Women With Energy Summit

Three weeks ago I attended the Women With Energy Summit, presented by the Offshore Energy Center (OEC) Society, at the Junior League of Houston in Houston, Texas. I’ve never been so immersed in the offshore oil and gas community before. Anyone in the maritime industry is certainly connected with the energy sector by virtue of working on board a vessel that burns petroleum or natural gas products for fuel, but it’s a different story to work aboard an offshore oil rig or drill ship, or to be an expert in geological sciences and sea floor exploration. 

There were many such experts and more in attendance at this dynamic event. Panel discussions began with a group of executives at major oil companies (all women), answering questions about what it’s like to be in their positions and how they got there. Later we listened to a group of experts offer their perspectives on whether the energy industry is experiencing a revival, and how new policy in the United States will shape the global energy market. Panel discussions were broken up by networking breaks allowing for mingling with new connections. 

We finished up the afternoon with a panel of founders and representatives of networks designed primarily to support women in the energy and maritime industries. I was joined by Ally Cedeno of Women Offshore, Katie Mehnert of Pink Petro, and Kara Byrne of the Women’s Energy Network to discuss the ways in which our networks are supporting women in energy, and the catalysts that spurred the creation of those networks. I was especially excited to meet both Ally and Katie for the first time; we’ve been in touch since the launch of Women Offshore in July 2017, and finally seized the opportunity to gather and exchange thoughts and ideas in Houston. 

Katie, Founder and CEO, Pink Petro; Elizabeth, Founder, Sea Sisters; Ally, Founder, Women Offshore.

Katie, Founder and CEO, Pink Petro; Elizabeth, Founder, Sea Sisters; Ally, Founder, Women Offshore.

They aren’t joking when they call Houston the energy capital of the world. It seems every major oil company in the world is either headquartered or solidly established in Houston. Skyscrapers and office campuses bearing universally recognized energy brands line broad boulevards. The networking continued after the summit ended; I joined my friends Joy and Katie for dinner and met Sarah Watson of CSA Ocean Sciences, who told me about a project in her home country of Australia called WISE: Women in Subsea Engineering. I look forward to adding WISE to the growing list of networks for women in the offshore sector. 

Elizabeth; Katie; Joy Hall, Chairwoman, OEC Society; and Sarah, CSA Ocean Sciences and member of WISE Australia. 

Elizabeth; Katie; Joy Hall, Chairwoman, OEC Society; and Sarah, CSA Ocean Sciences and member of WISE Australia. 

The trip to Houston was a productive one, filled with networking, new connections, and ample opportunities to spread the word of Sea Sisters - and to support similar networks around the country and around the world. Big thanks to the OEC Society for putting on this event, and to the sponsors for making it possible! 

WIML 2018

It was a great weekend at the California Maritime Academy campus in Vallejo March 2-3. The Sea Sisters community was out in full force, as were representatives of WISTA, WomenOffshore, and many other guests, sponsors, attendees, and current maritime academy cadets not just from CMA, but from academies around the country. 

Amid the blustery spring squalls and occasional rays of sunshine in Morrow Cove, young women and men gathered to learn from each other and from seasoned veterans of the maritime industry. The conference kicked off with a keynote speech from VAdm. Robin Braun (US Navy, Retired) in Rizza Auditorium. Panel discussion and presentation topics ranged from ISM Code and Maritime Law to Marine Salvage; Cybersecurity to Leadership Recruitment; there were workshops on time management and financial budgeting for incoming college students, and a presentation on Women in Maritime History was highlighted by a visit from World War II-era "Rosies" of the Rosie the Riveter WWII Home Front National Historic Park. For the full program of events, click here (to download from Dropbox). 

I had the honor of participating in two panel discussions: the first was titled "Trust Doesn't Come With The Title", and I was joined for the panel before dinner on Friday evening by Chae Guillot, a San Francisco Bay ferry captain, and Sheila LaFleur, contributor to WomenOffshore.org, to discuss actionable tools to help any young woman or man who arrives at a new job to find that due to preconceived notions of age, gender, or education, they do not immediately command the trust or respect of their shipmates. You can access a PDF of the outline to our discussion here. 

The second panel gathered four women - and aspiring maritime pilots - to talk about where we are in our paths to achieving the goal of becoming pilots, and what advice we have to give anyone who also wishes to follow the same path. I was joined on Saturday afternoon by Captain Katie Love of Starlight Marine; Captain Lindsay Price of G&H Towing; and Captain Christine Klimkowski, all-star instructor and curriculum developer at the Pacific Maritime Institute as well as recently-accepted Southeast Alaska Pilots apprentice. The energy of the audience was palpable, as was the joy of the presenters in connecting with the attendees. You can download the power point presentation for that panel discussion here. 

This "Paths to Piloting" panel was moderated by San Francisco Bar Pilot, and my friend, Captain Dan Bridgman. Dan asked me to touch on some things that the SFBP wanted to pass on: they wish to express their commitment to supporting women who have their sights set on becoming pilots, and to supporting women in the maritime industry at large. A few years ago they formed an outreach committee specifically to increase diversity within the association. In their own words: 

"The SFBP Outreach program has been going since 2015; it has worked with the Vallejo school district, and is currently working with the Oakland school district. Those efforts have been focused on letting young people know the local jobs that are in their backyards. We've been present at WIML the last three years; as sponsors for the last two, and as presenters for all three. 
We have been working to identify potential pilot apprentices who are in the industry presently, as well as cadets who are about to enter the work force. We understand that it's a long journey to becoming a pilot, and the more women who are out there in the industry, the more women pilots there will be. Mentoring played a huge role in my career, and we are happy to talk about the accessibility and steps to becoming a pilot. We see the emergence of groups like Sea Sisters and WomenOffshore as a great tool for forming networks and finding mentors who will help along the way". 

Dan couldn't be more right in his assessment of the power of mentorship to keep mariners on track toward their goals. I found several incredible mentors in my ship agent years who showed me how to parlay that experience into a track toward obtaining my mate's and master's license by working on tugboats. Without them, I doubt I would be where I am today. As many San Francisco Bar Pilots are my friends and mentors, I feel it is appropriate for me to share their support for women here on Sea Sisters. Furthermore, I'm happy to say that many companies are in the same camp with regard to their commitment to bringing more women into the industry, and retaining them for the duration of their careers. 

And we need to start by targeting young people. If disadvantaged kids aren't even aware that this amazing career exists, then how can they ever try to set themselves up to pursue it? No one told me I could go for it until I was 23 years old; before then, I had given it no thought whatsoever, because I assumed it wasn't available to me. Hearing "you can do this, too" is very powerful for a young girl. 

All in all, WIML was an incredible experience, whether we were gathering with new friends at meals to connect and share sea stories, or gathering in the classroom to listen to industry professionals share their expertise. I am already looking forward to attending this conference again in the future. 

Takeaways

There was a lot to be gained from the presentations offered during the course of the 2-day event. Some advice for current cadets getting ready to graduate and embark on their careers: 

  • Dedicating a large share of your energy to learning your craft and improving yourself every day will take you far; when you demonstrate competence and a willingness to ask questions and learn from your colleagues, trust and respect will naturally follow.
  • You can choose what to carry with you. Vice Admiral Braun made a point of discussing this concept during her keynote presentation: if you meet someone who decides to judge you based on factors like gender or age, you can either choose to internalize those opinions and carry them with you, or you can choose to leave them behind and carry on with your own plan. Choosing to let go of the opinions of others and focusing instead on what you can control is a huge step toward progress in your own career while simultaneously preserving your mental health! 
  • Trust your instincts and identify your personal boundaries. It can be a rough crowd out there on the water, and you do need to be tough to thrive in this industry. Different people have different thresholds of what kind of behavior and talk is acceptable - personality has a lot to do with it. Remember that you won't have the time or energy to fight all the battles; just determine what environment will help you thrive and don't compromise your safety for the sake of the status quo. 
  •  Seek guidance and support. We look around lately to find more and more that our networks of professional women are expanding rapidly, thanks to groups like Sea Sisters and WomenOffshore, and social platforms like Instagram. You now have access to friends and mentors who can give you advice about your career, or encouragement when you need it most - whether you are male or female. You can fill out the “contact us” form,  and it will send an email straight to my inbox. Reach out to us anytime! Many of us are securely established in our careers and ready to give back; to bring other women up with us as we smash through barriers that not long ago seemed insurmountable. 

Thank you for reading,  

Elizabeth 

Pregnancy At Sea

The long-awaited essay is here! Our sea sister Carrie Norton has lived the saga of getting pregnant, having her baby, and returning to work offshore on an oil rig in Angola, Africa. She bravely wrote out the entire story, from the beginning when she faced the frustrating prospect of dealing with an employer who had no idea what to do with a woman who wanted to have a baby and continue working, to the negative comments she fielded from innumerable naysayers (as pretty much all working pregnant women do, as far as I can tell), to the heartache of leaving her son at home with her husband, and the trying, fascinating, and sometimes hilarious task of keeping her breastmilk supply in full swing while traveling for work by pumping in the craziest places. 

I am overjoyed for Carrie and so, so proud that she wrote this story for us. She didn't just do it for Sea Sisters; she did it for every single woman out there who wants to have a baby and also keep doing her job, whether she's on a ship, or a rig, or a tugboat. Wherever you are, ladies, there are more of us all the time, and you can do this. 

I am bursting with excitement to share this story, but I am also braced for the inevitable onslaught of abuse that may come with it, from the types of people who feel compelled to tell pregnant women that they are selfish - or worse - for returning to work after childbirth and leaving their babies to be cared for by a loving spouse or family member. I received fair warning (which I hugely appreciate) from the good people at WomenOffshore.org when they published a similar piece by Amanda Locke talking about having her baby and then returning to work offshore. They mediated some nasty comments in the wake of that article.

I don't understand how some people feel so entitled to voice their cruel commentary on the choices faced by mothers every day. I think that it comes from fear; feeling threatened when the choices of others don't line up with what we believe is right. Pregnant women are right up there with politics and religion as far as controversial topics go. I wish I could say that our bodies are no longer a battlefield for the anger, insecurity, and opinions of others, but they are, and I am ready to go to bat for Carrie, or for any woman (including myself) who dreams of having a family while continuing to do the work she loves on the water. 

So we'll see how this goes. Thank you for your support. 

With love, Elizabeth 

Upcoming Events

We have a new contributor! Meet Captain Lindsay Price. Lindsay is a tugboat captain in Galveston, Texas, and an aspiring maritime pilot. She is also a member of WISTA and speaks to young women at events around the country in an effort to inspire and support the next generation of female mariners. We are so proud and excited to have Lindsay join the Sea Sisters community! Click here to read her bio.  

Lindsay painting.JPG

I love the fall and the feeling of freshness it brings, as the weather cools and students return to school campuses to start a new year of possibilities and growth. I want to take this opportunity to remind everyone to mark their calendars for networking events taking place in the coming year: 

Coming up soon! This is the 9th annual Women on the Water conference; our newest contributor, Lindsay Price, will be a speaker at the event, and WomenOffshore.org founder Ally Cedeno will be attending as well! Follow the link above for schedule and registration forms; Click here to read a writeup about the event on WomenOffshore. 

Our own Megan Rycraft, a SeaSisters.org contributor, has created an event which will take place in January 2018: She Sails, a meet up for women working on the water. The three-day event will include presentations, discussion panels, meals and time to just relax and get to know each other in the quiet retreat setting of Fall City Farms near Seattle, Washington. We can't wait to make this event a success for Sea Sisters and friends alike! Check out the website for more information. 

From the organizers: 

"This event was established at California State University Maritime Academy in 2012 to further the vision of equitable and future-facing maritime and transportation-related industries for the 21st century. Now approaching its seventh year, this dynamic two-day conference offers opportunities for career development, authentic leadership, and productive networking for all who venture to support the success of women in these historically non-traditional fields."  

Added bonus: the event is free of charge for all accepted or current maritime academy students - nationwide - as well as any CSU (California State University) students. Click here to register as an attendee. 

Tickets for a dinner-only option and youth groups are also offered at reduced prices, and tickets are available for those who wish to register as sponsors or presenters. 

The USA chapter of the Women's International Shipping and Trading Association will hold its AGM and Gala in New York City next spring. To apply for membership with WISTA, click here (if you are outside the United States, you can check whether there is a chapter in your country by navigating to the list on the left-hand side of the page). 

Portions of the conference are also open for attendance by interested parties who are not WISTA members. Check the site for details. Annual membership fee in the USA is $100, and application requires a reference from a current WISTA member in good standing. 

Lastly, we received a message a while back that prompted a discussion among our contributors on female-centric topics including hygiene on board. I took the liberty of writing up some advice for young women embarking on their career for the first time. Ladies if you are interested, give it a read! 

Until next time, fair winds.

- Elizabeth 

The Community Grows

As the summer comes to a hot and sunny finale over here in California, I am so excited to tell everyone I know about the new website in town - WomenOffshore.org. The site went live last month, and showcases information on a multitude of topics, from industry news and featured seagoing women, to maintaining personal health and wellness while working offshore. Their mission statement reaches out to women in maritime sectors across the globe: 

"Women Offshore is an online resource center supporting a diverse workforce on the water. Our mission is to report the latest news on gender diversity in the offshore and maritime industries, while shining a light on women in operations and providing resources to foster long-term careers." 

Founder Ally Cedeno and her team reached out to Sea Sisters and wrote a feature on our community. You can read it here. We look forward to watching the community grow, and empowering  the team at WomenOffshore with any support and resources the Sea Sisters Organization can offer. 

There are a few more groups I've had the pleasure of discovering in recent years. One of these groups is Against The Tide, a project created by Liz Marami, a marine pilot based in the Kenya Ports Authority. Liz has featured women seafarers from around the globe by sharing their images and telling their stories in their own words. Follow their Instagram account for the latest! 

Lastly, let me also point out a group that has been around for quite some time: WISTA, Women's International Shipping & Trading Association. Founded in 1974, WISTA provides networking opportunities for female executives in the maritime industry around the world. The international establishment is divided into National WISTA Associations by country; for information on your nearest chapter and to apply for membership, click here. 

In our latest newsletter, we introduced a new contributor: Aurora, an Alaskan badass with a penchant for slaying salmon and turning wrenches. Aurora and I met in the strangest and most unique way - that is to say, we haven't even met yet; not in person.

I was working in my capacity as tugboat deck hand, and we were putting our hawser up to a tanker at the Richmond Long Wharf in San Francisco Bay last spring. The crew had just made our line fast on their bitt up on deck when a young woman ran to the rail and waved down at me excitedly, beaming broadly. I am always happy to see women on ships, and I happily waved and smiled back. I reached out to some women who I know were working on the same ship, or for the same company, at the time, and they told me that the electric young woman was Aurora. She had learned who I was through the Sea Sisters project, and recognized me on the tugboat below. She connected with me to give her contact information, and naturally at that point I couldn't resist asking her if she would contribute to Sea Sisters. She graciously agreed, and now I am honored to publish her story and share it with the world for the first time. 

Aurora's saga is at once intricate and soul-piercing, as my favorite sea stories always are. In her own words: 

"As a woman who has been terrified, almost every step of the way, it is really important to me to express that, because it was all so much less scary than I had made it out to be in my mind. The life that I am living now is beyond better than anything that I could have dreamt for myself. It was worth all of the anxiety and fear and loneliness. I hope that my story might encourage timid women like me to go for it anyway, even though it's terrifying. It's a story for the women who are afraid to admit that they'd like to turn a wrench, because they might be ridiculed or mocked. I wish I had heard a similar story when I was sixteen. That's when my secret interest in machinery began to develop." 

There are so many young women who are not hearing enough encouraging messages such as this, and much like Aurora points out, I wish I had read these stories when I was sixteen as well. 

So grab your favorite beverage, some popcorn - perhaps a hanky or two - and settle in, because I promise you won't want to stop reading. 

Thank you, Aurora. And fair seas to all, 

Elizabeth