The leading industry resource for diverse talent, careers, and culture honors women, teams, businesses and male allies who are making a difference in energy.

This year has called for GRIT like never before, amid a global economic meltdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For the energy industry it’s been especially brutal, with a price war and negative commodity prices throwing business into a tailspin. But from difficult times, strong leaders emerge.

The best leaders know that moving toward a better, stronger era means embracing diversity and inclusion. While women and people of color remain too small a part of the energy sector, winners of the 2020 GRIT Awards & Best Energy Workplaces are working to change that. They’re also advancing the industry toward crucial climate goals.

“This year's winners reflect a growing consciousness that the energy industry must be filled with inclusive cultures that attract and retain the best and brightest people from all sorts of backgrounds," said Katie Mehnert, CEO and founder of ALLY by Pink Petro, creator of the GRIT Awards. "Facing monumental tasks, the awardees have nevertheless shown a commitment to G.R.I.T. -- growth, resilience, innovation and transition."

Katie Mehnert, CEO and Founder, ALLY by Pink Petro

This year’s awards are sponsored by Gibson Dunn, Marathon NES Fircroft, and Aera Energy.

“Gibson Dunn supports Ally by Pink Petro in advocating for equality and innovation in energy and encouraging dialogue and collaboration around tough opportunities that contribute to the success of the industry,”says Hillary Holmes, partner and co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s Global Capital Markets Practice. “We applaud all of the GRIT Awards finalists for their achievements in this area, particularly in a year that requires an extra bit of grit.”

Hillary Holmes, partner and co-chair of Gibson Dunn’s Global Capital Markets Practice

At an online ceremony Oct. 13, the winners were announced and more than a dozen speakers offered insight into the state of the energy industry.

About the GRIT Awards

Hundreds of nominations were received from across the world, encompassing oil and gas, utilities, alternative energy, academia, and non-government organizations (NGOs). A selection team narrowed the list down to finalists and removed all identifying information. An external panel of judges then chose the winners. (See more details here, and the list of finalists here.)

The 2020 winners are:

Best Energy Workplaces

• Aera Energy LLC
• EAG Services, Inc./EAG 1Source, Inc.
• Sunnova Energy International Inc.

Individuals

• Claire Aitchison, Baker Hughes, Druck Operations Leader
• Aimee Borders, Rubberband Slingshot, LLC, Founder, Content Director
• Traci Clarke, Worley, Quality Manager
• Carolina Diaz, Shell, Subsea Project Engineer
• Terra George, EOG Resources, Geological Specialist
• Shara Hammond, Marathon Oil Company, Leadership Development and Inclusion Manager
• Barbara Hill, Schlumberger, Rock Reservoir Lab Domain Champion, Western Hemisphere
• Katie Hulsey, ConocoPhillips, Senior Geologist
• Erin Larner, Aera Energy LLC, Manager of Operations
• Jessica Leung, Aera Energy LLC, Facilities Engineer
• Jocelyne Machevo, Eni, External Relations Manager
• Shobhana Mani, Halliburton, Technology Director
• Rebecca Miller, Wood Mackenzie / Genscape, Power Market Analyst
• Linda Mohammad, Aera Energy LLC, Production Engineer
• Lorena Gina Moscardelli, Equinor, Principal Researcher
• Jane Myneni, Aera Energy LLC, Inclusion & Diversity and Engagement Lead
• Hanna Newstadt, Wood Mackenzie Genscape, Power Market Research Manager, MISO and SPP
• Quinn Parker, EMI Consulting, Director
• Elaine Petty, Halliburton, Digital Product Strategy
• Uma Ranganathan, Equinor, Senior Leader People and Leadership
• Sunday Shepherd, Chevron, Manager, Applied Reservoir Management and Exploration, Mid-Continent
• Lorena Van Metre, ConocoPhillips, Development Integration Manager – Argentina

Teams/Affinity Groups

• Aera Black Employee Network (ABEN)
• African Women in Energy Development Initiative (AWEDI)
• American Association of Petroleum Geologists Women’s Network (AAPGWN)
• Association for Black and Minority Ethnic Engineers (AFBE-UK) Scotland
• Black Employee Network (BEN), Chevron
• Digital Solutions North America Women in Commercial Planning Team, Baker Hughes
• GeoLatinas: Latinas in Earth and Planetary Sciences
• Global Women’s Network (GWN) at McDermott International
• Kuumba, network for Black employees at Worley
• Women’s Initiative Network of Reed Smith (WINRS)

Allies

• Brent Illott, Aera Energy LLC, Drilling Manager
• Marcus Malveaux, Halliburton, Global Operations Manager – Cementing

Entrepreneurs

• Deanna Centurion, Cyera Strategies, Principal
• Geraldine Gray, Endiem, CEO
• Claudette Hayle, Cygnus Energy Group, LLC, CEO

Executives

• Decie Autin, ExxonMobil, VP Project Management
• Khia Chukudebelu, Baker Hughes, Executive – Global Business Operations
• Susan Fakharzadeh, Great Western Petroleum, LLC, Vice President of Corporate Communications & Government Affairs
• Hillary Holmes, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP, Partner, Co-Chair of Global Capital Markets Practice
• Elizabeth Hunter, Halliburton, Cementing Regional Technical & BD Manager
• Åshild Hanne Larsen, Equinor, SVP and Chief Information Officer
• Nick G. Olds, ConocoPhillips, Senior Vice President of Global Operations
• Christina Sistrunk, Aera Energy LLC, former President and CEO

About ALLY by Pink Petro

ALLY by Pink Petro™ is the leading resource in diverse talent, careers, and culture, creating an inclusive workforce for the energy transition. The global community includes professionals in 120 countries in nearly 1000 companies across energy in oil and natural gas, utilities and renewables. Our ALLY Council of 40 organizations connects the energy industry to resources and best practices and is a neutral platform for dialogue and actions to address equity, environment and the new economy.