This International Women’s Day, we celebrate Emily Salvati, Project Manager for Residential Growth, who is proving what’s possible for women in property and development with the right support and opportunities.

Emily began her Renewal SA career in 2017 as part of the graduate program, and immediately started her journey working on the iconic Bowden project which has defined inner-city living in Adelaide.

Fast forward eight years, and Emily is now Project Manager of the Seaton development, for which she is a master planner of the once-in-a-generation project.

Her role includes the management of consultants and contractors, procurement, and the overall coordination between all stakeholders including council and Housing Trust to ensure timelines and standards are met.

Emily was a finalist in the 2024 Urban Development Institute of Australia (UDIA) SA awards in the Young Leader category, which recognised her positive contribution to the property industry.

She also participated in the ‘500 Women in Property’ program that is led by Property Council of Australia, which promotes female talent and empowers women to advance in the workforce.

When the chance first arrived for Emily to join Renewal SA it was a dream come true.

“I found Renewal SA’s graduate program back in 2017 about 30 hours before applications closed, so I’ve always felt really fortunate to be here,” Emily said.

“My friend mentioned Renewal SA to me as I was finishing my studies and from then I set my eyes and heart on this agency and waited for any opportunity to come up.

“I jumped at the chance and fortunately the timing was right, and I have never looked back.”

Emily’s first Project Director was a woman, which meant she saw amazing, influential women in the industry and importantly, a visible path ahead.

This isn’t the case for all aspiring professionals in property and around the workforce, showing there is still work to be done.

With ‘March Forward’ the theme of this year’s International Women’s Day, Emily acknowledges the work ahead for aspiring females in property and in the workforce generally.

“When I think about marching forward, I believe we should be ahead of where we are now because sometimes it feels like we take two steps forward, and then one back,” she said.

“It’s okay to have numerical goalposts you want to reach, but it’s about educating people that females still go through the things that we do, and about the comments that we receive.

“These things still happen, and they could be happening to the person you are sitting next to.”

Beyond the female leadership, Emily was also fortunate enough to receive support from men as well, showcasing the critical importance of allies to women.

“On my second day, the General Manager at the time asked me how I was settling in and how I was going,” Emily recalled.

“I never thought an executive would be so interested in new recruits, let alone the quiet, young female who was feeling far out of her depth at times.

“And I must give a shout-out to current Renewal SA Executive Director of Property and Projects, Shane Wingard, who was instrumental in providing me with the opportunities that have led me down my pathway to Project Manager.”

Emily continues to march forward in her career, and she is a true inspiration to young girls and women in property and development.