Katie Mehnert
Katie Mehnert | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 27, 1975 |
| Occupation(s) | Executive, entrepreneur, author, advocate, keynote speaker |
| Known for | Founder and CEO of Ally Energy; advocate for workforce development in energy sector |
Katie Mehnert (born December 27, 1975) is a prominent American leader in the energy sector, recognized as an executive, entrepreneur, author, advocate, and keynote speaker. She is the founder and chief executive officer of Ally Energy, a digital platform dedicated to workforce development and career advancement within the energy industry.
Career
From 1997 to 2004, Mehnert gained experience as a management consultant working with companies such as Enron, Duke Energy, Waste Management, and Entergy. In 2004, she transitioned to Shell, where she spent seven years leading global programs and change initiatives centered on health and safety. Subsequently, she took on the role of director of culture, safety, and operational risk at BP in the aftermath of the Deepwater Horizon disaster.
Mehnert envisioned Pink Petro in 2013 and departed BP in 2014 to establish it as an online educational community designed to enhance career opportunities for women in the energy field. Initial backing for Pink Petro came from Shell, Halliburton, and KPMG. In 2016, she introduced the HERWorld Energy forum—now known as Energy 2.0—to foster global connections among women professionals in energy.
The organization rebranded to ALLY Energy in 2020. The following year, ALLY expanded its scope by acquiring Clean Energy Social, thereby broadening its influence across clean energy sectors such as solar, wind, oil and gas, biofuels, hydrogen, geothermal power, carbon capture technologies, and utilities—critical components of the evolving energy landscape.
Mehnert’s commitment to advancing gender and racial equity within the energy industry has earned her numerous accolades including recognition as one of the Top 40 under 40 by the Houston Business Journal, Top Woman to Watch in Energy, Top 50 Houston Woman, recipient of the Vanguard Award from Girls Inc., YWCA’s Top Woman in Energy honor, Women Who Mean Business award in energy, and designation as a Leader of Influence by the Global World Affairs Council in 2021.
Education
She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University, awarded in 1997, and completed executive education focused on energy at the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business in 2009. Additionally, Mehnert is an alumna of the Center for Houston's Future.
US Department of Energy
In 2020, under the Trump Administration led by James Campos, Mehnert was appointed as an Ambassador for the US Department of Energy’s Equity and Energy initiative. Later, in 2022, Secretary Jennifer Granholm named her to serve on the National Petroleum Council.
Hurricane Harvey
During August 2017’s Hurricane Harvey, Mehnert experienced significant loss when federally mandated releases from reservoirs by the United States Army Corps of Engineers flooded her home and business located in West Houston. Despite floodwaters reaching her residence’s first floor, she and her daughter remained safe upstairs until volunteers rescued them on August 29.
Advocacy and activism
In 2019, Mehnert provided testimony before the US Congress concerning the future workforce needs in clean energy. She also featured in Hot Money, a documentary released in 2021 that investigates the financial ramifications of climate change; this film was directed by Susan Kucera and produced by Jeff Bridges alongside Wesley Clark.
Books
- Grow with the Flow: Embrace Difference, Overcome Fear, and Progress with Purpose – ISBN 1634893239
- Everyday Superheroes: Women in Energy Careers – ISBN 1634894340