NEWS
March 8, 2021

CLNG is proud to celebrate 2022’s International Women’s Day. See what some of our staff had to say about this year’s theme #breakingthebias.

CLNG Women in Energy Q&A

To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, NGSA sat down with staff to discuss the vital roles women play in the natural gas and energy industries, how the industry is changing, how women can continue to grow and shape the industry from the ground up, and how staff is embracing this year’s theme #breakingthebias. Below are some excerpts from those discussions.

  • What’s the best advice you got from a mentor about the energy industry?

Katie: There are so many elements to the energy industry, figure out what aspects you are passionate about, make that your niche and become an expert.

Daphne: When I first started in the energy industry. I had a boss tell me that I would spend the first six months learning the basics and the next many decades learning to be humble about how much I still had left to learn. That’s proved true. I also learned from her example to always share credit for your work, and that people work better when they’re happier. There’s nothing wrong with taking a couple of minutes in the middle of a long day to joke that you just realized you’ve been wearing two different shoes or that the dog loudly threw up on the rug during your presentation. We all need those shared human moments to recharge our batteries for the work ahead.

  • What is the last thing you learned at your job that surprised you?

Katie: The energy industry is so dynamic, there is always something new to learn about and always new ways to grow and improve. With the development of new technologies, to changing political dynamics the work in this field never stagnates. You have to be able to adjust your thinking and adapt to new challenges.

Daphne: The pandemic has brought lots of surprises. I expected a lot of the downsides, but the upsides have been unexpected – like the gain in productivity — and sometimes really wonderful.—like seeing and experiencing the cuteness of my co-workers’ kids and pets. One small thing that totally shocked me is just how few things need to be printed on paper. I already knew this in theory but working remotely has turned this into a daily reminder that 99% of the content I create will only be accessed digitally so keep it short and visually impactful.

  • When you meet new people, do you find that they have preconceptions about women who work in the energy industry? 

Katie: I don’t know if there is a preconception about women in energy, but in general I would say there is a preconception about political affiliations regarding people in energy.

Daphne: Here in Washington, I think people focus more on the natural gas industry part and not on my gender – and it takes a while to break through all the misconceptions about our industry. Yes, we care about the environment just as much as you do, maybe more, and knowing that I’m making a difference in building a cleaner future for my kids is one of the reasons I like my job so much. We have more in common than you think.

  • Do you have a dream for women in the energy industry?

Katie: My dream for women in the energy transition is that they take on leadership roles as the energy transition evolves. I think women are especially well suited to see and push for the changes that are needed.

Daphne: Women at every level.  We are so close!

  • Have you been in (a) work situation(s) where women weren’t being given an equal voice and if so, how did you deal with it?

Charlie: Hearing previous colleagues stories about lackluster maternity leave policies and poor treatment while on leave, and having been through paternity leave 3 times myself, I knew I wanted to do more to help shape future parental leave policies if I was ever in a position to do so. I had that opportunity at NGSA and I am hopeful that our new policy is one that continues to reduce the awful stigma that woman must choose between being a mom or professional – as my wife and many of the women I work with have shown me, they can be incredibly successful at both.

Hinson: In both professional and academic settings, I have seen the impacts of women not being given equal voices and decision-making power, and each time it has resulted in subpar results. While working at a summer job in high school, my employer would not hire women despite multiple applicants, and despite our organization working almost exclusively with female clients. Time and time again I would mention to my boss that we needed female input at a staff level as the decisions being made often were counterproductive to the needs of our clients and such our organization.