The Energy Workforce of the Future Summit

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 23, 2025, 8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Human resilience has long been the driving force behind innovation, and nowhere is this more critical than in shaping the energy workforce of the future. By integrating artificial intelligence with the tenacity of today’s workers, we are redefining how energy is produced, managed, and delivered. This summit celebrates the powerful collaboration between human ingenuity and cutting-edge technology, spotlighting how to build a more innovative, more sustainable energy future.

8:00 AM – 8:45 AM | Registration, Breakfast & Networking
Kick off the day with a warm welcome, great food, and engaging conversations with industry peers. Connect, share ideas, and lay the groundwork for an exciting day of collaboration and innovation.

8:45 AM | Opening Remarks – Better Together

Chris Lacy, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Expand Energy
Katie Mehnert, CEO and Founder, ALLY Energy

Start the summit with an inspiring session on how unity and innovation shape American-made energy's future. Gain insights into strategies and partnerships driving transformational change.

9:15 AM | Real Talk, Real Solutions

Shan Escobar, Talent Planning & Learning Lead, Expand Energy
Kristine Gentry, CEO, Culture Grove

Engage in an interactive session designed to spark meaningful conversations and critical thinking. Share perspectives at your table while exploring topics such as the power of a growth mindset, learning from failure, and building mental resilience. Leave with actionable takeaways to boost your personal and professional potential.

10:00 AM | The Real Deal – That Dirty Word DEI
Speakers:

Katy Hall, Head of Diversity, NES Fircroft
Melody Kelleher, Vice President Talent Empowerment, Baker Hughes
Katie Mehnert, CEO and Founder, ALLY Energy

Join a candid discussion on the evolving state of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in the workplace. This session confronts the challenges and opportunities of DEI as organizations grapple with societal shifts and corporate commitments. Explore its future and significance in modern business.

10:45 AM | Recharge & Reconnect
Take a well-deserved break to rest, recharge, and connect with fellow attendees before the next session.

11:00 AM | Workforce Lunch Bowl - Empowering Tomorrow's Energy Leaders

Natalie Valentine, Senior Director of Operations, Worley
Jeff Gill, Head of Talent Development, CITGO
Ingrid Velasco, 2025 HECW Co-chair, Allies in Energy
Samhita Shah, Global Head of Industry Marketing, Energy & Utilities, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

Experience a high-energy session over lunch! The "Fishbowl" discussion format to bring together attendees along with students to shape this year's 2025 Houston Energy and Climate Week festivities including Opening and Closing Ceremonies, the career fair and the hack-a-thon.

12:30 PM | Adversity – The Secret Sauce to Diversity

Adversity is an advantage. Dr. Paul Stoltz is the leading expert on AQ (adversity quotient), a measurable way to understand how we handle the world. We'll dive into how overcoming challenges fosters innovation and diversity within teams. This session explores how navigating setbacks drives creativity and inclusivity, inspiring a stronger and more dynamic workforce.

Katie Mehnert, CEO and Founder, ALLY Energy
Douglas Orr, Founder and President, Pioneer Leadership Advisors
Massiel Diez, Co-Founder, Flipping the Barrel

1:15 PM | M&Ms – The Future of Work: Minds and Machines

Vishal Mehta, Managing Director, Deloitte AI & Data Practice
Kumar Lakshmipathi, Generative AI Leader for Energy, Amazon Web Services
Cory Okeefe, CEO, Parallel

AI is transforming the modern workplace, creating human and machine synergy opportunities. Learn how AI is augmenting roles, automating processes, changing hiring and job searches, and pushing the boundaries of innovation. Thrive in the age of AI!

2:00 PM | Break
Take some time to relax and prepare for the day's final session.

2:15 PM | The Art of Falling Forward – How to Win at Losing
Learn how to turn setbacks into stepping stones for success. This session, filled with real-world examples and actionable insights, highlights how resilience fosters growth, drives innovation, and builds stronger teams.

Jennifer Richmond, Chief Strategy Officer, Wood
Beth Kobermann, Executive Board Member, ESN Health

3:00 PM | Summit Concludes
Wrap up the day feeling inspired, informed, and equipped to lead the next era of energy innovation.

SPEAKERS

Chris Lacy

Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Expand Energy

Souzi Weiland

Human Resources Director, Talent & Culture, Expand Energy

Shan Escobar

Talent Planning & Learning Lead, Expand Energy

Katie Mehnert

Founder & CEO, ALLY Energy

Katy Hall

Head of Diversity, NES Fircroft

Melody Kelleher

Vice President - Talent Empowerment, Baker Hughes

Kristine Gentry

CEO & Founder, Culture Grove

Natalie Valentine

Senior Director of Operations, Worley

Jeff Gill

Talent and Leadership Development, N5084

Massiel Diez

Co-Founder, Flipping the Barrel

Douglas Orr

Founder & President, Pioneer Leadership Advisors

Jennifer Richmond

CEO, Parallel

Beth Kobermann

Executive Board Member, ESN Health

Vishal Mehta

Managing Director, Deloitte AI & Data Practice

Kumar Lakshmipathi

Generative AI Leader for Energy, Amazon Web Services

Cory Okeefe

CEO, Parallel

Ingrid Velasco

2025 HECW Co-chair, Allies in Energy

Samhita Shah

Global Head of Industry Marketing, Energy & Utilities, Amazon Web Services (AWS)

We're better together.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together" - African Proverb.

In 2019, just before the outbreak of COVID-19, the Energy Workforce of the Future™ (EWOTF) was a workforce development roadmap developed by ALLY, partners, and industry leaders across oil and gas, power and utilities, renewables, and climate tech.

When we brought together 80 companies, affinity groups, startups, and schools, we concluded that the industry needs to collaborate on four critical areas: attraction, retention, culture, and community. Each year, we come together to advance the goals of the roadmap.

Our guiding strategy

The Energy Workforce of the Future™ roadmap is a key enabler in developing a skilled pipeline and inclusive workforce that delivers a lower-carbon and more sustainable future. (Read the history and get a copy of the original narrative report that's shaped this work).

ATTRACTION

We will invest in energy literacy and develop an industry value proposition.

Technology, finance, and healthcare are more desirable industries. Energy needs a narrative, one that embraces all forms.

RETENTION

We will prepare the workforce for the energy transition.

A lower-carbon world will require exceptional talent. We will work to cross-skill, upskill and reskill talent for the transition.

CULTURE

We will develop a resilient and sustainable workforce.

We will create a sense of belonging, inclusive workplaces, benefits, and cultures that transcend policy.

COMMUNITY

We will share best practices across the energy industry.

The ALLY community convenes semi-annually to discuss, socialize, and publish best practices in the energy workforce, talent attraction and development.