2017 Women’s Energy Network National Conference

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The 2017 WEN National Conference will be held April 26-28 at the brand-new Marriott Marquis Houston. The WEN National Conference will bring together over 500 participants from multiple disciplines in the energy industry and across the country. The conference will showcase relevant and timely topics around the theme, Energy Resilience: Refueling Innovation.

As part of this conference, attendees will have the opportunity to view a panel discussion featuring three energy executives with unique backgrounds and viewpoints. Elizabeth Killinger, NRG Retail and Reliant; Jody Markopoulos, GE Oil & Gas; and Cynthia Warner, Tesoro, will share insight into the energy industry with attendees.

Meet the 2017 WEN National Conference Panelists:

Elizabeth Killinger

KJP_0938RPresident, NRG Retail and Reliant

Elizabeth Killinger has 25 years of domestic and international experience in the energy and services industries, including 15 years with the company. She is now responsible for directing all aspects of NRG Retail, a $5 billion competitive energy company that includes the largest national competitive electricity business in the country, the largest multi-brand retail electricity business in Texas, the third-largest residential retailer in the Northeast, and the leading portable solar and power business in the U.S.

NRG’s Retail businesses provide electricity, natural gas, home solar, home security, portable power and other innovative energy solutions to about 3 million homes and businesses and there are 3 million of its portable solar, power and battery products in use by consumers around the world. Having played a key role in the company’s transition to competitive electricity markets with customer service at its core, her vision of the “Era of Personal Power” has led NRG to introduce new innovative products that push the energy industry into the future and provide consumers with insights, choices and convenient ways to power their lives at home and on-the-go.

Ms. Killinger spent the early days of her career in the oilfield services, software development and management consulting industries. She started her NRG career at Reliant in 2002 after working for two years as a consultant, helping prepare the company’s wholesale and retail businesses for electricity deregulation in Texas. Since then, she has taken on increasing responsibilities year after year, including the launch of several successful startups within the company.

Deeply committed to making a difference for future generations, Killinger serves many impactful organizations. She is on the Energy Advisory Board and the Bauer College Board at the University of Houston and serves on the board of directors for the March of Dimes, The Center for Hearing and Speech, the North Texas Commission, and the Greater Houston Partnership (GHP) in addition to being on the GHP Executive Committee. She also serves as School Board Vice Chairman for Epiphany Lutheran School and is an advisory board member for the Newspring Center for Social Entrepreneurship and Business Nurturing. Killinger served as Chair for the nation’s largest March for Babies campaign in 2014 and Chair for the 2015 American Heart Association’s Heart Walk. She was recognized as the Platts Global Energy Rising Star in 2016.

Killinger attended Houston Baptist University and earned her bachelor’s degree in management information systems from the University of Houston. She is also passionate about her role as wife, mother and homemaker, and enjoys spending time with her family.


Jody Markopoulos

Chief Operating Officer, GE Oil & GasJody Headshot

Jody Markopoulos is Chief Operating Officer at GE Oil and Gas. The company is a leading manufacturer and provider of advanced equipment and services for all segments of the oil and gas industry, from exploration, extraction & production to end use.

Markopoulos was appointed to her current role in October 2015, where she is responsible for sourcing, manufacturing, materials, quality, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) and global projects worldwide. She works across GE to leverage capabilities, technologies and efficiencies to deliver products and solutions in a customer-centric organization. Prior to moving into her current position, she was Vice President of Global Sourcing for GE Oil & Gas managing strategic sourcing operations of $10 billion of material and services. Before joining GE Oil & Gas, Jody also served as President and CEO of GE Intelligent Platforms, a $1 billion high-performance technology company and a global provider of software, hardware, services, and expertise in automation and embedded computing.

After graduating from Clarkson University, Markopoulos began her career at GE as a member of the Management Development Program in 1993. Throughout her career, she has held a number of operational and business leadership roles, each with increasing responsibility. These roles have given her the opportunity to experience many businesses within the GE portfolio including Energy, Home & Business Solutions, Energy Management and Oil & Gas. Markopoulos was appointed a Vice President and GE Officer in 2007.

As a dedicated volunteer and mentor, Markopoulos advises young women interested in pursuing engineering and manufacturing as a career. She is the co-leader of GE’s global Women’s Network, is active in Clarkson University recruiting and sits on the Clarkson University Board of Trustees.


Cynthia Warner

CJ Warner 2 - SmilingExecutive Vice President, Operations, Tesoro

Cynthia (C.J.) Warner is Executive Vice President of Operations at Tesoro. She oversees Tesoro’s Refining; Logistics; and Environment, Health, Safety, and Security groups, providing leadership that promotes safe, compliant, reliable execution and drives operating efficiency and effectiveness.

Prior to Tesoro, Warner held executive leadership roles at several global energy companies. Most recently, she was Chairman and CEO of Sapphire Energy from 2012 to 2014, after joining as President in 2009, where she led the emerging biofuels company’s ongoing technology development and transition to commercial‐scale algae biomass and renewable crude oil production.

Prior to Sapphire Energy, Warner served as Group Vice President of Global Refining and Group Vice President of Health, Safety, Security, Environmental and Technology for British Petroleum (BP). During her 10‐year tenure, she oversaw refining operations in five continents and led a groundbreaking cooperative effort with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to shape an industry‐wide framework for clean-air improvements.

Warner began her career as a chemical engineer at UOP, followed by several years in operational leadership roles at Amoco. She is a featured leader in the 2008 book Becoming a Resonant Leader: Develop Your Emotional Intelligence Renew Your Relationships, Sustain Your Effectiveness (Harvard Business Review Press) and was named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business in 2010.

In addition to Tesoro, Warner serves as a member of the Board of Directors for IDEX Corporation. She is also a member of the National Petroleum Council and the Board of Visitors of the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering. Warner earned a bachelor of engineering degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University and a master of business administration degree from Illinois Institute of Technology.

 

About WEN: The Women’s Energy Network (WEN)’s vision is to be the premier organization that educates, attracts, retains, and develops professional women working across the energy value chain. WEN’s mission is to develop programs to provide networking opportunities that foster career and leadership development of women who work in the energy industry. WEN currently has over 4,000 members in chapters in the Appalachia, Greater Atlanta, Chicago, Greater Colorado, Houston, New York, North Texas, Greater Oklahoma, Permian Basin, Greater Philadelphia, South Louisiana, South Texas and Washington D.C. areas to fulfill your networking, professional and personal development needs.

To learn more about the 2017 WEN National Conference, visit www.womensenergynetwork.org/events.

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