gained extensive experience using hydrological and hydraulic modelling, applying her skills across diverse projects.
With a strong technical background and passion for sustainable water management, Alyssa is committed to delivering innovative solutions to complex hydrological challenges.
Amanda joined WMS in December 2021 as a Graduate Engineer. She graduated from the University of British Columbia, Canada in 2019 with a Master of Applied Science in Civil & Environmental Engineering, and brings one year of experience in water and sewer networks design.
During her master's degree, Amanda mainly focused on water and wastewater treatment technologies, and her thesis investigated the use of gravity-driven biological membrane systems for small and/or remote communities. During her first year as a graduate engineer, Amanda had the chance to work on the concept and detailed design of water and wastewater networks as part of a secondment with Sydney Water.
Amanda's varied background in Water and her experience living in 3 different countries have allowed her to be flexible, adaptable and a fast-learner. Since joining Water Modelling Solutions, Amanda has been developing her water resources and modelling skills and has already contributed to several flood investigations and proposals.
Ashley graduated from the University of New South Wales with a Master of Environmental Engineering with Excellence in 2020. During her master's degree, she mainly focused on hydrology and hydraulic analysis, developing a deep knowledge of runoff modelling, floodplain and waterway management and stormwater harvesting, and mastering various computer software.
Since joining WMS as a Graduate Engineer, Ashley is looking forward to making a real difference in water management.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director
- Managing Director / Brisbane
Blake began his career in 2004 on the Gold Coast with DHI, a Danish water consulting company and also the suppliers of the MIKE suite of software. The first few years of Blake's career were focused on hydrodynamic modelling of sewer systems and planning of upgrades. Much of this time was spent on secondment to Gold Coast Water. Following this, Blake spent the next five years undertaking flood studies, flood impact assessments, drainage assessments, support for road and rail design, management of custom software development, software support and training. Blake also completed several long-term secondments embedded in both government and private organisations. It was during this time that Blake really gained an appreciation for the impact modelling could have on the projects especially in relation to approvals, design and costs.
In 2010, Blake became DHI's Flooding Business Area Manager for Australia. In this role, Blake lead DHI to many new clients and projects in Western Australia, whilst maintaining and expanding relationships in Queensland and New South Wales.
Blake grew up around small business. His father owned, started and grew a carpentry business followed by a residential construction business during the 1980s to 2000s and Blake worked in a local marine chandlery when at school and university. Whilst exposed to the ups and downs of small business at times, the rewards of close relationships with clients and colleagues were always evident.
By the beginning of 2012, at the height of the mining boom, Blake recognised that many modellers and companies specialising in modelling had shifted focus from solutions to problems to more and more detailed modelling processes and techniques often without project benefit. Seeing this as an opportunity, Blake founded Water Modelling Solutions in June 2012. Initially on contract to Gold Coast City Council, Blake undertook a performance improvement study of the Woongoolba Drainage Scheme liaising extensively with farmers in the region as well as hydrodynamic modelling of the Gold Coast Seaway and Broadwater to inform the Cruise Ship Terminal project. In mid-2013, Blake and his family relocated to Toowoomba to assist Council with the recovery from the devastating floods in 2011 and to assist with an amendment to Council's Planning Scheme for the inclusion of flooding. Whilst on contract to Council, Blake also led the submission of many successful funding applications including for a flood forecasting system for Oakey that he led the technical development of.
In 2015, Blake was joined by Monika in ownership of the business. At this time Water Modelling Solutions opened its first office in Brisbane and began to employ more engineers. As Managing Director, Blake now spends about half his time on management activities and half on technical engineering.
Blake Marxsen is a forward-thinking Environmental Engineer with a proven track record in remediation, compliance, and civil engineering projects across international landscapes. With six years of experience, his commitment to environmental sustainability drives him to develop innovative solutions that address complex environmental challenges. With a talent for leading multidisciplinary teams, Blake has consistently improved project outcomes through strategic leadership and collaborative efforts. Blake's holistic approach to environmental engineering combines his environmental assessment and surface water management experience to enable him to effectively address the multifaceted aspects of complex projects. He is renowned for his proficiency in hydrotechnical analysis and for developing strategies that safeguard communities and ecosystems. Blake's commitment to sustainable development is evident in his comprehensive approach and his ability to deliver projects that meet the highest standards of environmental stewardship.
Throughout his career, Blake has been stationed in Perth, Brisbane, and North America where he has been instrumental in the design and implementation of environmental impact assessments, surface water management plans, flood risk assessments, and hydraulic structure designs, ensuring compliance with stringent environmental standards.
During his time in North America, Blake led the surface water engineering and detailed design for one of the largest LNG projects globally. Blake has demonstrated exceptional expertise in hydrology and hydraulic modelling, having worked on numerous high-profile projects with renowned companies such as ExxonMobil, Rio Tinto, BHP and Vale.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Sydney
Catherine joined WMS Engineering in June 2021 as the New South Wales Regional Manager. She brings 10 years of experience in floodplain risk management, civil design and project management. Catherine is passionate about developing collaborative relationships between consultants, councils and communities to improve flood resilience across NSW.
One of Catherine's key strengths is the ability to translate technical information to non-technical audiences, and she became certified with the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) in 2020. Catherine is skilled in the development and delivery of community consultation strategies for a range of projects, particularly relating to floodplain risk management projects including levee design. Catherine has published several papers and presented at numerous conferences including the Floodplain Management Australia conference, where she was awarded Young Floodplain Manager of the Year in 2024. Catherine is now serving as the Communications Director in the Floodplain Management Australia Executive Committee.
Daniel Esposito is a new recruit to the WMS Engineering team in Brisbane and it's a role he's relishing. It's obvious that Daniel has a zest for life, applying his analytical mind and management skills to a range of pursuits both in and outside the office.
Daniel has over five years' experience as an engineer in the water resources space, with expertise across the urban development, dam infrastructure and resources space. Daniel has been responsible for the delivery of stormwater management plans, flood assessments, regional flood studies, flood impact assessments and water sensitive urban design assessments.
Daniel has experience managing and co-ordinating projects from both the private and public sectors, giving him a unique understanding of the internal project drivers. Daniel applies a ‘business-led' design approach to his work, which translates complex engineering concepts into practical solutions. His expertise has played a pivotal role in coordinating and implementing stormwater management and flood-risk strategies across various infrastructure projects, consistently delivering significant value to clients.
Beyond this, Daniel's knowledge in computer programming enables him to streamline his workflows, ensuring efficient engineering design solutions. Daniel is proficient in the following software: TUFLOW, QGIS, ArcGIS, AutoCAD, RORB, URBS, WBNM, 12D, Storm Injector, MUSIC, HEC-RAS, Python, R.
Emma is our administrative professional with a proven track record working in various sectors over the past five years including state government specifically in the rail and transport industry, construction and project coordination. Emma joined our team in 2023, with a keen eye for detail, she actively manages and monitors the admin inbox, ensuring seamless communication and efficient information flow. Emma is adept at financial reconciliation, handling receipts, business transactions, and maintaining precise records of invoices and payments received. Emma plays a pivotal role in project management, overseeing Project Central and updating Proposals, projects, and archives.
Beyond routine tasks, Emma readily takes on one-off assignments, showcasing her adaptability and commitment to overall organisational efficiency. With a multifaceted skill set and a proactive mindset, Emma is a key player in ensuring the smooth operation of administrative and financial processes at WMS.
Job Titles:
- Principal Engineer
- WMS As a Principal Engineer
Iain has 14 years of professional experience as an engineer in the water resource space with expertise in water balance, mine water management, dam safety management, hydrology and hydraulic modelling and design. Iain has been involved in a wide range of water resource projects in Australia and overseas, including water balance modelling, flood studies, drainage infrastructure design, catchment management plans, water quality modelling studies and design. Iain has experience managing projects from both the consulting and local government side of the fence, giving him a unique understanding of the internal project drivers.
Iain recently joined WMS as a Principal Engineer and will be responsible for project management and technical oversight of water resource projects.
Job Titles:
- Senior Engineer
- Senior Engineer / Sydney
Jacqueline joined WMS in September 2021 as a Project Engineer. She has six years of experience in the water industry and was previously a water resources engineer at Beveridge Williams. Jacqueline graduated from RMIT University with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) in 2015.
Jacqueline's experience includes water sensitive urban design, one and two-dimensional hydraulic modelling, hydrological modelling, and detail design of stormwater assets including waterways, wetlands, and retarding basins.
Jacqueline has worked on a range of projects including flood studies, stormwater management strategies, flood impact assessments, and functional design.
Lihao, a dedicated professional, is a graduate in Civil and Environmental Engineering, equipped with a robust academic background and specialized expertise in Water Sensitive Urban Design (WSUD). With a focus on water management and water treatment, Lihao demonstrates a profound understanding of the complexities of pollution and associated risks in diverse water sources.
Throughout academic pursuits, Lihao has consistently exhibited a commitment to excellence and a passion for sustainable solutions in the field of Civil and Environmental Engineering. Drawing from this foundation, Lihao is well-versed in the intricacies of WSUD, positioning as a knowledgeable resource in the critical realm of water-sensitive urban planning.
With a passion for innovation and a dedication to creating positive environmental outcomes, Lihao is poised to thrive in roles that demand a comprehensive understanding of water-related issues, emerging as a valuable asset in the field of Environmental Engineering and water modelling.
Job Titles:
- Principal Engineer
- Principal Engineer / Brisbane
Mark has over eight years of industry experience in hydrology and hydraulic modelling, flood risk assessment, and related fields. His key software competences cover TU-FLOW, HEC-RAS, and industry-standard GIS programs. He has completed a dual degree in Bachelor of Environmental Engineering and Science at Griffith University.
Mark commenced his professional career with Brisbane City Council's Flood Management Team in November 2011. He began working there in the same year the city was hit by major floods; a renewed focus on reliable flood information was high on the agenda. It was this role that gave him a good foundation in hydrology and hydraulics, flood modelling and the flood risk management field. In 2015, Mark left Australia to live in the UK, where he worked in Bristol with WSP. Working as a Flood Risk Management specialist; this was a multifaceted role which involved the generation, manipulation, and analysis of technical flood risk data with the use of industry specific modelling and GIS software.
Mark returned to Brisbane in 2018, where he joined Jacobs' Surface Water team and was involved in the delivery of multiple road, rail, mine and dam projects for clients including DTMR, BCC, Aurizon, Sunwater, Rio Tinto and others. In August 2021, Mark joined Water Modelling Solutions as a Senior Engineer and will provide expertise and guidance for a wide range of flood-related projects.
Mehrnaz joined WMS in May 2024 as a Graduate Engineer. From then she has been involved in several Flood Modelling projects which allowed her to develop her skills in 1D and 2D hydraulic modelling with TUFLOW and QGIS as well as her soft skills such as time management and team working.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Director / Brisbane
- Principal Engineer and Director of Water Modelling Solutions
Monika is a Principal Engineer and Director of Water Modelling Solutions. She has over 10 years' professional experience acquired across the water, infrastructure, mining and agricultural sectors with strong expertise in hydrology and hydraulics. Monika has been involved in a wide range of water resource projects in Australia and overseas, including flood studies, drainage assessments, surface water-groundwater interaction studies, morphological studies and water quality modelling studies. Monika has also been called on as an expert witness and reviewer of many hydraulic models. Having worked on a wide variety of projects from small developments to multi-billion-dollar projects such as the Toowoomba Second Range Crossing, Monika has an excellent understanding of technical outcomes required for hydraulic design projects regardless of complexity.
Since joining Water Modelling Solutions as a Director in 2015, Monika has been responsible for managing WMS's day-to-day operations including the development and execution of business and marketing strategies, maintaining trust relationships with clients and other stakeholders and delegation and supervision of work.
Nicolas joined WMS in August 2024 as a Graduate Engineer with over 6 years of professional experience in numerical modelling and hydrodynamics, with a specialised focus on tidal energy and flood risk assessment. His expertise includes developing and implementing complex models for tidal energy devices, tidal range schemes, and flood forecasting systems. Nicolas's PhD research at Cardiff University, entitled "Numerical Modelling of Tidal Energy Devices and Structures as part of Net Zero", included optimisation tools, hydro-environmental modelling (using TELEMAC) and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics modelling using DualSPHysics.
Previous work has included projects funded by Transport for Wales and the Liverpool City Region, scoping a flood forecasting system and contributing to the potential design options for tidal range schemes respectively. He has published in high quality academic multiple journals, including Renewable Energy, iEEE Transactions on Sustainable Energy and the Journal of Hydrodynamics, carried out scientific peer review, and presented at multiple international conferences. Nicolas is a keen modeller and model/tool developer who looks forward to contributing his knowledge to the high quality work of WMS.
Job Titles:
- Senior Engineer
- Senior Engineer at WMS
Oliver is a Senior Engineer at WMS with over five (5) years of experience across the hydrology, hydraulics, civil, and environmental disciplines. Oliver has a passion for sustainable design and aims to assist clients and stakeholders at all levels to effectively achieve sustainable outcomes. Oliver began his professional career in Tasmania with Pitt & Sherry in early 2020. Under the guidance of industry leaders at Pitt & Sherry, Oliver developed strong expertise in flood modelling, drainage design, flood impact assessment, and stormwater management. In early 2023, Oliver relocated to pitt&sherry's Brisbane office to widen his knowledge set and pursue broader market opportunities.
Oliver joined WMS in May 2023 where he currently manages and delivers a wide portfolio of projects for clients in the mining, infrastructure, development, and floodplain management sectors. Oliver is heavily involved in the business development and resource allocation of WMS and has an established track record of identifying and solving client's needs.
Oliver has proficiency in the following software: TUFLOW, QGIS, DRAINS, RORB, URBS, ILSAX, AutoCAD, 12d Model, HEC-RAS, MUSIC, and FLIKE.
Parker is a dynamic and ambitious student engineer pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering. Currently immersed in the rigors of academic study, Parker's role extends beyond the classroom as he actively contributes to professional engineering work at WMS with the guidance of higher-level professionals.
In his capacity, Parker plays a crucial role in supporting senior engineers drawing upon the advanced techniques and methods acquired during his undergraduate coursework, Parker brings a fresh perspective and innovative approach to engineering challenges. Committed to continuous improvement, Parker embraces opportunities for training and professional development.
As he navigates his educational journey in Mechanical Engineering, Parker emerges as a promising young professional with the drive to make meaningful contributions to the engineering field. His combination of academic knowledge, hands-on experience, and a commitment to ongoing growth positions him as a valuable asset to the WMS team.