The Women in Energy series is a joint project between USEA and USAID to help improve the visibility of women's participation and leadership in the traditionally male-dominated energy sector and their active participation in policies and gender outcomes in organizations.

Every month we feature a woman who has shown exemplary leadership. The women highlighted come from diverse backgrounds and roles, and they bring with them a unique perspective on gender equality within the energy sector. We believe that increasing women's leadership and participation in decision-making for climate policies needs active communications campaigns and championing that catalyze behavioral change and urgent action.

1. As a legal practitioner with an emphasis on minerals and energy you have worked with multiple governments and private sector in developing and transitioning economies. Did your younger self need to overcome obstacles and biases to get to the point you are at now?

Without doubt. Following five years working in Russia (1992-1997), the President of the newly privatized national coal company toasted me, “when you arrived, we thought you were all heart and no brain and now as you leave, we think you are all brain and no heart” – said with a smile but embedded was a truth that as a professional female anywhere in the world, there are inherent challenges presented simply by virtue of being a woman. I understood that it was not anticipated that my foreign, female self, working with a majority counterpart females, in the transitioning mining and energy industries of the former Soviet Union, would achieve the results that we did.

In many parts of the world, a “foreign woman” is considered as a “third gender” and often treated more favorably than our local female counterparts. I often say that the most sexist place I have worked is Washington, DC; times have changed but unexpected obstacles emerged there more than in the field. No matter the tone in the room, I have learned first-hand that a mining and energy professional can address historic gender imbalance by showing respect for others, demonstrating technical competency and addressing issues as they arise in a professional manner, always with the goal of achieving results.

2. What role did your childhood and education play in shaping your career path?

A significant role in ways I could not have predicted. I am fortunate to have been raised in a family full of teachers; education and curiosity were at the core of all that we did. Growing up with two brothers and many cousins, we were exposed to an array of people and activities - daily newspapers and reading materials were always around the house. Throughout my career, by far the most positive mentors have been the women in my life. From my mother and aunts to friends who served as guides and cheerleaders, all of them provided sound counsel. While none of them entered the career that I have, they embraced my path and supported me at each professional consideration for more than 30 years.

I began to realize the importance of energy resources as a child when the US experienced an oil embargo on a key supplier, Libya. Gasoline was rationed for vehicles and energy efficiency measures were introduced for citizens, government, business and industry. Some cousins grew up in Saudi Arabia where their parents worked for the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco), now “Saudi Aramco and I learned from afar of the linkages between minerals, energy and water as critical to quality of life, industry and economy. It was around this time I also embraced the notion of learning languages to be able to directly communicate with others in the world.

The US Department of Energy was established in 1977, and we learned about this new agency in school. Following college, I lived on the island of San Pedro, Belize for one year and later resided many years in Afghanistan where my personal experience of limited electricity and water services in both locales illustrated the importance of energy supply. My ultimate impetus to pursue the topic was moving to Russia in 1992 serving as Director of the Coal Reform Program where I fully embraced the economic and social impact of mining and energy in society as my professional interest. All leading to more than 30 years working as a Mining and Energy Lawyer around the world, focused on mining and energy linkages which (finally!) are increasingly recognized as the global race for minerals continues, e.g., in support of RE, EV and battery technologies and products.

3. In energy and critical minerals mining are there any simple but active measures that can open doors and access opportunities to better diversity and inclusion?

I have learned so much from government counterparts around the world who are charged with implementation of difficult portfolios typically amidst political uncertainty and interference. I have also embraced the professional leadership of various task managers on projects, notably from the World Bank and EBRD. In many instances, conditional lending and project design require certain diversity and inclusion measures; these should be encouraged but not for the simple sake of checking a box – they must be practical and supported to ensure implementation.

Some of the most successful active measures of which I have been a part have included funding of mining and energy businesses that strengthen business planning capacity, improve financial viability and expose marginalized players to the established market. Lessons are to be learned from many industry players where inclusion continues to improve, and women have elevated roles that were not possible at the beginning of my career. These measures require time and focused responses that are specific to the country if to ensure sustainability. Simpler measures include expanding program participation beyond traditional players, e.g., incorporating local NGOS, women’s groups, community structures, trade unions and other citizens who are not typically invited to the mining and energy table.

4. Is there a program or achievement you championed that positively impacted women’s opportunity or leadership in the sector, that you are particularly proud of?

Throughout my work, whatever training or international travel program has been facilitated, I have made sure that the composition of participants includes women – not token participants but women who are interested in the topic – very often despite resistance not only from government, companies and utilities in-country, but from the training/travel sponsors. An example that stays with me is partnering our World Bank Afghanistan work with Internews to send Afghan journalists for a three week “Energy Journalists Training Program” in Bhutan. Visas were easier to obtain for our colleagues and the topic was completely new in Afghanistan. I searched a wide variety of journalist and community groups to identify a group that equally included women and half men. The travel had some challenges considering certain cultural priorities; we made it work and training was successful. The travel program resulted in an in-country continued training, the development of an unprecedented inter-ministerial energy working group, energy information center and newsletter that were funded by USAID.

5. What are some of the critical policies and plans that must be prioritized by governments, public and private sector on climate change, gender, and energy intersections to ensure that women and girls are central to the global just and equitable transition?

Mining and energy are businesses; technical competency is critical for women to have a place at the table. But of course, there is more - a primary driver for gender-inclusivity is listening and promoting teamwork amongst all genders; this should be achieved by all the people in the room. We cannot be afraid to lead the way. It is equally important to reach out beyond capital cities to identify women and marginalized men who are often left out of policy discussions but have much to contribute. And the bridges between governments/public sector and private sector are insufficiently constructed; rules of the game often vary; some companies have inside information that others may not and development priorities are not aligned. While profits matter, the topics of climate change, gender and energy transition must be prioritized by all players.

Publishing government objectives for mining and energy is a simple but necessary first step. A seemingly simple step like preparing a “mining and energy policy” allows an array of stakeholders to gather and decipher development priorities, to understand each other’s critical issues, and to ultimately encapsulate these objectives as part of government commitment. Citizens are best equipped to identify objectives and to shape how their community will implement these objectives; often, “seeing is understanding” and travel or other exposure to how other jurisdictions prioritize these objectives achieves best results.

6. What would be your top practical recommendation for younger women pursuing a career in STEM, especially energy and mining?

Having been a “STEM outlier”, my emphasis is on the commercial aspects required to support important STEM work, notably energy and mining. Legal, regulatory, accounting, financial modeling, environmental and social protection expertise are essential to these topics. Educational emphasis specific to STEM is important but equally important is the supporting of careers that shape and facilitate STEM activities whether for governments, industries, companies and/or educational facilities. I also encourage learning languages and to gain insights into the cultures and traditions of jurisdictions where work is being conducted.

Life is short. In any professional venture, it is optimal to enjoy your work. Ideally incorporating work as part of life - not separated from life. Especially for women, life encompasses an array of work-home-family activities. Finding the aspects of your work that challenge your intellect, allow you to learn while contributing your talent to the workplace portfolios is invigorating - keep moving forward.