At OILWOMAN Magazine, it is our goal to highlight women and their achievements in the energy industry, and to make sure their voices are heard in what is still a male-dominated industry (defined as a sector where women make up less than 25 percent of the employees). As Paula Waggoner-Aguilar, the founder of The Energy CFO, reveals in her article, “The Elephant in the Room,” which examines workforce demographics, the industry, which now stands at 22 percent, is getting ever closer to that milestone. However, 25 percent is not the end goal. We need to set our sights higher and continue, as individuals, companies and the industry as a whole, to pursue parity in the energy sector.
In this issue’s cover feature, we talk to Nooshin Behroyan, founder of PAXON Energy & Infrastructure. As a woman and an immigrant – as well as a single mother of two small children when she founded the company – she knows the resilience and determination it takes to create a space in the energy industry, where the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates only about 11 percent of founders are female. She also has implemented some novel initiatives to bring more women and minorities, including Afghan refugees and military veterans, into the workforce at PAXON. As someone who has followed Behroyan’s career since first reading about her in a 2020 Inc. article, it has been inspiring to see her company rise to the No. 9 ranking on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing companies. In the interview, Behroyan shares a major announcement with OILWOMAN’s audience.
In this issue’s diversity, equity and inclusion article, columnist Lee Jourdan asks – and answers – the provocative question, “Did DEI DIE?” And, Erica D’Eramo shares Part II of her series on “Women as Allies,” which is a good way to sum up OILWOMAN Magazine’s mission.
Rebecca Ponton has been a journalist for 25+ years and is also a petroleum landman. Her book, Breaking the GAS Ceiling: Women in the Offshore Oil and Gas Industry (Modern History Press), was released in May 2019. For more info, go to www.breakingthegasceiling.com.
Photo courtesy of Marc Morrison Photography. Rebecca Ponton on the set of Accidental Texan. T-shirt courtesy of Dovetail Workwear.
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Rebecca Pontonhttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/rebecca-ponton/
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Rebecca Pontonhttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/rebecca-ponton/
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Rebecca Pontonhttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/rebecca-ponton/
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Rebecca Pontonhttps://oilwomanmagazine.com/author/rebecca-ponton/
Oil and gas operations are commonly found in remote locations far from company headquarters. Now, it's possible to monitor pump operations, collate and analyze seismic data, and track employees around the world from almost anywhere. Whether employees are in the office or in the field, the internet and related applications enable a greater multidirectional flow of information – and control – than ever before.
