Donna Thomas

Donna Thomas came to engineering through curiosity and commitment. She joined DCL Consulting in 2012 in a part-time admin role - and quickly discovered a genuine interest in bridges and structural assets out in the field. DCL sponsored her through a Diploma in Civil Engineering, which she completed in 2020, and her role grew steadily from there into structural inspections, lifecycle analysis, and contract administration.

At DCL GRIT, Donna specialises in structural inspections across the full range - General, Principal, Flood, and Special - often requiring specialist access including rope access, confined spaces, in-water work, and rail-corridor inspections. She also contributes to lifecycle analysis, RUL modelling, and renewal forecasting, giving councils accurate, defensible data for long-term infrastructure planning. She has held the role of Engineer's Representative on several projects, including the Kakanui Bridge Renewal.

Donna has built deep technical capability across bridges, retaining walls, tunnels, dams, siphons, and wharves - and brings a field-first mindset to everything she does. Every structure tells a story, and Donna is particularly good at reading it: piecing together how something was designed, how it's ageing, and what clients need to do about it.

Authenticity is the GRIT value that resonates most with her - a practical, honest approach to inspections and asset management, no more, no less. It's how she works, and why clients trust her.

Outside of work, Donna is an active member of the Dunedin lawn bowls scene - a game she describes as a great mix of strategy, skill, and community. She also loves to travel and spend time with family and friends.