Katie Mehnert

"When I started the business, most people said it would never succeed! They wrote off the whole idea that diversifying the energy workforce would be seen as a priority. They told me it would be a waste of time and money, that I was giving up my career for nothing."

"There are always critics. It’s really easy to say, “You can’t do something,” when you’re the one that’s not doing it! Don’t give in to that way of thinking. My experience on this journey proves that seemingly “impossible” things can be done."

"That would be Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Where my family lives in Houston, we were relatively safe — until the Army Corps of Engineers released the west side dams in hopes of preventing even worse flooding in other parts of the city. We had no warning, no time to escape. Suddenly, we were flooded. My daughter and I were rescued by strangers in a boat at our front door."

"In addition to losing my home, I also lost my business. It felt devastating. I also know we were among the lucky ones because my husband, daughter and I all made it to safety, and because we had the resources to rebuild. (I discuss this in the documentary film Hot Money, featuring Gen. Wesley Clark and Jeff Bridges.)"

"Coming out of the storm, I not only worked to rebuild, but also became more committed than ever to the mission. To tackle climate change, we need to usher in the most diverse, inclusive workforce to the field of energy. We need all ideas and perspectives. We need to act as one, and stop the bickering."

"When I was 12, I faced down a bully at school. She was always putting kids into the garbage. She got me a bunch of times. I kept trying to avoid her. Then, my dad told me to fight back. So one day when she came for me, I swung at her. She was shocked. It was all that much worse because I did so in front of the boys. It made a difference. She left me alone after that."

"I’ve faced work bullies as well. At work, the violence wasn’t physical, it was more structural and psychological. But I learned to stand up to them as well."

"I’m also a cancer survivor. I got cervical cancer at age 24, and battled it alone, without telling people. I didn’t want to pop the bubble of an image I had created — that I was building an exciting career, on my own, in a new city. When the cancer returned years later, I didn’t make that mistake. I was a wife and mom, and shared the information with family and close friends. I had a community. I was no longer focused on what other people might think, and was able to put more focus on what I needed."

"Be vulnerable. It may sound counterintuitive, but in order to build resilience, you first have to let yourself experience emotions. When you try to bury them, they just build up — and, one day, coming pouring out when you least expect it. You have to experience the lows to get to the highs. From cancer to Harvey, I’ve had to let myself feel down and accept support from loved ones during those times."

"Build self-awareness. Figure out what’s behind those emotions. What fears and insecurities are at work in your psyche? When I faced cancer the second time, I had to accept that I had spent too much of my life worrying about what other people think. That perspective was drilled into me. I realized that those fears were largely responsible for how I was handling tough situations. Therapy can be helpful in his process, guiding people to understand their own mindsets. The true path to any kind of self-actualization is through being conscious about who you are. A lot happens in the mind, including unconsciously."

"Dissect your experience. What is it about this experience that is causing you to feel the way you do? What lessons can be learned from it? There are lessons in just about every difficult experience that can strengthen you for the future. Ask yourself what you learned, what you would do in the future, and how you would counsel other people who go through similar difficult experiences. Often, you can even find a silver lining."

"Rinse and repeat! Keep going along the path you’ve chosen for yourself. I learned this early on, when I ran for student council in school. I wasn’t an obvious candidate, and often felt like an oddball in school. But I knew I could do a good job. So I ran five times before finally winning. That made the success much sweeter! When things are especially difficult, the idea of continuing can feel like too much. But remember that a crisis or chaos can provide an opportunity — the chance to try a new path to achieving your goal. It’s a moment to build your resilience and persevere."

"Celebrate your successes. I’m the last one to give great advice on how to do this, because I’m often wary of doing this myself! My team members frequently have to point these out to me — holding global events, testifying in Congress, giving a speech about gender equality in Saudi Arabia, being selected for two positions with the federal government (ambassador to the Equity in Energy initiative and member of the National Petroleum Council). I’m usually focused on what I still want to achieve for the company, and don’t stop often to look at what’s already happened. But my team helps me do so, and that’s important."

"It’s all about building a community around energy. I’m over the political squabbles and other divides that prevent us all from working as one team. I even argued in a Newsweek column that “big oil” companies should hire environmental activists like Greta Thunberg! Take all that energy and passion that people have to bring solutions, and have them contribute. Everyone stands to gain from what I call Energy 2.0 — the energy of the future, filled with renewable and other greener sources, as well as carbon reduction and carbon capture systems. This is what we’re building at ALLY Energy: one community around energy. And I’m determined to never give up."