By Dannie Oliveaux | dannieoliveaux@theexaminer.com
The fifth annual Southeast Texas Women in Industry Week took place March 23–27, bringing together female leaders from across the region’s industrial sector to inspire, mentor and connect with the next generation of workforce talent, according to Golden Triangle Business Roundtable Executive Director Katie Celli, co-founder and executive director of Southeast Texas Women in Industry.
Celli said the weeklong initiative featured more than 20 events designed to introduce female students to careers in industry, while fostering meaningful mentorship opportunities with experienced professionals.
“Southeast Texas Women in Industry Week is dedicated to encouraging young women to pursue careers in STEM and industrial fields by providing direct access to role models, mentors and real-world experiences,” Celli said.
Women in Industry began in 2022 when women from 25 different industrial facilities in Southeast Texas, representing a variety of backgrounds, came together to share ideas and collaborate to bring a one-of-a-kind experience to students in the region.
The organization’s scholarship program is available to female high school seniors pursuing an education in a STEM field. The program is funded by industry sponsors that contribute to the Southeast Texas Women in Industry Week initiative.
Events
A number of events took place throughout Women in Industry Week, kicking off with Media Night and the Women in Industry Mixer on March 23 at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas in Beaumont.
Port of Beaumont Director of Corporate Affairs Sade Chick, Southeast Women in Industry co-founder and board chair, said the mixer introduced female leaders in Southeast Texas to one another. More than 100 leaders attended the mixer in an effort to strengthen the presence of female leaders in industry.
The Southeast Women in Industry Leadership Luncheon, according to Chick, is the flagship event and brought about 208 students from 22 local high schools and 150 female industry leaders together to begin mentor-mentee relationships with the potential to span decades. The March 25 event was held at the Robert “Bob” Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur.
“As part of this event, students were invited to take professional headshots, meet and greet subject-matter experts, have resumes reviewed, participate in mock interviews, watch a ‘what not to wear’ fashion show, participate in professional hair and makeup styling sessions, and enjoy lunch with a local female leader,” she added.
Chick said the students were paired with female plant managers, engineers, physicists, elected officials and others to discuss challenges, career paths, aspirations and more in an “interactive and engaging way.”
Southeast Women in Industry representatives facilitated “Coffee Chat” sessions at each of the higher education institutions in Southeast Texas: Lamar Institute of Technology, Lamar State College Orange, Lamar State College Port Arthur and Lamar University.
“The Coffee Chats serve to connect students pursuing careers in industry to current leaders,” Chick said. “The end goal is to start making connections that will lead to meaningful careers.”
She said speed mentoring opportunities were offered at area high schools, where industry professionals began building mentor-mentee relationships through quick one-on-one sessions. There were 18 sessions at 16 area high schools on March 26, where students were paired with leaders from local refineries, ports, plants and other industrial facilities.
Chick said there were three sessions at the Beaumont ISD Career & Technical Education Center for more than 150 female students over the course of the day.
Posters honor industry leaders
During the mixer and luncheon, posters were displayed honoring local women who strengthen and shape their industries. The posters included the following “Women of Expertise:”
• Sondra Williamson, chemical operator at Arkema
• Cami Hysler, senior vice president of strategy at the Health and Safety Council
• Sika Lagasse, senior manager of planning and economics at TotalEnergies
• Paula Brewer, senior environmental engineer for G-3 Chikadee
• Nakia Langley, co-founder and vice president of Tower Security Co. LLC
• Kasey Taylor, president and CEO of RT Technical Solutions
• Darian Jones, architect at Energy Architecture
• Chelcie Barnett, business development at Echo Group
• Mallory Friend, vice president of oil and gas sales, growth and acceleration at Veriforce
• Carley Phillips, executive assistant at Signature Group
• Madison Shahan, industrial relations lead at Bechtel
• Mary Wycoff, commissioner for the Port of Port Arthur
• Sade Chick, director of corporate affairs at the Port of Beaumont
• Kristan Meredith, senior business development manager for Pat Tank
• Anneleen Muller, business integration manager for Methanex
• Shelly Vitanza, director of sales and marketing for Industrial Safety Training Council (ISTC)
• Jennifer Rector, program manager of service for H.B. Neild Construction
• Sharita Gardner, corporate affairs advisor for U.S. Southwest for Chevron New Energies (Bayou Bend CCS)
• Erin Reed, ATLIS supervisor for BASF TotalEnergies Petrochemicals LLC
• Suzzy Haldeman, operations manager for BASF Agricultural Solutions
• Jane Gilmer, president and CEO of ABC Southeast Texas Chapter
• Kristin Westcoat, environmental superintendent for Valero Port Arthur Refinery
• Kimberly Gilbreath, analyzer technician for Motiva
• Natasha Garrett, CEO of G&G Enterprises
• Deborah Grago, senior project manager at Entergy Services LLC
• Lauran Perkins, advisor for external affairs and communications for Sempra Infrastructure
• Maddison Bouget, advisor for external affairs and communications for Sempra Infrastructure
• Heather Low, environmental specialist for Phillips 66
• Michelle Hilger, vice president of technical services and innovations at Phillips 66
• Delphine Whitehouse, regulatory advisor for Golden Pass LNG
• Sabrina Sanchez, maintenance scheduler for terminal and pipeline at Golden Pass LNG
• Lacey Gardner, senior analytical leader at Dow Sabine River Operations
• Tamara Bowser, production data analyst at Dow Sabine River Operations
• Courtney Gillespie, training administrator supervisor at Cheniere
• Kayla Graham, supervisor of operations planning at Cheniere
• Kelsey Felio, mechanical supervisor at ExxonMobil
• Rose Thomas, Beaumont area principal process control engineer at ExxonMobil
• Tiffany Sunwall, operations manager for Chevron Phillips Chemical Port Arthur Plant
• Kimberly West, rotating equipment reliability lead for Chevron Phillips Chemical Port Arthur Plant
Celli said the success of Southeast Texas Women in Industry Week is possible through the support of regional industry leaders and organizations, including ABC SETX, Arkema, BASF Agricultural Solutions, BASF TotalEnergies, Bayou Bend CCS, Bechtel, Cheniere Energy, Chevron Phillips Chemical, Dow, Echo, Energy Architecture, Entergy, ExxonMobil Beaumont, G&G Enterprises, Golden Pass LNG, Chickadee (formerly Goodyear), HASC, H.B. Neild, ISTC/GTBR, Methanex Beaumont, Motiva, Pat Tank, Phillips 66, Port Arthur LNG, Port of Beaumont, Port of Port Arthur, RT Technical, Signature Group, TotalEnergies, Tower Security, Valero and Veriforce.
Southeast Texas Women in Industry is a 501(c)(3) organization.
