Top Female Executives in Energy Offer Wisdom on the Industry

Women with vast experiences in the energy field share insights into their career paths and make the case for increasing diversity to boost the bottom line.

How did you become involved in the energy sector? How would you recommend women break in to the industry in the current moment?

I joined the energy industry because I wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Affordable, reliable energy improves living standards, especially in emerging markets, and I wanted to make energy investments that would benefit communities. That social mission is more important now than ever, particularly with the rise of renewables and other new energy technologies. I hope more women take leadership roles in the industry to shape this planet’s energy future for our children — and the many generations yet to come.

What was the most formative piece of career advice you received?

That excellence is paramount. It was advice first delivered by a college professor — that a track record of outstanding performance, no matter how minor the task or role, was the surest path to success. And it’s a lesson that’s been reaffirmed in every job I’ve had since then. Even now, leading a finance operation that stretches across five countries, I’m convinced that technical excellence and a relentless work ethic are the essential determinants of early career professional success.

What skills do you utilize every day, be they technical or otherwise? 

An essential building block is a strong technical background. To this day, I use core financial analysis and valuation skills to assess business performance or evaluate whether a new investment opportunity is worth the risk. You have to be able to work with the technical concepts and analysis to make informed, high-level decisions. But now that I’ve moved into a senior leadership role, you also have to move beyond the analysis work to challenge conventional thinking. Finally, you have to be able to take those ideas and distill them into a simple and compelling message to influence teams, customers, investors and policymakers. 

What are some of the most exciting technological applications you’re seeing transform the energy and infrastructure landscape? 

Battery energy storage helps new and old technologies to work better, and that means lower costs and improved environmental performance for the entire electric system. With batteries, we can use gas and coal generation more efficiently, running more when they are needed and less when they are not. Batteries also make renewables more reliable and can help stabilize an energy system that depends on many intermittent sources of energy.

Working in a male-dominated industry presents its own unique set of challenges to women in the field? How have you navigated these challenges and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder? 

I don’t think there’s anything about the energy industry, in particular, that’s more or less supportive of women than any other industry. The challenge is in ensuring that skilled young women entering the industry in their twenties are promoted into senior leaders in their thirties. I have been fortunate to work for outstanding male leaders, who are both committed parents and excellent professionals. I recommend women seek out these managers, both male and female, who can serve as role models for both career and family life.

How do you think an organization can benefit from more diversity of thought and talent? 

Technology and customer demands are transforming the energy industry. If you can’t imagine the next energy product or innovation, your company will miss the biggest opportunities. And a diverse and driven group of leaders is the best way to see that future — and seize it. Segmenting customers and deeply understanding their needs requires empathy and a broad view, which could be missing if an organization’s leaders all share similar experiences and perspectives.

How did you become involved in the energy sector? How would you recommend women break in to the industry in the current moment?

Growing up in Alaska, I had an appreciation from an early age of natural resource development and a fascination of energy’s important role in society — not just how it can drive economic growth, but also how it enables innovation and success in nearly every other industry. I knew I wanted to be a part of it. I originally planned to be an engineer, but turns out I’m better suited as a lawyer and pursued environmental policy and law instead. There is no one route to “breaking in.” The industry needs a diversity of talent, from accountants, lawyers, communications and government affairs professionals to engineers, chemists and geophysicists.

What was the most formative piece of career advice you received?

No assignment is too small; I quickly realized that joyfully and excellently undertaking the tasks that may be undesirable to others can be inroads to building trust and influence in your leadership and organization. As you advance into management and executive roles, obviously you cannot and should not do everything, but having that perspective builds an appreciation for every role and a push for excellence in the details.

What skills do you utilize every day, be they technical or otherwise?

Critical thinking and communication. The energy industry is often in the public spotlight and the subject of regulatory scrutiny; regardless of your position in the industry or educational background, it’s important that you are able to parse opinion from fact and challenge assumptions by understanding and communicating your industry’s impact and benefit to the world and our environment. My organization is committed to ensuring our positions and communications on the exploration industry’s most pressing issues are supported by credible scientific, technical and legal analyses.

What are some of the most exciting technological applications you’re seeing transform the energy and infrastructure landscape? 

I am fortunate to work for one of the most innovative industries in the world: the geophysical and exploration industry. Our members are continually advancing technological developments in data acquisition and processing that spur exploration and define insight for energy. Since the 1980s, seismic surveys have doubled the world’s proved oil and natural gas reserves, enabling the discovery of resources previously overlooked and thought impossible. Energy starts with the geophysical industry.

Working in a male-dominated industry presents its own unique set of challenges to women in the field. How have you navigated these challenges and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder? 

There is a lot of emphasis on STEM education for women and minorities to improve diversity in the workplace, and for good reason. But you also do not need to be a scientist, engineer, or geophysicist to be an executive in the energy industry; there are many non-technical roles that succeed to the C-Suite and Board room, whether accountants, lawyers, MBAs or otherwise. Excel in your current assignment, glean the most from your peers and leaders where you are, and be the best at what you do so you can be confident in seeking placement and promotion on the basis of your record and talent.

How do you think an organization can benefit from more diversity of thought and talent? 

The IAGC benefits from diversity in our staff and across our membership. Our small office boasts a diversity of age, gender, minorities, and professional background- and I am very proud of the support from our Board of Directors to pursue talented people over status or even length of service in the industry. As a result, we have collaborative approaches to our strategy and engagement that are the result of playing to each other’s unique strengths. Similarly, we benefit from a diversity of membership spread across the world; it is both challenging and rewarding to understand and communicate the perspectives of members spread across 48 countries.  

How did you become involved in the energy sector? How would you recommend women break in to the industry in the current movement?

I became involved in the energy sector as a volunteer member of NIPSCO’s Community Advisory Panel while serving as an elected official on the local City Council. I accepted the position to learn about the industry and to make sure our citizens understood the impact energy had on their quality of life. After serving a year, I accepted the position of public affairs manager for NIPSCO, even though my background is in engineering. Regardless of education or background, anyone wanting to move into the energy sector should understand the impact energy has on the consumer and the environment.

What was the most formative piece of career advice you received?

I have been told that my passion and commitment to the community puts me into overdrive at times, so some of the best advice I’ve received is to slow down and take the time to walk through and document your thought processes to ensure people understand why you made a decision. Also, don’t be afraid of disagreement or negative feedback. Creative thought can begin there. I have learned to just embrace challenges as opportunities for improvement.

What skills do you utilize every day, be they technical or otherwise?

Planning, problem solving and decision making are skills I use every day at work and at home. I interact with customer service, contractors, auditors and gas operations teams on a daily basis because my team is responsible for our Leak Survey program in Indiana, which is federally mandated. So after transitioning to my current role in Gas Operations last November, I spent six months identifying process improvement opportunities and building relationships with departments at NiSource, our parent company.

What are some of the most exciting technological applications you’re seeing transform the energy and infrastructure landscape?

There are many advances in generation, transmission and distribution. I see the most exciting opportunity for tech applications in how companies can use it to serve their customers. The customer experience is driving change in the industry. In today’s landscape, customers expect responses and updates in real-time. We serve a range of demographics and have to meet customers where they are — whether it is online through websites or social media, by mail, or by text and phone.

Working in a male-dominated industry presents its own unique set of challenges to women in the field. How have you navigated these challenges and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder?

As women, we tend to not seek opportunities outside of our areas of expertise. I attend events from industry associations, like the MEA Energetic Women Conference, where I network with female leaders in the industry and gain valuable leadership training. As the 2018 Energetic Women Chair and member of the leadership team, I’ve learned that the ability to communicate your value proposition along with demonstrating leadership is just as important as having the technical skill sets. Find a mentor to help you create a leadership development plan.

How do you think an organization can benefit from more diversity of thought and talent?

Diversity of thought and talent allows organizations to provide better customer service and increase employee engagement. As employees and leaders within an organization, we are consumers first. Tapping into those experiences is an invaluable tool at a low cost. Diversity of thought also helps problem solve through conversation—the tension of different points of view can lead to innovation and extraordinary outcomes for consumers and employees.

How did you become involved in the energy sector? How would you recommend women break in to the industry in the current moment?

I have always worked for manufacturers of power equipment that serve the energy sector. I started in manufacturing operations and supply chain, then moved into product management and successive commercial leadership roles after that. After my first product management position, I realized that this is the industry I wanted to stay in for my career. There are always fascinating new technologies being developed, and the development of sustainable, reliable, efficient energy sources interested me greatly. Additionally, I like that the energy sector basically flows to touch all other industries since everyone needs power to function. 

There are many companies that are suppliers, contractors, consultants and partners of energy generation, transmission and distribution. Breaking into the industry through any of these avenues is possible not only in science roles, but also in business management and beyond.

What was the most formative piece of career advice you received?

Don’t be rigid. A boss once told me to have an end game in mind, but understand you can take several paths to get there. Sometimes opportunities come along that aren’t exactly what you planned to do next, but can prove to be a quite interesting step toward your long-term goal. 

I have taken various roles in my path to general management, all of which were useful in building my bench strength of multiple disciplines. Not only have I become more knowledgeable in a range of functions, I came to enjoy different things that weren’t even on my radar, including the areas of purchasing and supply chain, as well as the art of negotiation.

For example, early in my career, I was in an engineering/project manager role when I was approached about a role in purchasing. At first, I was not interested because I wanted to stay as close to my engineering discipline I’d studied in school. However, after learning more about the role, I found that a big function of the role was qualifying manufacturers around the globe for supply potential. Not only was I delighted to be able to utilize my manufacturing engineering skillset, I also got to travel the globe and learn a very critical new skill — negotiation. To this day, I still use the tools that I picked up in my stint in purchasing and am grateful I took on what looked like an unlikely role. It turned out to be a turning point in my career. 

What skills do you utilize every day, be they technical or otherwise?

How to say no. Sometimes the most important word we can learn to say is “no.” We have so many opportunities pulling at us every day, and equally so many distractions. Staying committed to the strategy of action you have put in place for our business means saying no a lot. We must have a clear mission and stay true to it. This mission could be that of technological advancement, an energy subsector investment or marketing messaging. Whatever it is, make sure you believe in what you’re doing and focus on executing against it. Saying no isn’t always fun, but it frees up your time to focus on what really matters. 

What are some of the most exciting technological applications you’re seeing transform the energy and infrastructure landscape? 

Digitization of our grid is becoming a reality. I’m excited to see IoT finding its way to the grid. We now have the agility to connect equipment, operate it remotely and then automatically analyze the efficiency of the power usage from the data generated. This entire packaged solution at Schneider Electric is called Ecostruxure^TM, providing end-to-end solutions for power operators and distribution systems.

Working in a male-dominated industry presents its own unique set of challenges to women in the field? How have you navigated these challenges and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder? 

There are more women in the energy field than ever before, but still a gap in representation at senior leadership levels. I have been clear about the direction I’m going and asked for feedback along the way to strengthen my own personal brand. Someone once told me: “Choose your manager over your job.” I have always chosen to work for people who champion diversity, be it male or female managers. Your manager helps clear the way for your next steps, removes obstacles from your path to success and sponsors you in your next potential move. Champions of diversity also build diverse teams and provide a natural environment for collaboration and personal growth. I also consider it my job to do the same for my own employees. 

How do you think an organization can benefit from more diversity of thought and talent? 

Diversity of thought reduces and hopefully eliminates the potential for group think. People from different backgrounds and genders are not likely to have the same reactions and ideas. Diverse talent generates a higher level of creativity and promotes thinking outside the box. I have seen some of the best R&D ideas come from diverse teams, while teams that look and think the same tend to repurpose stale concepts and material. 

How did you become involved in the energy sector? How would you recommend women break in to the industry in the current moment?

I was appointed to the Illinois Commerce Commission in February of 2013 by then Governor Pat Quinn. I am an attorney by trade and, at that time, I had no exposure to or concept of the vastness of the energy industry and what my role as a regulator would entail. However, as relayed to me by the Governor, I was recommended by someone who witnessed my work ethic and thought I’d be great for the role — and the rest is history. There is so much going on in the energy industry right now, and unlike many people think, there is room for every discipline (attorneys, accountants, marketers, engineers, etc.). So I would say to find a company within the energy industry (utility, power producer, alternative energy supplier) and see if your skills line up with any of their openings. One would be surprised at how many opportunities there are in energy.

What was the most formative piece of career advice you received?

The best career advice I’ve received is to never be complacent and to always think about where I want to be professionally a year, five years and ten years down the road. All of us should not only constantly set short- and long-term goals, but also strategize as to how we can make our current job, assignments or projects get us closer to achieving those goals.

What skills do you utilize every day, be they technical or otherwise? 

The key to a successful career is the skill of building and maintaining a strong professional network. I often say that your network is your “net worth,” and I truly believe this. My current practice at Quarles & Brady allows me to utilize the experience I gained while at the Illinois Commerce Commission and to provide strategic advice and regulatory strategy to my clients at utilities and energy organizations around the country. What allows me to provide the best service are the relationships that I built over the last five years as a commissioner. I have had the privilege of working with and among countless knowledgeable and kind people. Nurturing, sustaining and growing these relationships over the years has proven to be a mutually beneficial strategy for me.

What are some of the most exciting technological applications you’re seeing transform the energy and infrastructure landscape?

Smart-grid technologies are without a doubt changing the energy industry. Even though our current electrical grid is safe, reliable and affordable, it has functioned without significant change since its creation. Modernizing it to adapt to current technological advancements and demands will foster new economic, social and environmental opportunities. This smart grid modernization will allow for seamless improvements across the grid, including fewer and shorter power outages, tools and services to help save money for consumers, and the use of clean, renewable energy.

Working in a male-dominated industry presents its own unique set of challenges to women in the field? How have you navigated these challenges and what recommendations would you give to women looking to ascend the industry ladder?

It is incredibly important for women leaders to mentor younger women in any industry. I’ve been blessed to have the greatest women mentors within this industry who have helped me navigate any hiccups or obstacles I’ve faced on my ladder of success. I then turn around and mentor others and help them navigate the challenges of being a woman in a male-dominated industry. If capable women aren’t being given the attention or grooming they deserve to succeed, excel and advance, organizations and ultimately our entire industry will lose out on massive amounts of great talent. I recommend to all women to have a personal board of directors filled with women (and men) who you can rely on to help you excel within your career.

How do you think an organization can benefit from more diversity of thought and talent? 

Diversity of thought and talent within an organization are invaluable. Individuals from diverse backgrounds can offer a selection of different talents, skills and experiences that is likely a benefit to the organization and its performance. Additionally, diversity creates innovation within an organization and the opportunity to use individual’s collaborative strengths to execute creative ideas that could increase the overall success of the organization. In other words, diversity doesn’t just make sense; it makes dollars.