“You don’t have to take the standard path. You really can chart your own path, and it’s important to figure out how you personally define success,” said Amy Nelson, president of Greenridge Advisors, LLC, a firm which she founded in 2007, during a virtual internal event at APA Corporation to celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8.
Employees from across the globe gathered to celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women by attending a panel with three members of APA Corporation’s board of directors – Amy Nelson, Juliet Ellis and Annell Bay. The event was moderated by Yvonne Trejo, reservoir engineering lead and president of the Apache Women’s Network, who engaged the board members in a discussion about work achievements, lessons learned and development advice.
On the topic of personal and professional development, Juliet Ellis added, “find a mentor, build a network and open yourself up to advice from others who are in your industry.” Katie Disher manager, internal communications, an employee who attended the event, thought “the advice shared can teach women the importance of leaning into your strengths, taking risks, finding a mentor and stretching oneself.” She went on to say that “it was inspiring to hear from seasoned professionals who were able to candidly discuss the struggles of balancing professional and family obligations.”
All three panelists discussed keys to success. Annell Bay shared one daily ritual that has served her well in executive roles. She “looks at where she is today and where she wants the organization to be in three years,” and then asks, “What are the issues?” From that perspective, she develops a list of what needs to be done to get there ensuring her team can meet their objectives.
After hosting the internal event, Yvonne said “it was such a pleasure getting to speak to our board members and hearing their personal stories. The audience, including myself, appreciated their candid conversations as we could all relate to their advice and experiences. I was personally inspired by how each of them give back, their breadth of knowledge, and how they balance their personal and professional lives.”
March 2021