Ashford, 25 November 2025 — We’re proud to share that our Senior Consultant, Charlie Kenney has been named the winner of the IfSE Diversity & Inclusion Award, recognising sustained action to build an inclusive culture across Optima, our clients and the wider systems community.
Tonight at the ASEC Dinner, Charlie was presented with the IfSE Diversity & Inclusion Award — a testament to years of practical, thoughtful work to make inclusion the norm in Systems Engineering.
At Optima, Charlie established our EDI programme and has embedded inclusive practice through our diversity report, workshops, education and allyship. Her influence reaches beyond our own teams and into our client work and the profession.
Within IfSE, Charlie is a long-standing member of the D&I group/committee, translating good intent into measurable action. At ASEC 2024 she led D&I activity, including a panel session and a co-presented Inclusion in SE workshop, bringing people together to share ideas and improve practice.
Over the last five years, and with Charlie’s support, Optima has hosted and facilitated two EDI events for INCOSE UK members — practical forums that strengthen collaboration across the community.
Charlie also advocates for gender equality outside of work as a STEM ambassador, a school careers volunteer and a writer on EDI topics for the Defence and Engineering communities. To quote her nomination:
“Charlie is a driving force for inclusion, leading Optima’s EDI programme and embedding inclusive practice across our workforce, clients, and the wider profession. A long-standing member of the IfSE D&I committee, she turns commitment into measurable action. At ASEC 2024 she led D&I activity, including a panel session and a co-presented ‘Inclusion in SE’ workshop. Over the last five years she has helped Optima host and facilitate two EDI events for INCOSE UK members. Beyond work, she advances gender equality as a STEM ambassador, schools volunteer and EDI articles writer on social media.”
Congratulations, Charlie! Your leadership, persistence and generosity of spirit lift the whole community.
