Katie Mehnert
ALLY Energy
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
The modern architect of culture change in energy, Katie Mehnert is the Founder and CEO of ALLY™, the global community powering an equitable energy transition and addressing the energy workforce of the future. Katie has held global leadership roles with BP and Shell in safety and environment during periods of financial crisis, spills, divestment and globalization. Katie’s early career included consulting with Duke Energy, Entergy and Enron. Her corporate path drove her to entrepreneurship to help energy companies prepare for the looming talent shortage and workforce diversity needs to address energy poverty and climate change.
In 2020 she was appointed an Ambassador to the United States Department of Energy and in 2019, she testified before Congress on the clean energy workforce of the future. She’s published in Scientific American, Forbes, The Hill, CNBC, CNN, and other international outlets. She is also the founder of Lean In Energy, a global nonprofit solely devoted to mentoring in the energy sector. Her book Grow with the Flow, Embrace Difference, Overcome Fear, and Progress with Purpose released in 2020.
ALLY Energy
Chief Executive Officer & Founder
The modern architect of culture change in energy, Katie Mehnert is the Founder and CEO of ALLY™, the global community powering an equitable energy transition and addressing the energy workforce of the future. Katie has held global leadership roles with BP and Shell in safety and environment during periods of financial crisis, spills, divestment and globalization. Katie’s early career included consulting with Duke Energy, Entergy and Enron. Her corporate path drove her to entrepreneurship to help energy companies prepare for the looming talent shortage and workforce diversity needs to address energy poverty and climate change.
In 2020 she was appointed an Ambassador to the United States Department of Energy and in 2019, she testified before Congress on the clean energy workforce of the future. She’s published in Scientific American, Forbes, The Hill, CNBC, CNN, and other international outlets. She is also the founder of Lean In Energy, a global nonprofit solely devoted to mentoring in the energy sector. Her book Grow with the Flow, Embrace Difference, Overcome Fear, and Progress with Purpose released in 2020.
Hillary Holmes
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Partner
Hillary Holmes is a partner in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Co-Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets practice group, and a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance, Energy and Infrastructure, Oil and Gas, M&A and Private Equity practice groups. Ms. Holmes’ practice focuses on capital markets, securities regulation, and corporate governance, primarily in the energy industry.
Ms. Holmes represents public companies and private companies of all sizes, MLPs, investment banks, management teams, and private equity in all forms of capital raising transactions, including IPOs, registered offerings of debt or equity, private placements, 144A offerings of debt or equity, joint ventures, structured investments, de-SPAC transactions, direct listings, and spin-offs. Ms. Holmes provides regular counseling regarding securities laws, SEC reporting, ESG issues and governance matters. Ms. Holmes also frequently advises boards of directors, special committees and financial advisors in complex M&A transactions, conflicts of interest, and special situations.
Ms. Holmes has been named one of the top capital markets lawyers in the United States and assisted clients with some of the most complicated transactions in the energy industry. She has been recognized as top of her field by many client based reviewers and business organizations. For instance, Ms. Holmes is the only woman and the youngest lawyer to be recognized by Chambers USA in the Capital Markets category that covers the energy industry, receiving ranking in the highest level, as well as in Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas Transactional and Texas Corporate and M&A. Sources note she is “extremely talented and has excellent judgment,” “an exceptionally good securities lawyer who knows the technical rules very well,” and a “very thoughtful and very thorough” practitioner. Clients and peers note she impresses by being “an extremely hard worker and very commercial,” an “incredibly strong and practical lawyer who offers great client service,” “remarkably dedicated,” and “incredibly knowledgeable; she makes the subject matter understandable.”
Peers attest that “her analytical skills are of the highest quality” and “she is a phenomenal lawyer who is very engaged.” Ms. Holmes regularly writes and speaks on topics relating to the U.S. capital markets, developments in securities regulation, ESG issues, and the state of the energy industry. She is Co-Editor of the Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Monitor.
Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Partner
Hillary Holmes is a partner in the Houston office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, Co-Chair of the firm’s Capital Markets practice group, and a member of the firm’s Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance, Energy and Infrastructure, Oil and Gas, M&A and Private Equity practice groups. Ms. Holmes’ practice focuses on capital markets, securities regulation, and corporate governance, primarily in the energy industry.
Ms. Holmes represents public companies and private companies of all sizes, MLPs, investment banks, management teams, and private equity in all forms of capital raising transactions, including IPOs, registered offerings of debt or equity, private placements, 144A offerings of debt or equity, joint ventures, structured investments, de-SPAC transactions, direct listings, and spin-offs. Ms. Holmes provides regular counseling regarding securities laws, SEC reporting, ESG issues and governance matters. Ms. Holmes also frequently advises boards of directors, special committees and financial advisors in complex M&A transactions, conflicts of interest, and special situations.
Ms. Holmes has been named one of the top capital markets lawyers in the United States and assisted clients with some of the most complicated transactions in the energy industry. She has been recognized as top of her field by many client based reviewers and business organizations. For instance, Ms. Holmes is the only woman and the youngest lawyer to be recognized by Chambers USA in the Capital Markets category that covers the energy industry, receiving ranking in the highest level, as well as in Nationwide Energy: Oil & Gas Transactional and Texas Corporate and M&A. Sources note she is “extremely talented and has excellent judgment,” “an exceptionally good securities lawyer who knows the technical rules very well,” and a “very thoughtful and very thorough” practitioner. Clients and peers note she impresses by being “an extremely hard worker and very commercial,” an “incredibly strong and practical lawyer who offers great client service,” “remarkably dedicated,” and “incredibly knowledgeable; she makes the subject matter understandable.”
Peers attest that “her analytical skills are of the highest quality” and “she is a phenomenal lawyer who is very engaged.” Ms. Holmes regularly writes and speaks on topics relating to the U.S. capital markets, developments in securities regulation, ESG issues, and the state of the energy industry. She is Co-Editor of the Securities Regulation and Corporate Governance Monitor.
Jenarae Garland
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures
Assistant General Counsel
Ms. Garland is Assistant General Counsel at Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas. In support of Occidental’s business, OLCV focuses on developing carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies to remove human-made carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for use in lower carbon oil production operations and to help create other less carbon-intensive products, like fuels, chemicals and concrete. In this role, she provides legal advice on a variety of OLCV’s key initiatives, including project development, strategic partnerships and corporate venture capital investments and advises on Occidental’s ESG disclosures. Previously, Ms. Garland served as Senior Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Occidental, advising senior management and the Board on corporate governance and securities compliance matters. Prior to Occidental, Ms. Garland was an Associate in the Capital Markets practice group of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
Ms. Garland previously served as President of the Houston Chapter of the Society for Corporate Governance. Ms. Garland received her B.S. degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Tulane University.
Oxy Low Carbon Ventures
Assistant General Counsel
Ms. Garland is Assistant General Counsel at Oxy Low Carbon Ventures (OLCV), a subsidiary of Occidental Petroleum Corporation, headquartered in Houston, Texas. In support of Occidental’s business, OLCV focuses on developing carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies to remove human-made carbon dioxide from the atmosphere for use in lower carbon oil production operations and to help create other less carbon-intensive products, like fuels, chemicals and concrete. In this role, she provides legal advice on a variety of OLCV’s key initiatives, including project development, strategic partnerships and corporate venture capital investments and advises on Occidental’s ESG disclosures. Previously, Ms. Garland served as Senior Counsel and Assistant Corporate Secretary of Occidental, advising senior management and the Board on corporate governance and securities compliance matters. Prior to Occidental, Ms. Garland was an Associate in the Capital Markets practice group of Vinson & Elkins L.L.P.
Ms. Garland previously served as President of the Houston Chapter of the Society for Corporate Governance. Ms. Garland received her B.S. degree with honors from the University of Texas at Austin and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Tulane University.
Victoria Lazar
TechnipFMC
CLO
Victoria Lazar is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary for TechnipFMC, where she is responsible for legal, compliance and facilities management. She was most recently Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Bristow Group, responsible for legal, compliance and risk management.
Before joining Bristow, Victoria held various executive roles at General Electric, including general counsel of GE Oil & Gas - Drilling, Production and Surface and executive counsel for M&A at General Electric Corporate. She also held various executive and legal roles at Electronic Data Systems Corporation, including Legal Manager and Counsel – Corporate Acquisitions & Finance. She began her legal career at BakerBotts, specializing in capital markets, global commerce and M&A transactions.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Cornell University and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from The Law School at the University of Chicago. She is on the Board and incoming President of the Texas General Counsel Forum and holds leadership positions in several organizations dedicated to the professional advancement of women including 2020WomenOnboards and The Fourth Floor.
TechnipFMC
CLO
Victoria Lazar is Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary for TechnipFMC, where she is responsible for legal, compliance and facilities management. She was most recently Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Bristow Group, responsible for legal, compliance and risk management.
Before joining Bristow, Victoria held various executive roles at General Electric, including general counsel of GE Oil & Gas - Drilling, Production and Surface and executive counsel for M&A at General Electric Corporate. She also held various executive and legal roles at Electronic Data Systems Corporation, including Legal Manager and Counsel – Corporate Acquisitions & Finance. She began her legal career at BakerBotts, specializing in capital markets, global commerce and M&A transactions.
She holds a bachelor’s degree in Government from Cornell University and a doctor of jurisprudence degree from The Law School at the University of Chicago. She is on the Board and incoming President of the Texas General Counsel Forum and holds leadership positions in several organizations dedicated to the professional advancement of women including 2020WomenOnboards and The Fourth Floor.
Angila Retherford
CenterPoint Energy
Vice President, Environmental and Corporate Responsibility
Angila is the Vice President, Environmental and Corporate Responsibility, for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. In her current position Angila is responsible for CenterPoint’s environmental and sustainability programs, and leads a team of 28 environmental professionals in CenterPoint’s Houston, Minneapolis and Evansville offices. Prior to joining the utility in 2001, Angila was Senior Bureau Counsel, Bureau of Mine Reclamation, for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and a Deputy Attorney General for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, where she represented the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in environmental litigation.
Angila grew up in Greenwood, Indiana, and is a graduate of Indiana University and University of Denver College of Law.
CenterPoint Energy
Vice President, Environmental and Corporate Responsibility
Angila is the Vice President, Environmental and Corporate Responsibility, for CenterPoint Energy, Inc. In her current position Angila is responsible for CenterPoint’s environmental and sustainability programs, and leads a team of 28 environmental professionals in CenterPoint’s Houston, Minneapolis and Evansville offices. Prior to joining the utility in 2001, Angila was Senior Bureau Counsel, Bureau of Mine Reclamation, for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, and a Deputy Attorney General for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, where she represented the Indiana Department of Environmental Management and the Indiana Department of Natural Resources in environmental litigation.
Angila grew up in Greenwood, Indiana, and is a graduate of Indiana University and University of Denver College of Law.