Women's Global Leadership Conference in Energy 2026

Lisa is Founder & CEO of Maximum Q Leadership, LLC, dedicated to helping leaders thrive under pressure and reach their highest potential through her Five Q’s framework of Success Intelligence. A seasoned media executive, educator, and author, Lisa has led organizational transformations, served on national boards, and co-authored “You Got This!”, a career-skills textbook used to teach over 10,000 students. Today, she equips leaders and organizations with research-backed strategies, coaching, and programs that cultivate positive mindsets, authentic presence, and high-performance cultures.

Allie Kennedy Thurmond has worked in both the public and private sectors, led organisations in both R&D and operations, and worked domestically and internationally. She has 30 years of leadership experience with more than 20 years in the energy industry. Currently, Allie is Vice President for North America Lithium at Equinor, where she is responsible for the management and growth of a sustainable lithium business in the US. During her career at Equinor, she has held roles including Vice President and Asset Manager for Exploration in the Gulf of Mexico and Exploration Manager for Mexico, as well as numerous leadership roles in R&D in both the US and Norway. Prior to Equinor, she was a Senior Supervisory Statistician at the US Department of Commerce. She holds a PhD in Geosciences from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Carol is an Executive Advisor with Eldon Land Supply, where she works with energy companies to navigate complex infrastructure, land, and strategic development decisions in a rapidly evolving market. She has advised more than 30 energy organisations, helping leaders evaluate opportunities, manage interconnection and development risk, and align land, transmission, and power strategies into executable plans. Prior to her advisory work, Carol served in senior leadership roles within a Fortune 200 organisation and spent nearly two decades as a leadership development consultant, partnering with more than 150 companies across industries. She is also the author of the best-selling book The Rebalancing Act, and is known for translating complexity into clear, actionable strategies that drive sustainable results.

Sandra is an HR leader, executive coach, and educator with over 20 years’ experience. As Head of HR for North America at Siemens Energy and Siemens Gamesa, she leads HR strategies central to the energy transition, with expertise in large-scale change, workforce engagement, and diversity, belonging, and wellness. Sandra holds a PhD in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, an MBA in Management, and a BS in Healthcare Management, alongside SHRM, HRCI, and NACC certifications. Beyond her corporate role, she contributes to academia as an adjunct faculty member and serves on advisory boards including Harvard Medical School’s Future of Workforce Health Advisory Council. A US Army Reserves veteran, she coaches transitioning soldiers into civilian life.

Cindy is the Chief Operating Officer of the SGA Natural Gas Association, where she leads with a passion for excellence, people development, and service-driven culture. With a unique background that includes four elected terms as County Clerk of Denton County, Cindy transitioned to the energy sector to coach and develop nearly 600 leaders in a sweeping cultural transformation. Since then, she’s brought that same energy to SGA—strengthening operations, aligning teams, and fostering top-tier service delivery across the organization. A certified executive coach and leadership facilitator, Cindy is known for her ability to elevate individuals, teams, and outcomes. Outside of work, she’s most at home entertaining, cooking, playing with her fur babies, and enjoying time with her family and community.

Priya leads Customer Support and Training at AspenTech, an Emerson company, where she heads an expert team supporting Fortune 100 energy and chemical companies on the mission-critical Industrial AI software that keeps refineries, chemical plants, and supply chains running. Over a decade-long career spanning Asia Pacific, Europe, and North America, she’s built credibility from scratch in some of the most demanding, male-dominated rooms in the industry. She leads high-stakes customer escalations, drives operational excellence, and mentors the people around her into senior technical roles. Beyond her corporate role, Priya is a speaker and writer on leadership, empowerment, authenticity, and belonging. She has taken the stage at WGLC, the WomenTech Network Global Conference, and several other platforms, and writes for women navigating the unspoken realities of technical leadership. Priya represents a generation reshaping technical leadership — grounded, intentional, and unafraid to lead as themselves.

Alejandra is a Commercial Operations Manager at Baker Hughes, where she leads negotiations and strategy for long-term service agreements across the Americas, managing a multi-million-dollar commercial pipeline. A mechanical engineer by training and a Latina who grew up across six countries, she combines a global perspective, fluency in five languages, and deep cultural fluency to navigate complex business challenges and foster strong customer relationships. Beyond her corporate role, she serves on the Board of Directors for Mobi Waste, contributing to the advancement of innovative and sustainable waste management solutions. She is deeply committed to mentoring people and expanding access to opportunities within the industry. In 2026, she coordinated the SPE Roughneck Camp, a flagship leadership and networking event that brought together over 300 young professionals pursuing careers in energy. She is a strong advocate for empowering women and early-career professionals to own their journeys—boldly, intentionally, and unapologetically.

Most AI executives have never set foot on a plant floor. Dianne spent twenty years on them. She bridges the distance between industrial control rooms and hyperscale data centers, translating Silicon Valley concepts into operational reality. After two decades at Emerson and Schneider Electric, Dianne entered Big Tech. She led Industrial AI strategy at AWS before joining Google as AI Go-to-Market Lead for Power and Energy, guiding major players through business transformations. Her institutional credibility includes serving on the A3 AI Technology Strategy Board, chairing the Women’s Energy Network Houston Advisory Board, and earning recognition as a Fifty Women to Watch For Boards finalist. A bicultural leader fluent in Mandarin, her experience spans the US, China, Italy, Singapore, and Canada. From TEDx to the World Bank, Dianne commands stages globally.

Brooke is an HR leader with 15 years of experience in the drilling industry. She currently holds the position of Senior Director, Global HR at Noble Corporation, where she is responsible for leading the HR Business Partnering, Talent Acquisition, and Mobilization and Workforce Readiness teams. Prior to joining Noble Corporation, Brooke held HR leadership roles at Diamond Offshore, Anew Climate, Pacific Drilling, and Precision Drilling. Brooke serves on the Board of Directors of the Alzheimer’s Association Houston and Southeast Texas Chapter. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources Development from Texas A&M University and an MBA from the University of Texas at Austin.