Q: How did you get started on your career path? Were you always interested in the oil and energy industry?
I grew up in the Lafayette area. My dad was a geologist, and my two brothers own a small oil exploration company, so you could say oil’s in my blood. Before coming to New Orleans, I was a landman in southwest Louisiana and then went to work for ExxonMobil here in Chalmette. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Chalmette’s Public & Government Affairs Department needed additional help with community outreach, so I volunteered to assist. I worked with many talented and community-minded people on the St. Bernard Citizens’ Recovery Committee. My love for communicating led me to start writing and editing the refinery’s employee newsletter. These and other community outreach activities at the time led me to change gears and become part of the Public & Government Affairs side of the refining industry. When PBF Energy acquired Chalmette in 2015, I was promoted and became the Community Relations Manager.
Q: You’ve worn many different hats since joining Chalmette Refining. How has each role prepared you for the next one?
After ExxonMobil offered me the opportunity to switch fields and join their Public & Government Affairs Department, I honed my skills in several roles in the Baton Rouge and Greater New Orleans areas. I traveled extensively as a member of ExxonMobil’s Regional Response Team, training, participating in drills, and learning all aspects of responding to emergencies in Canada, South America, the Caribbean, and the U.S.
Today, I wear many hats as the Community Relations Manager, as I am responsible for employee and community messaging and outreach, government relations, emergency response and media contact, to name a few of my roles. I am able to use my love of writing, politics, and public service every day – so I guess you could say I have my dream job.
Q: Outside of public engagement in your professional world, you’ve personally served as Chair of the St. Bernard Chamber of Commerce. Why is staying active in the community so important to you and to PBF?
PBF Energy is a great company to work for, where leaders emphasize integrity and refining fundamentals such as maintaining safe, reliable and environmentally responsible operations that benefit our workforce, community and environment. Giving back to the community and making sure that we earn the right to operate in St. Bernard and the Greater New Orleans area is one of the core tenets of PBF’s Operating Doctrine. I, personally, love connecting with our neighbors in the greater community around the refinery. So many people in the community are my heroes. They have so much passion for making this wonderful place where we live and work even better. Their commitment inspires me to want to do more.
Q: What is your proudest career accomplishment so far?
I was at a conference and got a “shout out” about being a mentor and friend to some of the women panelists during a session. That touched me so much; I knew then that if I can make that kind of difference, I know I must be doing something right in this world. I also was very honored last year to be inducted into New Orleans City Business’ Women of the Year Hall of Fame (2020).
Q: Are there any past obstacles you look back on as particularly challenging, and how did you overcome them?
One of the toughest times in my career was after the sale of the refinery to PBF Energy was announced in 2015. At that time, I was planning the refinery’s 100th Anniversary celebration and at the same time had to begin preparing for the sale and transition to PBF Energy. That was a lot of work, plus I was unsure what was going to happen with my job. I believe we employees all had the fear of the unknown. But PBF Energy offered every single employee a position. We celebrated the 100th Anniversary with employees and retirees one week before the sale. The next week, we had a huge celebration that I also planned as we became part of the PBF family.
Q: In addition to a bachelor’s degree in political science, you have a master’s degree in creative writing. How do those skills help you in telling PBF’s story to the community?
I recently read a great quote that sums up what the study of Political Science is in a few words: “Those who choose this field are interested in the greater good of all citizens.” That’s my job – making sure the refinery earns the right to operate in our community through philanthropy, volunteerism, and operating safely and with environmental responsibility for both the community and our employees. I’ve always been a storyteller at heart—I wrote my first “book” at age 6. The sharing and telling of our stories is how we get to know each other – getting to know and work alongside the community is the best part of my job.
Q: COVID-19 left virtually no industry untouched. What changes have you seen in oil and energy, and what do you think is next for the industry as a whole?
Although we learn from yesterday and focus on today, we also plan for the future. Right now at Chalmette Refining, we are very excited about our proposed Renewable Diesel Project (RDU). The RDU will convert animal and plant-based feedstocks into renewable diesel. Green Energy projects such as this can help create stability for our workforce, add value to our facility and have a positive impact for the community.
Q: What’s the best piece of advice you could offer young professionals right now?
Be open to new experiences and challenges both at work and in your private life—take on tasks no one else wants to do. You will learn and experience more than others, which may lead to a lifelong hobby or your dream job (see my answer to Question 2).
Q: What are you excited about right now?
I am so excited that in-person community activities are starting to come back; that I can attend meetings and visit with people in the community, live and in person instead of via computer. Video conferencing was great for keeping connected during the pandemic, but there is nothing like that person-to-person contact. That’s where you truly get to know people – chit-chatting about each other’s lives before or after a Board Meeting, or while volunteering at a community event such as Tour da Parish or Special Olympics.
